The Lion's Roar 32-7

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Volume 32, Issue 7 140 Brandeis Road Newton Centre, MA 02459

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · April 15, 2016

MORE THAN WORDS

After recent events, hate speech proves hard to tackle

By Emily Belt and Sophie Lu

A

fter a series of hate-speech incidents involving Newton Public Schools students this year, both the Newton community and South specifically have been working to respond to, define and combat hate speech. Many said the recent incidents, though, do not necessarily reflect actual enmity, but rather, a collective ignorance.

“There’s a lot more work that we need to be doing than maybe some people originally thought,” history teacher Robert Parlin said.

Mayor Setti Warren organized a community open forum on April 7 in response to the incidents, which have included anti-Semitic chants aimed at New-

ton students, swastikas drawn on school property and racist questions submitted to an anonymous survey.

The open forum at City Hall, however, was disrupted by Jewish activists from Americans for Peace and Tolerance, a Boston-based advocacy group that has previously accused the Newton high schools of using anti-Semitic material in their history curriculums, a claim that is largely unsubstantiated.

When a woman stood to speak about her son’s encounter with racism at school, members of the group heckled her and insulted her cause. They targeted HATE SPEECH, 12

photo illustration by Bailey Kroner

Seeking new contract, custodians fear outsourcing Carina Ramos Managing Editor

As the custodians union begins negotiations to renew its contract with the schools, union members have reported that the School Committee has requested to remove a clause from the contract protecting custodians from outsourcing, raising concerns that after-hours custodial staff will be privatized.

The most recent contract from 2011 between the Newton Public School Custodians Association (NPSCA) and the school system

includes a clause that prohibits outsourcing NPS custodial work to any outside entity. The union also retains collective bargaining rights comparable to those of the teachers union, which negotiated a new contract last fall.

This contract cycle, however, members of the NPSCA have expressed fears that the School Committee will refuse to negotiate until the clause is removed, which would allow the School Committee to outsource custodial work at its discretion. Prolonged work without a contract prevents custodians from obtaining cost-of-living adjustments,

meaning that they would effectively lose money.

Although the custodians’ immediate concern is preventing the outsourcing of the night staff specifically, removing the clause would open the doors for any and all custodial services to be outsourced.

While this decision could cut costs, history teacher Jamie Rinaldi said the possibility introduces questions about how the city values its employees.

“If we as a community simply say, ‘Custodians are not members of our com-

munity, they are not adults in our students’ lives, but they just push mops around,’ then we may be able to save money, but we have done incredible damage to the underlying values of this community and what we believe in,” he said.

School Committee Chair Matt Hills declined to grant an interview, but wrote in an email, “We are committed to reaching an agreement with the Custodians, and we will continue to work as hard as possible to CUSTODIANS, 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Changing course

Starting next year, juniors will no longer be allowed to take AP Language and Composition.

3

Oak hill Bus Crash Fifteen years later, the community reflects on the Oak Hill bus crash.

15

sports Etiquette

The athletics department works to eliminate inappropriate cheers.

21

NEWS 2 EDITORIALS 6 OPINIONS 8 CENTERFOLD 12 FEATURES 15 FUn page 19 SPORTS 21

NEWS PAGE 2|APRIL 15, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

NEWS@THELIONSROAR.COM|VOLUME 32, ISSUE 7

this month in

review Science Team Success On March 19, the Science Team attended the Massachusetts State Olympiad with 20 students and finished in second place among 53 teams. The team placed in the top 10 in 21 of the Olympiad’s 26 events and placed in the top three in 11 events.

Sophomore Caleb Fried said the team succeeded despite time constraints.

“We had to pull everything together really quickly, and overall we did really well,” he said.

“Everybody put in a lot of effort and got really good results.”

Daynard to become full-time author Michelle Cheng Sr. News Editor

After the success of her first two historical novels, English teacher Jodi Daynard will retire after this school year to become a full-time author.

While many students said they appreiciate Daynard’s passion for writing, junior Courtney Pappas said she will miss Daynard’s teaching style.

“She works with us to make sure we’re learning in the best possible way,” she said.

“She ... made a lot of connections in class that help us ... understand ... what she was talking about.”

Many teachers will also miss interacting with Daynard, English teacher Corinne Popp said. “It’s the same for grownups; we like to be surrounded with the people that we like,” Popp said.

English department head Brian Baron

congratulated Daynard on her decision.

“Anybody who has aspirations to be a professional writer envisions a time in their life when they can make a living off of their writing,” he said. “To get to a point in your career where you can support yourself with the revenue from your published work ... is a really significant accomplishment.”

Students said they will miss Daynard’s teaching style, which Daynard said is influenced by her experience as an author and former college professor.

“We’re all taught to write certain ways in school, like write your thesis and work from that, but she’s taught us ... new techniques,” Pappas said. “I’m a better writer because of the new tricks that she’s taught me.”

Junior Celia Snyder agreed that Daynard’s teaching style is different from others.

“She likes to say that she’s teaching us not as high school writers, but as college writers,” Snyder said.

One School, One Question The English department announced a new format for the annual One School, One Book curriculum for this summer in which students will choose to read one of five selections, all of which relate to the theme of power and democracy.

The five choices include “All-American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Rebecca Traister, “Little Brother”

by Cory Doctorow, “Ms. Marvel Vol. 1” by G. Willow Wilson and annotations for the lyrics of “Hamilton: The Musical.”

One School One Book is scheduled for Sept. 23, 2016, and discussions will focus on each of the five books as well as their central theme.

photo illustration by Juliana Brenner

Baron said that Daynard’s experience revising professional writing has benefited her students.

“That experience of just editing things and working so diligently on your work is something that brought a great deal to her students,” he said.

“I know students get really frustrated when they have to revise things, and so I want to show them what it really involves to write well,” Daynard said.

Her first historical novel, “The Midwife’s Revolt,” which has over 1,000 reviews on Amazon, follows the story of Lizzie Boylston in parallel with the American Revolution. Daynard recently released the second novel in the trilogy, “Our Own Country,” and is currently working on the third installment.

Her rankings on Amazon with “The Midwife’s Revolt” shows Daynard’s success.

“At various times, she’s ranked above some pretty famous people,” Popp said.

“That’s really fun to track and watch ... the things you don’t pay attention to when you’re not a writer.”

Daynard said that she always knew knew she was going to become an author.

“I’ve always felt the need to have a life on paper ... it’s always been a comfort to me to know ... I have this alter-ego on the paper that is solid and not vulnerable.”

Baron added that Daynard’s decision “can send a message to kids that this is a viable career option — there’s real people you actually know rather than just people on television who publish books,” he said. “[Kids] can aspire to write ... for a living.”

“I’ve spent my entire life working without success essentially, and I didn’t let that stop me,” Daynard said. “Any student who feels that they really want to achieve something ... just practice your craft until you’re really good, and you will be if you keep at it.”

Proctor’s mistake invalidates SAT scores Kimia Tabatabaei Sr. News Editor

Due to a timing error, 15 students who took the SAT at South on March 5 were required to retake the exam.

“The time was written on the board … She stopped us a few minutes before the written time and said, ‘Oh sorry, I gave you a few extra minutes. Sorry about that, but you guys won’t be punished for it,’” junior Ruslan Crosby said.

Crosby said he didn’t think much of it at the time, but soon he and the other students were informed that their test scores would not be reported; the College Board had ruled them as invalid.

According to the test site coordinator, history teacher Faye Cassell, she was alerted of the situation immediately. “We stopped the test as soon as we knew that it wasn’t going to be graded,” she said. “The irregularity was severe enough that [Educational Testing Service (ETS)] decided that [the] room should be dismissed.”

Occurrences like this are “relatively

infrequent,” ETS spokesman Tom Ewing said to the Boston Globe.

Students received the opportunity to retake the exam one week later, on the following Saturday. Junior Olivia Chin said that while she was happy to have more time to study, she did not think it was fair that the students were required to retake all of the sections even though they only received extra time on one.

Crosby agreed that the consequences seemed extreme “It’s not fair, especially considering the short time we went over.

But that said, I understand that the College Board can’t let us just get credit for the extra time, because then that creates a lot of issues.”

A retake of only one section could influence the entire exam, Cassell said. “What the College Board is trying to do is mirror ... the testing conditions that were given on the old test,” she said. “[That way,] you aren’t given any advantage or disadvantage.”

Math teacher and SAT math tutor Mike Mosbrooker added that while the College Board’s focus on maintaining an untarnished image can be frustrating, it is

necessary because the tests “mean something.”

“There’s no question; you never wonder about that random kid in Oklahoma who took it, and maybe their teacher helped them or something. No college ever worries about that,” he said. “[They] draw a very black and white line over what they consider to be acceptable.”

March 5 marked the first day the College Board implemented the new SAT across the country. The new test has a different structure and a new set of instructions for proctors, which Cassell said can be confusing.

Mosbrooker, however, said the College Board clearly attempts to safeguard against incidents like this. “It says right on it, in 50 different places about the timing,” he said. “[But] I’m not condemning the person who did this. We are all human, we all make mistakes.”

“The one positive [we] can take out is that [we] essentially get a free practice test because we were almost on the last section when we were told to stop,” Crosby said. “All in all, it was a blessing in disguise.”

April 15, 2016|page 3

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|News

AP Lang no longer open to juniors

Rachel Gu & Hope Zhu

News Editor, News Contributor Juniors have been allowed to sign up for AP Language and Composition (AP Lang) since the course was originally offered at South 13 years ago. Now, however, the English department has decided that this course will be open to seniors only.

English department head and AP Lang teacher Brian Baron said the majority of English teachers made the decision after they began to notice that more juniors wanted to take an AP English class instead of the standard honors level course.

“We just think it’s better for everybody, by the time you’ve graduated high school, to have a course in American literature. That’s the course that’s available junior year, and if you’re taking AP language, you’re missing out on that,” Baron said.

Junior English primarily focuses on American literature, and students read classics including “The Great Gatsby” and “The Scarlet Letter.” Meanwhile, students in AP Lang read articles and focus on the nuances of modern journalism. Missing out on the American literature course is detrimental to a student’s education, AP Lang teacher Alexander Kaplan said.

“Our class does not adhere to a traditional junior English class,” he said. “So there is always a concern that students who take this class and are not as prepared as the honors eleventh grade juniors are for senior English because we don’t read …

American literature.”

Junior Carol Zhang, who currently takes AP Lang, said that she disagrees with the policy change and questions the value of American literature.

“I think that journalism is more useful than American literature because you get to formulate arguments and write more,” Zhang said. “If more students want to take AP Lang, the school should increase the number of spots available for that to happen instead of just changing the policy and making people take American literature against their will.”

“I don’t know if [the policy changed it’s] really helping anyone, but it is hindering people — even if it is just a select few,” sophomore Daniel Abdulah added. “I do understand the concern that with a rigorous course, some kids might not be able to handle it, but for the kids that can, there’s really no reason to hold students back,” he said.

Before the implementation of the policy change, juniors had only a chance of getting into AP Lang because first priority went to seniors. Some years, there was not room for any juniors to enroll.

“Generally we’ve done it on space available, so what we said is that if we have three sections of the course, whatever space is leftover from those three sections, juniors will run a lottery for that space,” Baron said.

This change means that even juniors who are passionate about journalism must take a class that they might not like, according to Zhang.

“A lot of my friends who tried to [take AP Lang] aren’t very happy in their American literature classes because that’s not what they’re interested in,” she said.

Additionally, Abdulah said he believes that the policy change does not allot enough time for students to take other courses that interest them during senior year.

“With limited block space, sometimes it’s better to let students get some things done in junior year and then do extra

in senior year,” he said.

Sophomore Mark Khrapko added that removing this option reduces students’ ability to make their own decisions.

“We are considering that students are mature, so we assume that they will be able to make the correct choices for themselves,” he said. “This way, we are taking away choices from students, which is incorrect and unfair to the students and doesn’t give them opportunities that they could find are really important.”

Abdulah agreed that the policy change limits student overall learning. “We have the two English APs — AP Literature and AP Lang – and it’s forcing students to only choose one, and they could be missing out on this course that could actually really broaden their understanding of English or for students who really enjoy English or are passionate about it, this is sort of unfair to them.”

“An honors english class is fair, it’s a good class ... but it’s completely different from an AP course,” Khrapko added. “An AP course teaches you ... to have a college-course-way of thinking, so it really makes you able to have a lot more complex ideas than in a normal

honors class.”

While policies vary from one institution to another, students with passing grades in AP courses and AP exam grades of 3 or above may receive college credit for their coursework and be able to skip to a higher level course in college. Having the opportunity to skip an introductory level English course in college means that students can save a large amount of money because they won’t have to pay for the extra course, according to Khrapko.

Having juniors in an AP Lang class does not have a negative impact on the seniors in the class, or on the classroom atmosphere, according to senior Jarrett Shapiro.

“If juniors want to take this class, then juniors should be able to take the class — especially those that are really interested in journalism,” he said.“We don’t really seem to do any different work until we get to fourth term, and by that point seniors really don’t care.”

Kaplan, however, said that the policy change makes things simpler for both teachers graphic by Rachel Honigsberg and students because problems often arise in mixed-grade classes.

Students have varying levels of focus.

“It’s just something that makes teaching the class a little different and a little more difficult than if you have everybody the same grade and in the same place,” Kaplan said.

“There’s nothing wrong with there being a class mixed level ... If you’re a junior who’s willing to take that risk, it’s fine,” senior Ilana Zeldin said.

“I don’t think ... difficulty level of the class was that big of a jump. And even for seniors, we had never taken a journalism class before so we’re all kind of in the same boat in terms of new experience, new type of class. I don’t think it matters if you’re a junior or senior.”

Reducing Pressure

DANIEL ABDULAH Class of 2018

South senate update

T

his month, the Senate focused on several new issues while making progress on past legislation.

We drafted last month’s resolution regarding a student complaint form into a detailed bill and we are waiting to implement it. We have recently passed a bill to institute homework free Wednesdays. We have also begun to examine new individual proposals, and our committees continue to work in their respective areas.

First, we have discussed the possible removal of public honor roll postings, which have recently come under scrutiny. Some argue that publicizing the honor roll is a way to congratulate highly achieving students and is not meant to insult those absent from the list.

Public postings may also give students a competitive incentive to work towards better grades, but the lists may put excessive stress on students to achieve well.

Publishing the names of students who obtained A’s and B’s may inherently identify those who received lower than a B in at least one class, violating student privacy and undermining those who wish to keep their grades private.

Others have argued that there is simply no benefit to publicizing the honor roll because students can find out their grades for themselves, and postings create an uncomfortably competitive academic environment. We have already passed a resolution stating our intent to focus on this matter, with the majority of the Senate open to the idea of removing honor roll postings.

We also focused on adding beneficial courses. First, the stress and mental health committee has been working to reform the anti-bullying curriculum and implement a new mental health curriculum.

Also, they are working to implement a sex-ed curriculum for all students to refresh what they learned in ninth grade, taught similarly to the infrequent but mandatory anti-bullying curriculum.

Second, we have recently begun to explore the possibility of creating a program for ROTC students interested in attending a U.S. service academy.

Third, we’ve realized a need to implement a curriculum from which students can learn necessary life skills to live independently, including how to pay taxes and how to apply for a job. We hope that these curricula will broaden our students’ education outside of their usual subjects.

In addition, the Senate has voted in favor of a bill that gives academic teams the ability to award varsity letters as long as they have a set of requirements for achieving the award. The Senate is working to implement past policies and capitalize on current policies before the end of the year. We will be drafting more detailed bills and sending out online surveys via Facebook to get student feedback on debated issues.

If you have any ideas you want to share with the Senate, you can either fill out those surveys, drop in on a meeting in the Lecture Hall on Thursday J blocks, or email any senator, addresses for whom are posted in the hallway by the library and cafeteria.

page 4|april 15, 2016

News|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Seeking new contract, custodians fear outsourcing

photos by Carina Ramos

NPS custodians and staff members at a School Committee meeting on March 28. Attendees discussed possible privatization of NPS custodians, among other relevant issues.

CUSTODIANS, from 1 settle all issues.” Hills said that the School Committee will not, at this time, correct any “misinformation” that is circulating due to the confidentiality of negotiations.

Like Rinaldi, many have expressed admiration of Newton custodians’ commitment to NPS. NPSCA President Tim Curry and Vice President Ernie Peltier, for example, have worked in Newton for 33 and 56 years, respectively. Curry and Peltier were among over 30 custodians, educators and community members who attended the March 28 School Committee meeting in support of the union.

“I’m actually from Newton, I graduated from Newton South High School, I have a son who goes to Newton South High School,” Curry said. “I feel like I’ve dedicated my life to Newton.”

NTA Vice President Jane Roderick said that NPS custodians’ roles often extend beyond cleaning.

“We had kids [for whom their custodian] was their connection to the building and their anchor, and I don’t believe we would have the same consistency or even caring if [they] were outsourced and had people who didn’t know the community and care about the community.”

Across NPS, custodians cover whatever needs to be done in their respective schools, Curry said. Many even participate in school traditions and activities, regardless

of their job descriptions. and I guess they don’t think we are ... I don’t Roderick agreed, and recalled her ex- know what’s going through their minds now.” periences with custodians at the elementary A change in employer would be challevel. lenging, Fleming said. “I still have another 10 “ I could tell you stories about each and years to go before I can retire, so I don’t want every one that was there, and how they sup- to shift jobs now,” he said. “I’m 47 years old, ported the kids,” she said. “How they stood on so it’d be difficult. Hopefully they’ll see that the roof to do the egg drop, and the kinds of it’s not going to work out for them, and we’ll things that make us a community and make all keep our jobs.” the custodians part of that community.

NTA President Michael Zilles said The idea of outsourcing, according that the lower wages that would accompany to Oak Hill senior outsourcing would custodian Bob Flemcontradict the values ing, is an insult to the of Newton Schools.

“We feel like we’re part of the custodians’ work.

“It really is, to a “It’s tough for school community, and I guess great extent, hypocritmorale for us to work they don’t think we are.” ical of us to be on the without a contract and one hand advocating for them to threaten - John Griffin, custodian and working hard to our jobs. They’ve done close the achievement it in the past — this is gap in our schools, probably the third time since I’ve been on and on the other hand to create the condithat they’ve pulled this tactic with us,” he said. tions that create the achievement gap in the Peltier confirmed that outsourcing had first place,” he said. “We’re going to be taking been proposed on three separate occasions good, solid middle class jobs, eliminating since he began working at South. them and bringing people into work in the If the city were to contract with a private schools, who essentially work on poverty rate company, current custodians would be able wages, with terrible health insurance.” to apply for their current positions through As the custodians continue to work the private company, but without guarantee, without a contract, Rinaldi told to the School and likely for far less compensation.

Committee that the NTA will continue to “I don’t know what else to say except support the NPSCA until they reach an it’s not right,” South’s senior night custodian, agreement.

John Griffin, said. “We work hard, and we “You can own your responsibility to feel like we’re part of the school community, your school system where people in many

different, but equally important ways, give their all every single day to help young people achieve their fullest potential,” he said. “We demand that you treat us, the custodians, educators, secretaries and faculty, across the district, as essential members of the school community, all deserving equal bargaining rights. An attack on any one of us is an attack on us all.”

At the same March 28 School Committee meeting, Franklin Elementary kindergarten teacher Mary Jane Boudreau and art teacher Diane Jaquith spoke about their school custodian, Bill Pepicelli, who alerted Newton authorities of a carbon monoxide leak inside their school.

“Bill knew that at least six teachers were in the building. He knew this because he knew us,” Boudreau said. “If it were not for our designated custodian, Newton could be mourning the loss of 425 students and 100 adults that would have been in the building by 8:20. Can we really trust the health and safety of our students and staff to an outside contractor?”

McMahon maintained that though custodians often stay out of the spotlight, they are a vital part of NPS. “Our custodians contribute an enormous and important service to our community, often unnoticed by the public,” she said.

“We have beautiful buildings and beautiful people in those buildings, and we need to preserve that and protect that for our kids and for ourselves.”

Bring this ad to the Panera Bread in Newton Centre and get a free fountain beverage or drip coffee with your purchase of a sandwhich, salad or ‘You Pick Two’. *Offer one per customer

EDITORIALS page 6|April 15, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

editorials@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 32, ISSUE 7

Respect Newton custodians: the CAT’S retain outsourcing protection

MEOW All the news that’s fit to print ... and then some!

Senior Center Grand Opening A new South Senior Center will open in a classroom across from the preschool next year, and the family and consumer sciences department will be offering a course in geriatric care for interested students.

“We fear students are forgetting that there is another side of life,” counselor Ohmy Knees said.

Last week, the class of 2016 staged a protest at the center’s grand opening, angry after hearing that the new program is meant to serve senior citizens, not the senior class.

Schoology Excuse Generator In partnership with South Senate, the creators of Schoology recently introduced a new feature created to eliminate student stress.

Starting next month, students will have access to an “assignment excuses” generator. With only a proper noun, a verb and an adjective, Schoology will automatically generate a customized message, ready to send to a teacher.

“Schoology is finally looking out for our interests,” freshman Mydog Ateit said. “I just wish they released it at the beginning of the year when I had to write a sonnet for English.”

The decision comes just days after TurnItIn announced that it is now able to proofread Facebook posts and tweets to ensure the utmost originality.

Start Time Solutions In an effort to resolve the disagreements about when Newton high schools should start, the School Committee announced this week that its members finally came to a decision: North and South will shift to a “night school” schedule, with classes beginning at 7:40 p.m. and continuing until 3:20 a.m.

According to sleep scientist Al Nighter, teenagers focus best when everyone else in the world is asleep. She also added that for sports teams, practicing as the sun rises can have many health benefits. “Nocturnal teenagers are proven to be much more likely to be accepted to Ivy League universities,” she said.

“This decision is definitely a compromise,” junior Nap Time said. “Though, honestly, I feel like the only compromise is that no one gets their way.”

Custodial work at South often goes unnoticed and unappreciated, as many students expect school facilities to appear nothing less than pristine.

These high expectations are not necessarily the standard, but they form because students have become accustomed to their custodians’ consistently thoughtful work.

As thanks for custodians’ tireless commitment to their duties and NPS as a whole, students ought to stand behind the custodial union if the School Committee threatens the custodians’ place in the Newton community.

The last contract for the Newton Public School Custodians Association (NPSCA) expired on June 30, 2014, and negotiations for a renewed agreement are long overdue.

The process involves reviewing the last contract, and custodians report the School Committee has requested they to remove the clause protecting their jobs from

outsourcing. If privatized, current custodians could lose their jobs altogether, and those who returned would make far less money than they do currently.

The notion that the School Committee has the right to measure the importance of NPS staff members makes little sense, as it does not bear witness to custodians’ hard

facilities in good condition and to act as trustworthy adults, and neither function would be guaranteed if their positions were privatized.

Privatization would invite strangers into the schools and could result in high turnover rates.

The School Committee’s request prioritizes cutting costs rather than rewarding staff mem-

Without seeing custodians in their natural environment, it would be easy to treat them as points on a pay scale rather than real employees who are qually important to NPS as any educator or administrator. work on a day-to-day basis.

Without an appreciation for their work, it would be easy to treat custodians as points on a pay scale rather than real employees who are equally important to NPS as any educator or administrator.

Across Newton, students and staff count on custodians to keep

bers’ investment in the community, which will only be detrimental to the city in the long run.

Many Newton educators have already signed a petition to protect our current custodial staff, and The Roar calls on students to join them in support of Newton’s unsung heroes.

Letter to the Editor On Friday, Feb. 26, The Lion’s Roar ran a long article about Athletic Director Patricia Gonzalez and the difficulties she has had making changes since joining us at Newton South at the start of last school year. The article was detailed and thorough, and we commend the students who participated in its reporting and editing for being bold enough to take on a sensitive issue and for treating it with care.

At the same time, we feel the need to publicly state our support for Ms. Gonzalez and not to leave the stage to those who seek to undermine her leadership.

We have had the honor and tremendous good fortune to have Ms. Gonzalez as part of our department chair team for the last two school years. No one in our school works harder and cares more about upholding high standards than she does.

Far from being a disciplinarian intent on enforcing obscure rules, however, we have seen an educator dedicated above all to students, someone who has worked diligently to create opportunities for kids and to grow their leadership abilities. We have also seen, on a daily basis,

someone who is affable, kind and personable, in direct contradiction to one of the sources in the story. She models integrity and clarity of vision, and all of us — students, parents and colleagues — have benefited.

Pat, we thank you for all you have done and continue to do, and we hope that you won’t let the loud voices of a tiny minority cast an undue pall over your good work.

We also call on other members of the South community to speak up as we do here. If we value excellence and high standards, we must speak up when we see those who embody these virtues under attack. If we see ourselves as a community that welcomes diverse voices, we must speak up when someone with a new perspective and background takes a chance on our school and is met with disrespect for her troubles.

This is not who we are.

Thank you again, Pat. We hope to keep learning from your example for many years to come.

Sincerely, Department Chairs

Editorial Policy The Lion’s Roar, founded in 1984, is the student newspaper of Newton South High School, acting as a public forum for student views and attitudes.

The Lion’s Roar’s right to freedom of expression is protected by the Massachusetts Student Free Expression Law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 71, Section 82). All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Lion’s Roar in no way reflects the official policy of Newton South, its faculty or its administration. Editorials are the official opinion of The Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lion’s Roar. The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submitted content, to reject advertising copy for resubmission of new copy that is deemed acceptable by student editors and to make decisions regarding the submission of letters to the editors, which are welcomed.

The Lion’s Roar is printed by Seacoast Newspapers and published every four weeks by Newton South students. All funding comes from advertisers and subscriptions.

In-school distribution of The Lion’s Roar is free, but each copy of the paper shall cost one dollar for each copy more than ten (10) that is taken by any individual or by many individuals on behalf of a single individual. Violation of this policy shall constitute theft.

April 15, 2016|page 7

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|DESK

High school isn’t all you expect.

EDITOR’S It’s upsetting. It’s messy. It’s okay.

DESK from the

Sophia Fisher & Shelley Friedland Managing Editors

Shelley: I cried for two hours straight

when I got my first college rejection letter.

Those cliché, meaningless words written by some guy who didn’t even know me stung — a lot. I felt as though I as a person had been rejected rather than my application. But after a solid Netflix bingewatching session and some self-reflection, I realized how insignificant that rejection really was. After all, thousands of kids across the country, including some of my own friends, had received the same exact letter, and those strangers sitting in a stuffy board room who determined that they “could not offer me a place” in their school couldn’t take away my accomplishments or my worth as a person. I am still the same person I was before I got that letter.

I wish I could say that despite that rejection, everything worked out — that I got into my dream school and now here I sit, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, waiting to start the next chapter of my life. But that’s just not the truth. I am disappointed.

I feel as though I didn’t live up to people’s expectations — especially my own. Things didn’t work out how I had hoped (or really, planned). And perhaps a year or maybe even six months from now, I will be able

to truthfully say that I am happy and that before my 16th birthday I ran from the things did indeed work out. But for now, dinner table in tears, unable to spend anI’m as confused about my future as ever other late night hunched over at my desk. and still healing from the sting of college I felt like I was sprinting through my rejections. days — autumn was passing and I hadn’t The thing is, though, that’s totally seen the leaves; sunlight was leaving our normal. Things don’t always work out how hemisphere for the season, yet I existed you plan, but that’s inevitable — that’s solely under incandescents — but no matlife. Two summers ago, I didn’t get into a ter how hard I ran, I stayed firmly in place. program my sister had done, but I ended Eventually I got my bearings and up doing a completely different program adjusted to the workload, but I’ve never that I loved. Last year, lost the shame acI failed my first drivcompanying that ing test, but six weeks “Constant struggle doesn’t in- episode. I’ve always later I took it again been insecure about validate one’s merits — it just my intelligence. And and passed easily. I just have to hope that means you’re fighting for them while I’m no lonmy college situation ger crying over my every bit of the way.” follows the same homework, I still get pattern, because flashes of self-hatred life is full of second and fear. Why did my chances and surprises. Most importantly, friend have to explain every problem on I have to remember that high school isn’t that worksheet? Why did I have to break the end-all, be-all it’s so often made out to out the thesaurus six times? Why didn’t I be. Life goes on. finish that essay until 2 a.m.?

But circumstances don’t define me.

Sophia: This one’s going to involve tears, My late bedtime doesn’t mean I’m not smart, and it doesn’t mean I’m not trying. too. Sophomore year, I signed up for a In fact, I’ve written some of best papers number of difficult classes that I wasn’t during those notorious nocturnal sessions. used to. I would come home every day in Being fully in control, I have September, do homework for six hours learned, isn’t the primary ingredient for and collapse in bed. Needless to say, I success. And constant struggle doesn’t inburned out pretty quickly, and a few days

validate one’s merits — it just means you’re fighting for them every bit of the way.

My best work doesn’t come from grandiose juxtapositions and overarching moments of clarity; I don’t have dramatic breakthroughs while sipping coffee at a sun-drenched desk. My work comes from coffee mugs late at night, silence alone with my computer. My work comes from broken printers, frustrated tears and embarrassing uses of the thesaurus when all I want to do is collapse my head on the pillow. My work comes from low battery power and dimming the screen a little more every half hour; it comes from the moment when I finally turn off my music, open a blank document and sit until something, finally, sprouts.

I had this illusion at 14 that high school was going to be the time everything fell into place. High school is often messy and tear-stained, and to be happy, I had to accept that.

I know that no matter what Shelley and I tell you, there will be more of these late nights, more tears, more lapses into self-doubt and dread. The best thing we can tell you, I think, is that even with those uncertainties — even if life doesn’t go as planned — it’s still four years of your life, four formative years, and you should resolve to make the best of them. It’ll work out.

Volume XXXII The Lion’s Roar

Volume XXXIII The Lion’s Roar

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper

140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com

140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com

Editor-in-Chief

Editors-in-Chief Nathaniel Bolter

Mona Baloch

Veronica Podolny

Managing Editors

Managing Editors Sophia Fisher

Andrea Lirio

Shelley Friedland

Maia Fefer Andrea Lirio

Opinions

Karin Alsop

Centerfold

News

David Li Carina Ramos Jake Rong Sophie Lu

Mona Baloch Emily Belt

Business Manager Andrew Fu

Graphics Managers Sophie Galowitz Celine Yung

Noah Shelton

Editors

Section Editors Features

Carina Ramos

Aidan Bassett Clare Martin Ben Rabin

Sports

Noah Shelton

Features

Aviva Gershman Celine Yung

Centerfold Emily Belt Sophie Lu

Aidan Bassett

Cassandra Luca Clare Martin

News

Sports

Michelle Cheng Jake Rong Kimia Tabatabaei Rachel Gu

Distribution Manager Daniel Morris

Faculty Advisers Ashley Elpern Ryan Normandin

Webmaster Sasha Badov

Photo Managers Alexa Rhynd Bailey Kroner

Opinions

Copy Editor

Catherine Granfield Cam Miller Thomas Patti

Business Managers Distribution Manager Nikolas Lazar Timmy Leong

Suzie Na

Graphics Managers

Faculty Advisers

Karina Aguilar Josh Finkel Eunice Kim

Ashley Elpern Ryan Normandin

Webmaster Katie Collins

Photo Managers Bailey Kroner Kiana Lee

OPINIONS page 8|April 15, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

opinions@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 32, ISSUE 7

Perspectives: Is dating distracting to high school students?

photo illustration by Kiana Lee

no, it isn’t

yes, it is

by rhea dudani

by ilan rotberg

I

can’t resist a cute dog. I used to plead to my parents for a puppy, thinking I understood when my parents told me that it was a huge responsibility. At the time, it seemed easy enough to take care of a dog.

The responsibility of caring for a pet, however, is akin to that of caring for another person.

Dating someone is a huge responsibility. Because high school can be exceedingly stressful, it is imperative to acknowledge the value of a social life. Many teens start dating in high school, but relationships are distracting, both academically and socially.

From the time a relationship begins, there must be a good balance between dependence and independence. One party can’t become too “close” with other people.

Though a couple may abide by this rule, mistakes are easy to make. With these problems come fights. While fighting at times is healthy, it can be distracting. Such disagreements may be ongoing, resulting in a large amount of time spent bickering, taking your mind away from schoolwork.

As a full-time student, it is crucial for high schoolers to maintain focused on their work in school.

Not only do couples fight, but they could also think about each other excessively during difficult times, like during a breakup. An overwhelming number of high school relationships end up in separation, and even if the relationship works out well, it could make one forget about the importance of schoolwork.

Dating in high school can also be socially distracting. While one can argue that being friends with someone is just as distracting as “dating,” the latter requires a comparatively greater degree of attention.

If you are dating someone and you feel they’re being too friendly with someone else, the human instinct is to feel jealous.

There are three distinct approaches you can take in this situation. 1: You confront your partner directly and tell them how you feel. 2: You keep these feelings to yourself. 3: You talk about these feelings to others. All these options take valuable time and energy away from school.

Direct confrontation easily flirts with the possibility of a fight; burying your feelings often results in one partner’s obliviousness concerning the problem, not to mention the emotional difficulty of keeping such a weight on yourself. And involving others can be a distraction itself.

I thought I knew that taking my dog out would be easy, but I didn’t know that Lexi, our month-old cockapoo, would end up leaving my family little “presents” on the couch.

I have learned to love my dog wholeheartedly — the bond between me and my puppy is unbreakable — but in the end I discovered that Lexi is a distraction.

Ultimately, the cons of dating far outweigh the pros. Dating can be a life changing experience. Dating is a high risk, high reward concept, ultimately detracting from a high schooler’s primary focus: education.

W

hether you’re 14 or 40, relationships are tricky. Some feel that dating should only begin after high school, but I believe it can play an essential role in every high schooler’s life.

Dating at any age has the potential to be meaningful.

Junior Lara* said “If you date someone in college, you’re either going to break up or get married,” but those are the outcomes of any relationship. If high school dating is pointless because of its inevitable end, then all dating is pointless. People often miss the more beneficial aspects: dating helps you find what you like and, more importantly, who you are.

High school relationships teach us about respect by learning to keep the relationship within proper limits and ensuring both partners are comfortable. It teaches teens the importance of understanding their partner’s beliefs and respecting their partner’s friendships with other people.

It also teaches teens not only the importance of communication, but also how to communicate. Students learn to step out of their comfort zones and discuss topics usually taboo without fear of vulnerability.

Confiding your secrets may be intimidating, but knowing that your partner is listening can be the best feeling in the world. Senior Agnes* said “It’s like having a best friend who’s always there for you.” She reminisced about how her past relationship motivated her in school and supported her.

High school is often difficult, sometimes leaving people lonely and confused.

A relationship gives you a place for you

to be yourself without fear or embarrassment. If you’re in a healthy relationship, your partner will stand by you during these times.

It is important to experience a relationship now rather than later. Hiding emotion in order to focus on school hinders your ability to balance your emotions and goals. The greatest lessons come from your experiences, not textbooks.

There will always be a reason to suppress your emotions. But as junior Casey* said “The key words right now are SAT, CommonApp, Ivy League. Then you get into college, and it’s the same thing, but the stakes are higher. It becomes GRE, MCAT, internship, Goldman Sachs, all the kind of stuff you need for getting into the world. You can’t put off [a relationship] just because right now the CommonApp is the biggest thing.” Right now, high school is foremost in our lives, but you will always have another goal. If you do not develop mature relationships now you may never learn how to balance the precious things in your life.

We should not wait to experience life. Many people are afraid of relationships because they can interfere with academics, friends and extracurriculars, but you’ll always need to balance. Through respecting each other’s limits and boundaries, you can learn that dating can be a way to settle the frustrations of high school and find happiness with someone else. *Names changed to protect students’ identities.

april 15, 2016|page 9

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|opinions

By Christian Goeselt

T

he race for each party’s presidential nomination is the hot topic of conversations across South. Many students loudly proclaim their support for Bernie Sanders and celebrate his sparse victories in New England and the Midwest.

In reality, however, the future of Sanders’ campaign is much less bright. As of April 12, Clinton exceeds Sanders in total delegates with 1,758 delegates, while he has only 1,069. She emerged victorious in the majority of states and leads in most of those remaining.

The problem for Sanders is the superdelegate system. Superdelegates are unpledged delegates free to vote for any party candidate in the July Democratic National Convention. They exist only in the Democratic Party, and every Democratic member of Congress is a superdelegate.

The rest are distinguished party favorites chosen during the primary season.

In past elections, superdelegates have not posed an issue; the front-runner had usually been so far ahead in pledged delegates that the superdelegates made negligible impact. Sanders’ anti-establishment campaign would lie within reach of Clinton’s campaign if the superdelegates supported him, but they don’t: 469 superdelegates support Clinton, while a mere 31 superdelegates support Sanders. As the clear establishment frontrunner, Clinton receives a large portion of votes from superdelegates.

In previous campaigns, candidates have never broached the topic of superdelegates. In a recent break with tradition, however, Sanders supporters have called them “undemocratic.” Many now argue that in close elections, superdelegates function as swing votes; by voting for the establishment favorite, superdelegates have the ability to steal the nomination from the winner of the popular vote.

Granted, Sanders is winning neither the establishment vote nor the popular vote.

Unlike Republicans, most Democratic

voters have supported the party’s establishment and want to elect a moderate candidate. Parties hold primaries to give their members a say in which candidate should represent the party in the general election, but the final say lies with the party leaders.

Superdelegates exist to check populist candidates. Often during the primaries, a radical populist candidate will start winning big with angry voters, racking up pledged delegates. This candidate typically loses steam and drops out midway through the primary. If they don’t forfeit from the race, the Democratic party’s superdelegates step in and vote against the outsider. Sanders is a prime example of this type of “protest” candidate.

According to history teacher Paul Estin, superdelegates are “ridiculously undemocratic … When all is said and done, though, it doesn’t really matter,” he said. “Superdelegates were created primarily to make a close race not so close after all.” The election before last, Estin noted, exemplified this situation: “In 2008, if [all] the superdelegates had come down on Hillary Clinton’s side, you would have had a split convention. But they didn’t. Enough of them went with the majority, so in the end it didn’t really matter.”

This Democratic primary is not one of those close elections. Although superdelegates are free to vote for whomever they want, they are under a lot of pressure to vote for the winner of their state. This pressure and the threat of not being reelected to their current government position

graphic by Josh Finkel

The superdelegate system was created in

27 percent of Clinton’s delegates are superdelegates; three percent of Sanders’ delegates are superdelegates

1982

to avoid weak general-election candidates like George McGovern and Jimmy Carter

usually succeeds in compelling superdelegates to support the winner of the popular majority. In this way, superdelegates merely supplement the front-running candidate with additional delegates to prevent a challenger from dragging out the convention.

The Democratic party wants to control what candidate they put forward. They need a contender with policies that line up with the Democratic vision; this makes a candidate both controllable and electable.

Sanders is neither. His unprecedented plan to drastically expand the size of the federal government and his withdrawn, almost isolationist foreign policy make him unelectable on a general stage.

Despite winning many Midwestern states in the primaries, he alienates many western — as well as southern — voters with his wish for a large government. The Democrats would risk losing the White House, the Supreme Court and even more Congress seats by running Sanders as their presidential nominee.

In the general election, parties run a set of ideas — the party doctrine — through a chosen figurehead. Superdelegates vote to nominate someone who represents the party’s values. This vote honors the party’s commitments to donors, voters and elected officials to preserve one unified doctrine.

The vote by superdelegates also keeps the nominated candidates moderate in their dogma. The party adjusts its doctrine to the center for the general election and superdelegates are looking for someone who will toe the party line.

Superdelegates are elitist but necessary. People use the primaries as a time to vent their frustrations with Washington.

Voters flirt with outsider candidates who boast radical ideas without any substance.

In the general election, however, people look for a candidate with a realistic, substantive and complex set of policies. At that point, Democrats would be glad that their superdelegates overrode potentially radical popular opinions to pick an ultimately more electable candidate.

712 4,051 Superdelegates make up 15 percent of the total Democratic delegate count of 4,763 infographic by Clare Martin sources of information: The Associated Press and CBS News

page 10|April 15, 2016

Opinions|THELIONROAR.com|THE LION’SROAR

The Reality of Physician-Assisted Suicide by mikaeel yunus I started my investigation of physician-assisted suicide (PAS), commonly known as euthanasia, with a clean slate.

My gut told me that patients in physical distress had the right to end their misery through PAS. It also crossed my mind that life is precious and that ending it through PAS seems wrong.

At first, the issue seemed black-andwhite: either I must believe patients should have the option of ending their suffering, or I must believe that we should do everything in our power to preserve human life.

When I took a deeper look into PAS, however, I realized that it is possible to have a conflicted opinion on the matter.

My first instinct was to investigate PAS from a moral perspective. I reached out to Rabbi Van Lanckton from the Temple B’nai Shalom in Braintree for his opinion on the issue of PAS. “Life is a precious reality that we have no right to end on our own,” he said. “Now, having said that, if you … anticipate you’re going to be in a very extreme case of suffering … measures to ease your suffering may be taken.”

Eager for an academic perspective, I then contacted MIT anthropology professor Erica James, an expert in global health.

In an email, she helped me formulate

some of the fundamental questions behind PAS. “There is a question of what legal unit is considered to have the autonomy and competence to make a decision (i.e. a patient, a family, someone designated as a proxy in cases of incompetence; how “competence” is assessed; etc.),” she wrote.

In other words, what if a patient is clearly suffering but is in such an extreme medical condition that he cannot communicate with his physician? Who gets to make the life-or-death decision?

“The issue of whether euthanasia is voluntary or involuntary, and what decision-making actor/s have the capacity to consent is yet another question,” James wrote. In the state of Oregon, for example, according to the Death with Dignity Act, two physicians must approve a patient’s request for PAS. Indeed, five U.S. states — California, Vermont, Oregon, Montana and Washington — have passed laws legalizing PAS. The Patients Rights Council reports that Oregon alone has conducted 341 physician-assisted suicides over the past decade, even though the majority of Oregon physicians today oppose PAS. Even in Massachusetts, one of the most progressive states in the nation, a 2012 ballot initiative

50

dismissed PAS by nearly 68,000 votes.

According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of California’s population favors PAS, as reflected by California governor Jerry Brown, who legalized PAS statewide last October. “It would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill,” Brown said in regard to the legislation. Californians sympathized with his statement, understanding that near the end of their lives they could take the route of PAS. Although they would face a hard decision, they would at least have the option.

Through my research, I discovered that many low-income Americans see PAS in a different light. Despite insurance coverage, low-income patients must pay large sums of money for treatments like chemotherapy, while they pay virtually nothing for PAS. Low-income Americans considering PAS may tend toward the life-ending alternative not because they are suffering, but because they lack the money for expensive treatment options.

This disturbing thought reflects a troubling reality. According to a Time magazine article written about PAS last year, Oregon Medicaid offered to con-

Status of physician-assisted suicide in each state

Not acceptable/ unsure

40

Acceptable

30

Legal under court ruling (1)

20

Law under review (19)

10

Legislation not under review (26) Illegal (39)

56 percent of Americans believe that physician-assisted suicide is morally acceptable

0

Legal (4)

tribute $50 for PAS, but denied that same patient $4,000 for chemotherapy. While having the option for PAS may seem great in theory, in practice it requires significant assessment from a socioeconomic standpoint.

In the end, I came to two conclusions. First, I believe that human life is precious, but if a patient is nearing the end of his or her life and is undergoing extreme pain, or if a patient is the victim of a debilitating psychological disorder, the patient should at least be afforded the option of dying a painless death.

On the other hand, although PAS sounds like a comforting option, it is not so in practice due to its disproportionate socioeconomic impact. Today we may inadvertently encourage low-income patients to end their lives for financial reasons rather than medical ones. Tomorrow this slippery slope may extend to encouraging individuals with disabilities and genetic disorders to request PAS, a possibility that we must consider from a policy and bioethical standpoint.

I walked away from the investigation with appreciation for the nuances of PAS. Approach it with an open mind. That’s the only way we can find the answers.

Should not/ unsure Should 68 percent of Americans believe that doctors should help the terminally ill end their life sources of information: CNN, Gallup, Death with Dignity infographic by Cassandra Luca

A Hidden View on Divorce By matthew martignoni My friends and I often share stories about our childhoods, our favorite TV shows or something crazy a sibling did last week. Their stories often conclude in a heart-warming coincidence that leads to a magical family bonding moment and I can’t help but feel like an outsider. My parents’ divorce when I was four years old is mainly responsible for this uneasiness.

Over a decade later, their divorce still plays a big role in my life.

Even as divorce becomes more common, people still struggle to talk about it and how it affects them. As a result, this subject remains misunderstood.

Although seemingly harmless to someone whose parents are happily married, regular conversations about family life can distress someone like me who lacks the stability of having married parents. In general, divorce affects everyone differently, depending on, for example, how the marriage ends or how the custody situation works out. My situation, although better than most, still often places stress and extra burdens on me that some

of my friends don’t understand. Despite divorce’s increasing prevalence, society still struggles to address it. I have trouble discussing my situation with friends or teachers. Whenever my parents’ divorce comes up in conversation, most reply with “yeah, that must be tough” and then stand there awkwardly. Others say nothing at all.

Sometimes I feel that my parents think of me more like an object than a per-

common misconception about divorce is that the parents fight all the time, so when I try to discuss divorce with a friend, he or she sometimes makes snap judgements about my family’s dynamics.

Yes, the commute between my parents’ houses can be inconvenient and yes, the relationships with my parents are sometimes complicated. But there is so much more to divorce than what people

There is so much more to divorce than what people assume. son. When they bicker about who “gets the kids this weekend,” I can’t help but feel ignored. When I feel this way, I need someone to talk to. But when I try to express my thoughts to a friend, they respond with a look of fear, as if they cannot imagine how they would react in my situation. Unable to offer me advice on how to react in my situation, they distance themselves. A

assume. One of the hardest things for kids to understand is the perspective that my parents’ divorce has given me. It has allowed me to grow in ways I don’t think my fellow high schoolers have. Granted, not all divorce cases parallel mine.

I have learned over the years that most people don’t know how to talk about divorce. At the same time, people whose

parents are divorced or who are in the process of divorcing also might not realize that people around them know little about what they are going through. Jumping to conclusions about a kid’s divorce situation makes him or her feel more like a caricature than a person.

To the friends who want to help but have no idea what to say when a friend reveals that his or her parents are divorced, sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all.

When I feel really down, all I usually need, rather than inspirational words, is a hug.

To those who aren’t friends with the person whose parents are divorced, be aware of the little things you say, for they may affect people in ways you may not be able to understand.

Our inability to talk about divorce has bred damaging misconceptions about teenagers experiencing divorce. In order to bring understanding to the topic, we must engage in an open dialogue about divorce.

Kids of divorced parents should not be afraid to share their anxieties and their friends should not be afraid to listen.

april 15, 2016|page 11

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|opinions

UPGRADE

9

Ice cream parlors reopen Tertulia Semi dress shopping Boston Marathon

campus chatter The Lion’s Roar asked...

What would you invent to improve people’s lives?

“I would invent some kind of machine to filter out pollutants from the atmosphere so you can clean out the cities which are full of smog — like China and India — and then just kind of reverse global warming as a whole.”

- Jonathan Lee, Class of 2017

“I would invent flying ambulances, because they could get there to an emergency faster and cannot be stuck in traffic or behind any slow cars.”

Rio 2016 Olympic promos Student Directing Festival Spring sports SeaWorld plans to phase out orcas

9

DOWNGRADE

Punxsutawney Phil lying about early spring Studying for AP’s during April vacation Anniversary of sinking of Titanic No homework-free break College waitlists Final term to boost GPA Snow day teases

- Veronica Burton, Class of 2018 photos by Kiana Lee

In Support of Trigger Warnings an Anonymous response to “triggered” published in the february issue of the roar People are entitled to their own opinions.

I feel like aspects of the article “Triggered,” however, were written from the perspective of someone who has no personal use for trigger warnings. As a trauma survivor who experiences mental illness and utilizes trigger warnings in my daily life, I feel qualified to speak on this.

A trigger is anything that sparks an involuntary “trauma reaction.” Common examples of involuntary trauma reactions include things like panic attacks and dissociation. The article states that “the notion that what [students] read or discuss in class needs to be censored to avoid discomfort is absurd.” That is simply not what trigger warnings do. They exist to warn people about content that may spark an involuntary trauma reaction, not for content that may make some people uncomfortable.

I find that your description of pro-trigger-warning individuals as people who “choose not to grow up” and “use shrill and extreme voices to silence those of us with dissenting views” contradicts your ending message that you wish to promote “our ability to dissent politely.” In regard to the “shrill and extreme voices”: that is exactly what Republican pundits say to dismiss Hillary Clinton. It is an established misogynistic silencing tactic known as “tone policing.”

The controversy with Erika Christakis was not an issue of students being “triggered” by her statements. To apply the word “triggered” to this situation — in which students reacted with extreme disapproval that Christakis, an associate master of one of Yale’s colleges, argued that expressions of racism should not be discouraged by the school administration — is inaccurate. These students were not triggered; they were horrified that an individual in charge of watching over students was willing to allow expressions of racism on campus. The calls to have Christakis and her husband fired were an expression of the public’s criticism of Christakis’ views.

A common misconception is that trigger

warnings equate to censorship. You describe trigger warnings as warnings that “alert students that troubling material lies ahead.” Having a warning that certain topics will come up in course material is not censorship. Trigger warnings operate in a similar manner to content ratings on movies. Having that preparation and foreknowledge is often enough for many people to ensure that triggering material does minimal damage to their mental health.

The statement that, “While it is true that students who have experienced rape, mental illness, racial discrimination or any kind of purposeful harassment should be supported, the vast majority of students have not been in such extreme situations,” is contradictory. You acknowledge the existence of a group of people who require a legitimate accommodation, and

these issues, students suffer.” The line between exposure therapy and forced exposure therapy, however, is perilously thin.

Forced exposure therapy is when an individual who is not in full control of the situation is intentionally exposed to a trigger.

Forced exposure therapy is an extremely well documented form of abuse that actually worsens an individual’s trauma and can even lead to the development of conditions like PTSD. Willingly abstaining from using trigger warnings takes away a person’s ability to control when they are exposed to triggering content and thus subjects them to forced exposure therapy. Personally, this form of forced exposure therapy was one of the major contributors to my own PTSD. Trigger warnings are an issue of ableism, and refusing to provide support for individuals who require them actually hinders the environment of open discussion that academic institutions prize. By not providing this content warning to students, you are cutting students out of discussion forums and classrooms.

I am fully aware, however, that even if trigger warnings are used, there will be instances where students are accidentally triggered. In fact, it is instances like these that highlight how important “safe spaces” are. When there is a designated safe space for students, you can decompress in an area where you can ensure that you won’t be retriggered. I personally utilize the Compass Program, which specifically provides one of those spaces. I can say that without that safe space, I would not be graduating this year.

I think the author made the very common mistake of conflating “triggered” with “upset” and proceeded to talk about a subject matter that they had very little practical experience with. Going forward, I suggest taking anti-social-justice-warrior Subreddits with a grain of salt and a heaping of outside research.

Trigger warnings exist to warn people about content that may spark an involuntary trauma reaction then say that because the majority does not require this accommodation, the accommodation is “absurd” and should not be available. This is despite the fact that by your own criteria, the only individuals present in “the vast majority of students” would be able-bodied neurotypical cisgender heterosexual Christian white men with no history of mental illness, trauma, abuse or financial insecurity.

There is a form of therapy known as exposure therapy, in which an individual wishing to address their trauma consents to exposing themselves to a trigger while remaining in full control of the situation. Often, the anti-triggerwarning view expresses that the real world does not have trigger warnings; it advocates for an exposure therapy approach to deal with triggers instead of “avoidance.” A similar argument against avoiding triggering content was made in this article: “When we prevent students from grappling with uncomfortable questions, instead of helping them deal with and learn from

Continued from page 1

others, like at the basketball game.

Superintendant David Fleishman, and at the end of the event police officers “I find it kind of appalling that nothing has been done to acknowledge had to escort him to his car due to the nature of the protests. the fact that Newton North’s comment was very homophobic,” she said.

“I thought it was a disappointing and dismaying display,” Parlin, who “It is kind of ridiculous that Catholic Memorial has been suspended from spoke at the event, said. “Not everyone is interested in making the schools the league, prevented from playing in games [and] made to apologize safer for everyone.” to Superintendent Fleishman … when Newton North has suffered no The recent spate of incidents began to gain publicity when fans from consequences for a chant that they started … I think we can all agree that any Catholic Memorial chanted “You killed Jesus” at a basketball game against type of derogatory anything to any minority group is unacceptable.”

North hosted at South on March 11.

“It’s not the person that is saying or expressing it that makes it hate The incident elicited mixed reactions, according to freshman Asher speech; it’s the impact on the recipient,” Principal Joel Stembridge said. “You Grant-Sasson. He said, though, that many spectators were unfazed by the could have somebody whose intentions are not to be hateful, and yet the chant. speech itself is still hateful.”

“At first I didn’t think about it too much,” Grant-Sasson said. “I kind of Any form of hate speech can cause serious social harm, history teacher brushed if off because everyone else was.”

Michael Kozuch added: it is a manifestation of prejudice that isolates people.

The chant, a reference to a claim made by people justifying hate crimes “We can’t be a diverse society [while having] some people shut out,” he against Jews for centuries, was a response to North fans’ repetition of the said. “We need everybody to be a part of our society, … helping us be the best phrase “sausage fest,” directed Catholic Memorial’s we can be.” all-male population.

“It’s such a serious problem because people According to Grant-Sasson, the exchange feel threatened and they feel like their security is did not prompt an immediate protest from violated,” sophomore Michael Ryter said. students or faculty.

Hate speech is so harmful because it The basketball game is only one of targets people’s identities, Melissa Garlick, a many recent examples of hate speech in Civil Rights Council member for the AntiNewton.

Defamation League said. When hate is Earlier this year, a swastika was found directed at an “immutable characteristic,” it is inscribed in the snow outside Day Middle especially hard to cope with, she said.

School, following reports of offensive graffiti “It’s not only one experience; it’s kind in bathroom stalls. Similar instances of graffiti of a day-to-day situation. I am a female. I do - Joel Stembridge, Principal were also investigated at North. According to an happen to be Indian,” junior Rhea Soni said. “So if email sent by North principal Mark Aronson, someone keeps making offensive jokes about my North has encountered other issues as well — in skin color or my origin, … it’ll start hurting after February, for instance, four racist questions were awhile.” submitted to an anonymous survey about the school’s Black Culture Day. Free speech, however, is protected under the First Amendment. Newton A swastika was also found on a seat cushion of a couch in a history Police Department Lieutenant Bruce Apotheker said this includes instances of classroom at South, according to history department head Jennifer Morrill. hate speech. “It’s very vile. If someone is walking down the street and someone She said, however, that it is impossible to know when the image had been yells out a name to them and it’s hate speech, believe it or not, it is a protected drawn. “It could have been turned over for some time,” she said. form of speech.”

For sophomore Kathleen McVittie, these instances have become According to Garlick, though, “if you have an example where hate everyday occurrences. She said she has seen examples of hate speech and antispeech becomes threatening to an individual, then that’s not protected under Semitism in other parts of the building. the First Amendment.”

“There have been swastikas in the girls bathroom. There have been cruel It is important to understand the difference between the two, or crude ... graffiti on the walls, or just on a small white board that has been freshman Joe Sangiolo said. “You have the right to say what you want, but that drawn as a joke in a class,” she said. doesn’t mean you should say what you want.”

English department head Brian Baron defined hate speech as “any The April 7 forum, which will now occur annually is not the only speech, gesture or conduct, writing or display that attacks a person or a group way Newton has responded. The South administration is also in the process of people on the basis of attributes such as gender, ethnic origin, religion, race, of initiating a school-wide conversation about hate speech, according to disability or sexual orientation.”

Superintendent David Fleishman.

Junior Naomi Honig said interpreting hate speech can be a slippery “I think our job as adults is to first make clear that this behavior is slope, especially when certain forms are regarded as more significant than Continued on next page

“It’s not the person that is saying or expressing it that makes it hate speech; it’s the impact on the recipient,”

MORE THAN

WORDS After recent events, hate speech proves hard to tackle

By Emily Belt and Sophie Lu graphic by Charlene Ng

page 14|april 15, 2016 Continued from page 13 not tolerable and tolerated, but also to understand the impact of the behavior,” he said. “[I was] asked to develop a 10 or 15 minute lesson that would [define] hate speech and why [it is] something we’re particularly concerned about,” Baron said. “It’s essentially getting people’s preconceptions out there, giving them a common definition and having a brief conversation about why something might be helpful.”

In addition to the lesson, Stembridge has developed an anonymous student survey.

“After we take this hate speech survey and see how students are experiencing this at South, [we will] ask students what we should do about it,” he said. “Hopefully some good ideas of how we should move forward as a school will come out of it and I would love to see some students taking the lead on that.”

He added that the school’s reports of hate speech have evolved slightly due to the recent incidents.

“In the past we were reporting hate crimes, and not necessarily hate speech … We were making judgements based on whether it was hate speech or a hate crime,” he said. “I think what we’re doing now … if it’s hate speech we’ll report it, and we’ll let the police investigate into whether it was hate speech or a hate crime. It’s not our job to judge; it’s our job to report.”

Garlick added that students should help report hate speech, especially from social media.

Raising awareness about the causes and effects of hate speech is also critical, Morrill said.

“We have to ask students what they’re experiencing because ultimately, as teachers in the school, we try to see everything, … but there are things that we don’t see,” she said. “We need to go to the students and really check in on their experiences.”

Senior Ben Silvian agreed that opening up the conversation is a good action point and added that hate speech is not necessarily intentional.

“The problem is ignorance … I don’t think that the people at Catholic Memorial actually think Jews are terrible people — they just didn’t understand what impact their slogan

centerfold|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM would have,” he said. “I think talking about it is the best way to solve the problem.”

Ryter agreed. “I don’t like to think that people have the intention of being hateful, especially students. I think oftentimes people are hateful when it comes from a lack of education, or a lack of awareness.”

During Warren’s community discussion, many students and adults discussed finding solutions to recent events, and talked about their own personal experiences regarding hate, despite the protests.

“Their thoughtful reflections demonstrated how to engage in a dialogue on sensitive topics like race, anti-Semitism and homophobia, in a respectful, honest and humane manner,” Fleishman wrote in a memo to Newton residents.

According to Morrill, the instances of hate speech pose “the ultimate teachable moment.”

“The most important lesson we can teach the students at Newton South before they leave our building is how to treat other people with dignity and care for someone else as if they’re just as important as themselves,” Morrill said.

Warren agreed with Morrill about the need for education, addingthat it will take time and effort.

“We have to be open, we have to be honest and we need to stop and take account of what we’re doing over the course of the coming years,” he said. “These issues are really complicated, but I am optimistic about what we can do if we roll up our sleeves and work together.”

graphic by Julian Sharasheff

graphic by Julian Sharasheff

FEATURES page 15|april 15, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

FEATURES@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 32, ISSUE 7

4.27.01 As the 15th anniversary of the Oak Hill bus crash approaches, The Roar reflects on its impacts on the Newton Community

By Celine Yung

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lasting effect, but it is the reality of that kind of time and having to deal with things that you weren’t really trained to deal with. We all learned a lot.”

According to Young, the bus crash taught him important life lessons.

“Families wake up in the morning and they send their kids to school, and they expect, rightly so, that you know around three or four o’clock, whatever, in the afternoon, they’re going to see them come home,” he said. “And 99.9 percent of the time, that’s exactly what happens. But sometimes, that’s not what happens. And it made me realize just how fragile life is.”

Segal said that her job as a guidance counselor has been a life-changing experience, and she, like Young, has learned a lot.

“Nothing prepares someone working in a school for a life experience such as a tragedy with the bus accident, or sudden death of patient, or a suicide. Living through crises such as this and what we’ve experienced here with the deaths and the suicides changes you forever,” she said.

“And as a counselor, supporting students, collagues and others, I’ve learned that it’s really important to take care of yourself so you can do this kind of work.”

Additional reporting by Carina Ramos

ap hi

changes pertaining to field trips. A few examples of policy changes made after the bus crash include the requirement of seatbelts on buses and of transportation department approval of coach bus trips to ensure proper insurance coverage.

Both current Superintendent David Fleishman and Young agreed that tragedies such as the bus crash emphasize the strength of the Newton community and the bond felt by all of its residents.

“Everyone just pulled together in this moment of complete tragedy and emotional devastation,” Young said.

“And even in the midst of the darkest hours that Newton probably ever faced, certainly during the 11 years I was superintendent, the darkest hours that I ever faced, in fact the darkest hours of my entire career, there was still this little light that would shine of how amazing the people in that city are, were and are, to pull together and do what was necessary to provide the best possible support for the families even though we knew that the hole in their lives was one that could never really ever be filled again.”

Russo agreed that the ability to react wholly and effectively is key to Newton’s capability to stabilize crises.

“It definitely changed how people felt about working in Newton, in that they were really more connected, we had to learn how to work together in a crisis,” Russo said. “That was pretty important work that I think has sort of stayed with those of us who were there at the time.”

The strength of the Newton community in times of crisis was especially prevalent during the aftermath of the bus crash, according to Segal.

“I remember that the Newton response was so strong that counselors from other buildings in Newton were coming [to Oak Hill] and I think that was awesome because the adults needed the support of other professionals, even just to step in for a minute so they could compose themselves,” she said.

In addition to the pain inflicted on the community, the bus crash also brought about positive changes in NPS. “We, unfortunately, got good in Newton about thinking about crises during that period,” Russo said. “It may not be what you want to have as a long-

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ormer Superintendent Jeff Young spent the morning of April 27, 2001 shuttling between the Oak Hill library and the school’s parking lot, where the media awaited information on the tragic bus accident that racked Newton early that morning.

April 27, 2016 marks the 15th anniversary of the Oak Hill bus accident, a tragedy that killed four students and continues to impact the Newton community to this day.

The students, along with their chaperones and the bus driver, were on their way to a music competition in Nova Scotia when the bus driver missed the exit, and the bus flipped over the exit turn.

Young said that he had two main goals for the first day after the bus crash.

“First, I needed to be able to support all the adults who were around, mainly the principal and the teachers were the ones who helped the students,” he said. “And the second half of it was I became the spokesperson for the city in terms of communicating with the media ... there were television and print media from actually all around the country; it was not just a local story.”

South guidance counselor Donna Segal was an Oak Hill guidance counselor at the time, and learned about the incident in the morning. She remembered how the Oak Hill administration effectively handled the news of the bus crash.

“We were able to meet as a faculty really quickly, and we decided we would try to keep the structure around the day,” she said. “That’s really what guidance does around crises in schools, we try to keep as much normalcy as possible.”

South history and psychology teacher Jessica Engel said that while adults and teachers found out about the bus crash early in the day, the lack of modern technology then delayed the news of the bus crash for students.

“It was very different than if that same thing were to happen today, because way back in 2001 few students had cell phones [and] there were no smart phones and so teachers learned of what had happened really early in the day, I actually came to school knowing, but students didn’t learn until the last block of the day,” Engel said.

Former principal of Horace Mann Elementary School, Joe Russo, agreed and added that using order to handle crises is most effective.

“The leadership at the time, of Murph Shapiro, and the assistant principal, Hank Van Putten ... were remarkable in how they were so calm in the crisis and the things they had to say and do for families and for the community,” Russo said.

Engel said that after the bus crash, she was more aware of the potential dangers associated with transportation. This awareness caused her to be more cautious about both taking her students on field trips and sending her own children on the bus.

Since the bus crash, NPS has made several policy

page 16|april 15, 2016

Features|THELionsRoar.com|THE LION’S ROAR

Have you graded the test?

As South’s focus turns to reducing student stress, teachers continue to feel pressure both inside and outside the classroom

By Eunice Kim and Andrea Lirio

“

The work never stops. We eat, we live, we sleep and we dream about teaching,” history teacher Deborah Linder laughed. According to Linder’s coworker, history teacher Marcia Okun, Linder’s hyperbole is not far from the truth.

“I rarely have time to stop during the day. When I say that, I mean 7:30 a.m. through to J block and beyond,” Okun said. “I would say 100 percent of the school day is spent on school. After school, I’d say I put in two to four hours every day and a solid eight to 10 hours on the weekend.”

Junior Ruslan Crosby, whose father teaches chemistry at South, said that many students are unaware of the work that teachers put in both during the day and after-hours. Crosy said that students are so caught up with their own worries that they forget that their teachers may be in similar, if not more stressful, situations.

The main cause of teachers’ stress, teachers reported, is the work that builds up over time. On top of traditional teaching, educators often struggle to find time to pay their bills, insurance, mortgages, make dinner, go shopping, exercise and enjoy free time. With the amount of work to do at home, it can be difficult to finish school work.

Crosby said that he thinks many students overlook the fact that teachers often have families to take care of at home, which can be considered another full-time job.

“I used to spend eight to 12 hours a weekend easily grading, which is a lot. Now I have to [work to] find that time because I have little kids,” English teacher Rachel Becker said. “It’s not easy ... I want to spend time with my children while

they’re young, so I probably grade a little less at home and try to get more done [at school].”

English teacher Kelly Henderson said she she is amazed by teachers who can manage the regular load of teaching-related stress and take care of a family as well.

“I legitimately don’t understand how they have families,” she said. “You’re constantly choosing between your kids [at home] and your kids [at school.]”

For students, it can be frustrating when a teacher is extremely busy, according to junior Rebecca Reinstein.

“When we write a paper or turn in a project and then we still haven’t got it back [after a long time] I’m kind of like, ‘Why aren’t they graded yet?’” she said.

Reinstein’s father teaches English at South. She added that while she is aware of the amount of work teachers need to put in, it is difficult not to expect assignments to be quickly returned.

Grading papers and projects is one of the most challenging parts of being a teacher, Henderson said. For her,

each essay she assigns requires hours of grading; she has four classes of about 25 students each, totalling 100 papers to grade for each assignment.

While giving good feedback is important during the grading process, Henderson said, it takes up a lot of time.

New technology and online resources recently implented in schools also cause a new kind of anxiety, history teacher Jamie Rinaldi said. Teachers have to balance many small tasks, which “requires a constant shift in attention and focus.”

“It’s very hard for the human brain to manage all these different kinds of tasks and then move over to something like grading 25 analytical papers,” Rinaldi said.

Okun said that for her, giving students overall term or assignment graces increases pressure.

“Having to boil everything they’ve done into one letter that doesn’t represent what they’ve learned, having to boil it down to one thing that doesn’t get the fact that they got better at the end or they had this killer paper [is difficult,]” she said.

“That is the most stressful part.”

There is, however, a solution to this issue, junior Kaelyn Brown said.

“I understand that some assignments have to be graded and feedback is essential, but I’ve always really thought of it as a pain [teachers] bring upon themselves,” she said.

“If you don’t want to grade, then don’t give us so many assignments. If you’re stressed out grading all these papers, why are you assigning them?”

Since teachers choose their profession, she added, stress should not be such a huge issue.

“They chose the career because they wanted to,” she said. “Your job shouldn’t bring you stress ... I think it should be a more enjoyable job, not a stressful one. It should be more, ‘I’m a teacher doing my job, and I get stressed sometimes.’”

In any job, stress is inevitable, Goldrick dean Marc Banks said.

graphic by Karina Aguilar

“I think everyone gets stressed ... If you do have a lot of stress, the question is why, and [if it’s] it stress that can be alleviated,” he said. “It depends if the stress is optional or required.”

There is also a difference between positive stress and negative stress, according to Reinstein.

“I definitely wouldn’t want a teacher who doesn’t care, because if you don’t have a teacher that cares then you’re not going to care and you’re not going to learn,” she said. “I think a teacher should be stressed enough to motivate themselves and make sure ... that they are teaching the students.”

Okun agreed that some stress is necessary for teachers to improve, but said that the stress she feels during the year is often not this type of positive stress.

“In order to learn, you need to stress the system. In order to grow, you get stressed. Some stress is normal and good,” she said. “Chronic stress is not. All the research shows that when you are at a high stress level all the time and not able to relax — which is how I often feel at school — that is unhealthy.”

Teachers need to make sure they maintain sustainable stress levels, Rinaldi said.

“Students deserve committed teachers and nearly everyone that goes into the profession is committed, but a full teaching career runs 30-35 years, and that is an extremely long time to do the same work with some variation given the stress levels that are involved in this,” he said. “You need to make sure that the stress levels don’t become overwhelming in order to sustain a teacher population.”

He added that educators are in charge of more than just student academics.

“I think for teachers, the stress is a little different because you have a hundred people in your life who are at a really pivotal and crucial moment in their development, and you play an important role,” he said. “As teachers, we are not just responsible for the academic development of our students, but also the emotional, social development and, in some cases, the psychological.”

Retired English teacher Bob Jampol said that over time educators get used to workloads and stress levels.

“I just got very efficient at doing things ... [and] I really came to love my students,” Jampol said. “Once you master that, then the classroom becomes the reward. That is the enjoyable part of the job, which counters the stress that is put upon teachers.”

April 15, 2016|page 17

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features

Director’s Cut Junior Salome Tkebuchava defies expectations as director and producer of documentary “Georgian Dance”

By Aviva Gershman and Natalie Harder

S

all the time,” Salome said. “We never got alome Tkebuchava said she was enough rest.” surprised at the lack of documenSalome said her sister and parents taries on Georgian dance, a unique were invaluable throughout the process. art form from her family’s native country, “My parents helped me translating, located south of western Russia. and my sister is the most supportive perDetermined to fill the void, Salome son; I couldn’t have done it without her.” decided to film a documentary herself, Special education teacher Margaadvancing in the film world at only 16. ret Maher advises the fencing club that Salome’s sister, senior YoElena TkeSalome and her sister founded, and she atbuchava, worked on the film alongside Satended the film’s viewing party.

Maher said lome and said she hoped it would reach a she could sense the family’s strong bond. wide audience. The art form is not widely “You can just see the love and supknown, but distinguished by sword usage port ... and how proud everyone was, ” she and partner sequences in which male and said. female dancers never touch.

Youth is not an obstacle, but an as“The interaction between the man set, according to Salome. and the woman, the specific sparing of “I go to film festivals, and they are the men, the sword fighting — everything learning experiences, ” she said. “By the is very different,” Tkebuchava said. “We time I get older, I will already be doing want … to introduce this dance to other other things when people my age will be countries.” starting. ” In order to acSalome took initiative Geiger also said complish this goal, the that young people often sisters partnered with immediately, almost like bring a new perspective NewTV, which provided that’s what she was to film and work welll them with facilities and with technology. equipment, particularly meant to do.

“Something that for editing raw footage.

- YoElena Tkebuchava I’ve kind of noticed Directing, however, was from working in this industry is that left up to Salome. younger people pick up technology reTkebuchava said her sister is a natually quickly, but sometimes it’s rare that rally gifted director, and has been interstudents of her age really run with it,” she ested in film since a young age. said. “I think Salome has found something “Salome took initiative immediately, that she’s really good at. And she’s really almost like that’s what she was meant to trying to pursue it to the best of her ability. do,” Tkebuchava said. “She knows exactly So I don’t think that her age was really a what she has to do; she has everything hinderance on how well she did in these planned out.” videos. I think it actually helped her.”

Part of this plan was a trip to GeorSalome’s efforts paid off when her gia last April, where Salome was able to project finally reached audiences, she said. shoot footage on-location. Katie Geiger, According to Maher, “Georgian Dance” director of member services at NewTV, was well-recieved by the public, and so far, said this trip distinguished her film from it has won a total of 14 awards at different others at NewTV. film festivals around the world.

“Having all of that original footage “Its very nice to hear that you have from a different country is something to been appreciated after so much hard really be proud of,” she said. “It’s somework, ” Salome said. thing that not a lot of other members here The film was informative as well as say that they did. So in that way, it makes entertaining, according to junior Bimini her production pretty unique.”

Horstmann, a friend of Salome’s.

According to Tkebuchava, Salome “I learned that Georgian dance is knew exactly the direction she wanted for way more complicated and impressive her film from the time she began working. than any dance form I had ever seen, “When the director has a vision, and and it envelops so much about Georgian she knows what she’s doing, you can’t reculture with each specific movement, ” she ally change her mind,” Tkebuchava said. said.

“I was so surprised that it is not more Both Tkebuchava sisters have previwell-known. ” ous experience in filmmaking. Salome was Throughout the filmmaking process, involved in two films prior to “Georgian Salome said she learned that any obstacle Dance,” one titled “Bad Day” and the other can be overcome with perseverence. titled “Theatre.” Her most recent produc“It is kind of cliche, but don’t stop tion presented new challenges, including and don’t think a dream is too big,” she that she is not perfectly fluent in Georgian said.

“In America, everything is possible if and that the set was always busy. you put your mind to it. ” “It was hectic ... we were rushing

photos courtesy of Salome Tkebuchava

photos by Bailey Kroner

page 18|April 15, 2016

THE

Features|THELionsRoar.com|THE LION’S ROAR

COMMON APPLICATION

This year, the Roar followed four seniors with different interests as they navigated the college application process, and revealed two identities in the February issue, and the final senior will be revealed in June.

By Andrea Lirio

S

graphic by Celine Yung

ydney* has been accepted to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) and Virginia Commonwealth. She has not committed to a school, but said she is leaning toward attending MCLA. Getting accepted into college gave her more confidence and and a sense of relief, she said.

“When I got the first acceptance, it was a really big envelope ... I was really happy,” she said. “Since I hadn’t heard anything since then, I was kind of like scared ... When I got [the second acceptance], it was a relief.”

At the same time, getting accepted into colleges negatively affected Sydney’s outlook on high school, allowing her to relax into senior slump.

“After I got my first acceptance, I was in the mood like, ‘You got your first acceptance so you don’t have to do this like in the beginning of the term,” she said. “During the middle of the term, I said ‘No I really do have to do this because I still want to go and they could take away your acceptance if your performance declines ... So now I just want to get everything done.”

A

photo by Suzie Na

nna Loar, previously referred to as Layla, has committed to attend Marion Military Institute (MMI) next year. She also received a four-year Army ROTC scholarship. Before committing, Loar was waitlisted by her top choice, West Point.

“I got a letter saying that I was a fully qualified candidate for West Point; however, they didn’t have room for me in this huge class,” she said. “So they said to continue at another school and apply again next year earlier, and I’ll probably get in.”

Although she was initially disappointed, Loar said she is excited to attend Marion Military Institute next year because it will prepare her for West Point.

“There was almost a sense of relief for me because at least now I know what I’m doing, and now I know I’m going to Alabama,” she said.

As the college process is tiring and stressful, Loar advised juniors to be prepared for rejection.

“You just have to know that everyone is going to get rejected from somewhere.” *Name changed to protect student’s identity

April 15, 2016|page 19

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|fun page

The Evils of MCAS

South Crime Watch

COREY SAMUELS

Editors’ Note: Individuals are presumed guilty until proven innocent.

NOISE COMPLAINT April 14, Auditorium Principal Rootaqueduct received multiple complaints due to high-pitched noises coming from the school auditorium during Tertulia. The evidence suggests a singing group is to blame.

graphic by Sophie Galowitz

UNDERAGE DUI April 10, Goldrick Springs A group of intoxicated freshmen were found with opened water bottles just outside Goldrick House.

Reports indicated the source of the intoxicating fluids was the newly installed water bottle refillers.

BREAKING AND ENTERING April 5, Cafeteria Following a series of thefts, the cafeteria staff has decided to lock up all chocolate chip cookie recipes. They will now be kept in the same vicinity as the plastic utensils because they are equal in value. Napkins soon to follow.

IDENITY THEFT April 8, Library Freshmen have reported their student ID cards missing from the library after having a canceled class. As a result, there has a been a boom in the production of fake student IDs, which are now being sold in the band room hallway.

CONSPIRACY April 1, Wheeler House A group of shady seniors was spotted drawing up plans to overthrow South Senate and replace it with a dictatorship. The seniors were last seen wearing tank tops that said “RE16N.”

Overheard at SOUTH Yes, we heard you say that.

Honors English student: “What letter comes after B in the alphabet?”

Wellness-bound freshman: “Do periods hurt physically or just emotionally?”

Avid Roar reader: “Where did all the Putins go?”

Savage junior girl: “You’re not a savage. You use chick emojis!”

Culinary enthusiast: “I love long grained rice, especially Jasmine.”

Embarrassing Roar Staff Photos of the Month:

Rong flaunts fuzzy, fancy facial hair.

sr. fun editor

F

bffls & bad puns

or a handful of days every year, while most South students mold their tired bodies into a cocooned blanket burrito, catching up on sleep like a trans-Saharan traveller catches up on drinking water or like Matt Damon catches up on breathing air after almost dying on Mars, the faculty are afforded the opportunity to preside over an important institution: MCAS. As the Illuminati Overlords of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education sift through the most recent batch of essays,ß while their underlings dutifully shred and recycle answer booklets with pages that are missing, blank, out of order or inexplicably yet hilariously upside-down, we would like to offer a defense of this important, informative, essential blah blah blah.

First, the MCAS provides teachers with indispensable data that informs teaching on a dayto-day basis. Somewhere in The Cloud, there is a definitive list of objectively quantifiable educational data points, against which all of my students are measured and compared. As a teacher, I can consult these in crafting diverse assignments and incisive assessments. It’s simple: First, I log onto Skyward, select a student’s name. I then click on “test scores” and finally am informed that they are not available and never will be.

Second, the MCAS creates a space for reflection and inspection, probing students to consider what qualities constitute the narratives they regularly consume with challenging and revealing prompts like, “Describe a time when a conflict was used in a story.” Hmm. Third, the MCAS helps us focus on which skills are most worthwhile, elbowing out irrelevant curriculums and skills like negotiating different points of view on what constitutes cultural appropriation, while maintaining cardinal tasks such as identifying which point on a number line best approximates a value heretofore unseen by the average working human. Finally, the MCAS aids policy makers in improving public education for all by measuring external factors that impact the democratic ideal of a well-educated populace.

For example, statewide scores can be sorted and analyzed to indicate which kinds of poverty are most devastating: moral poverty, spiritual poverty, intellectual poverty or actual poverty. A report on the results is forthcoming.

So next time you’re told to sit in a desk and spend the next three hours of your life participating in this crucial and imperative blahdy blah, hold your head up high: Your no. 2 pencil is composing masterful sonnets of vital educational constipation.

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SPORTS CHEERS AND JEERS page 21|April 15, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

SPORTS@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 32, ISSUE 7

In light of inappropiate fan behavior at the North vs. Catholic Memorial basketball game, The Roar examines fan culture

W

has gotten caught up in game culture in the past. “I jeer at the other team. It’s part of life," he said. “It’s like, you know if you were going up into their house, they’d be throwing shade at us, so you’ve gotta give it back to them. Every school does it.”

“It builds team togetherness” sophomore Adam Hurwitz added.

Athletic director Patricia Gonzalez, said it is important to stress the idea of cheering for South, instead of against the opponents.

For emphasis, she took a group of about 10 students, including Greer, to a sportsmanship conference at Gillette Stadium this

that stuff disrupts what the athletes are trying to accomplish on the court. So that’s not beneficial.”

Adult intervention at games poses another challenge, according to Reinstein.

While teachers may have authority over students during the

stands and say ‘I’m glad to see you here.

Remember, we’re cheering for our team,’” she said.

Some students said ridiculing the opponents is essential in supporting their own team.

Linder said she has witnessed this firsthand.

“They say that they want to get into the other players’ heads, which I don’t think is the job of the [fans] to do,” she said. “It’s kind of the jobs of the players.

They’re not getting into their heads in a strategic way, talking about the sport, they’re talking about things that are completely irrelevant and can be nasty.”

Reinstein said he believes that for many students, jeering does not serve as an aid to their team, but as a chance to exhibit their own wit, coming up with clever taunts.

Though Greer said she disagrees with verbally harming the opponents, she said she can see how in some instances, jeering could help South.

“Free throws are kind of difficult because you yell as loud as you can so you can distract[the other team],” she said.

Greer said she appreciates cheers, however, those that are supporting her own team as opposed to putting down rivals.

“As an athlete, when I hear someone cheering louder and there’s more of a fan section, you know it’s not just you and your teammates on the court, but it’s everyone in the fieldhouse, outside in the stadium cheering for you," she said. "It just gives you that much more confidence,” Greer said.

Hurwitz said this should be the fans' main goal.

“I want to give [the athletes] the next level of achievement and what they should be playing towards,” Hurwitz said. “If they impress all the students and excite everyone, then they’re achieving more than just winning.” ic ph gra

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hen English teacher Alan Reinstein attended his first South hockey game the crowd was lively.

“It was super exciting," Reinstein said. "It was a great atmosphere."

The atmosphere soon changed, though. Right before the puck drop, Reinstein noticed a group of students, including some he taught, mocking the opponents.

“They were doing what hockey fans do, you know, taunting,” he said. “I don’t remember all the things. But there were some taunts that I suppose were off-color.

Nothing really hateful or terrible, but to the point of where I wanted to make contact with the students.”

He asked the boys to stop, but said his efforts were futile.

“I said something once, and no one looked at me and said 'We’re not gonna do it',” he said. “I think it probably continued.”

While South takes precautionary measures to discourage jeering, and adults often respond to issues, according to Reinstein, students often toe the line between supporting their team and verbally harassing their opponents.

For fans, a major issue is determining when cheers cross the line. Though there are some clear-cut boundaries between what is appropriate and what is not, Reinstein said a mjaor issue for fans is determining when cheers cross the line.

“Anything ethnic or anything racial would be so far above the line, there’s no real dispute about that,” he said.

Senior volleyball and rugby player, Sammy Greer, who works closely with the athletic department to encourage school spirit at games, said that South has had issues in the past.

“Sometimes some of the things people say, or some of the actions people do can get a little out of hand,” Greer said.

“But it’s really out of excitement for our team.”

History teacher Deborah Linder, who regularly attends South games, said “a lot of [fans] will try to pick out a person’s number and heckle them. They will just try and diss the other side.”

Freshman Adam Freedman said he

By Catherine Granfield

winter. Gonzalez said she believes that educating the fans will improve athletic behavior at South.

“When things go wrong in the stands and adults have to intervene, the rhythm of the game is disrupted, because sometimes people have to stop games to control the crowds,” Gonzalez said. “All

day, this does not hold true after hours, putting teachers and other faculty in an awkward situation.

“When you’re an adult faculty member going to those games, you’re really going there for your own pleasure, but you still have a role of being a teacher," he said. " [I] just straddl[ed] those two roles of wanting to be a fan, and then seeing behavior that really seemed to be disrespectful and inappropriate, and then had the confusion on how to respond to it.”

Gonzalez said she takes a different approach, addressing the problem before it begins.

“Before a game I usually go into the

page 22|April 15, 2016

Sports|THELIONROAR.com|THE LION’SROAR

NetNet Positive Positive Tennis teams cope with season-disrupting homecourt construction Tennis teams cope with season-disrupting homecourt construction

By Cam Miller photo by Kimia Tabatabaei

Tennis season is under way, and both the boys and girls tennis teams have been practicing since late March, yet this past year’s construction on the South courts have left them unfinished.

The courts can be used for practice, but finishing touches necessary for matches are missing; for example, construction crews still have to paint the different colors on the inside and outside of the playing boundaries. According to sophomore Thomas Blum, the paint serves two purposes.

“It helps differentiate between inside and outside, and it makes making calls much easier, and that’s obviously important,” Blum said. “But it also speeds up the play to a normal rate, whereas without the paint, it’s very slow.”

Girls coach Bob Jampol said the current condition of the courts will limit the team’s functionality over the course of the season.

“We’re able to practice, and we’ll

have league matches here, but we won’t have [individual] tournament matches ... that [normally] occur here every May,” he said.

Jampol noted that the courts were in desperate need of renovation. “[The courts] hadn’t been done fully since 1995,” he said. “The site had been repaired a few times, but it didn’t last.”

According to Blum, the past two decades have left their mark on the courts, rendering them battered and incapable of supporting optimal play.

“Prior to this, [they] were cracked and the nets were very bad,” Blum said. “There was also a whole lot of wind, and I think they’re going to be putting wind screens up too, which is going to be really helpful.”

Sophomore Levi Shlyankevich agreed and said that he is excited for the upgrade.

“I know that when they’ll be done ... they’ll be beautiful. I just can’t wait,” he said.

The absence of cracks in the new court is critical, sophomore Elana Volfinzon said.

Cracks can have a big impact on a match, especially if a ball bounces in one of them and rebounds in an unpredictable direction.

“We don’t know how the courts will be when they are finished completely, but as of now, the biggest thing is that there are no cracks,” she said.

Additionally, she said that she experienced the effect of the wind on her play in the past.

“The occasional wind [makes] it harder to anticipate where the ball will land on the court,” Volfinzon said. “Likewise, it is much more difficult to serve.”

The renovations to the courts have not been limited to the court surface, as sophomore Wiley Chen said the placement of new doors around the courts allows for greater accessibility.

Despite the major construction on the courts, Chen said his style of play will not be significantly impacted.

“I don’t think the courts make a

difference, it’s the person and how much they practice,” he said. “Courts are courts; there’s always going to be imperfections.

It’s mainly upon yourself to practice. More time on the court means you get better.”

“Everyone’s very happy that the courts are being redone, because no one really loved them,” Shlyankevich said.

He also noted his teammates’ mixed feelings about the disruptive timing of the project.

“Everyone’s a bit frustrated that they don’t have new ... courts for the season, and how we’re playing on [courts that resemble] a parking lot,” he said. “Some people are really upset, and are like, ‘Aw, this is going to be terrible, we’re all going to get injured,’ and some people are like, ‘We’re going to have to deal with it, it won’t be terrible, but it’s not ideal.’”

For Blum, though, the renovations are worth the wait. “[The construction] is definitely a net positive overall,” he said.

New coach, Walsh, looks to reenergize softball program Jake Freudberg & Thomas Patti Sports Contributor, Sr. Sports Editor After 17 years of service to the softball program, Dave Salett and assistants Bob Cohen and Alan Kaplan retired last year.

In anticipation of this season, a committee of teachers, team captains and athletic department staff interviewed an array of applicants for the job. Ginny Walsh stood out among them; many involved with the program said they believe that her intensity, competitive spirit and ample experience will lead the team to new heights in years to come.

A native of Franklin, Walsh said she spent much of her childhood playing sports with the boys, who often ridiculed her for being a tomboy. These comments, Walsh said, only strengthened her resolve to win.

“I just loved the challenge in every sport,” she said. “I grew up with the guys … As soon as they saw me play, they stopped bothering me and they started picking me [to be] on their team.”

Her competitive spirit led to perennial all-star status in high school as a three-sport athlete (field hockey, basketball and softball).

She went on to play softball at Bridgewater State University before playing professionally with the Connecticut Falcons in 1979 and the Stratford Brakettes from 1981 to 1982. She was later elected to the New England Softball Hall of Fame. After her playing career, Walsh coached at a handful of schools, most notably

Ashland High School, where she led her team to a state championship in 1998.

Despite her personal accolades, Walsh stressed that the team and the players are far more important than herself.

“It isn’t about me,” she said. “It is

about the kids. It’s about transferring that knowledge. The excitement, the energy: that’s where the focus should be.”

Senior captain Kim-An Quinn, who served on the panel which interviewed all the applicants, said that Walsh’s passion immediately grabbed her attention.

“In her interview, she was very enthusiastic, and you could tell that she really loved softball,” Quinn said. “She was up and jumping and had a lot of energy, and that’s really what we want.”

Walsh said that she sees great potential in the program, especially given the leadership and attitude of the captains.

“The characteristics as far as really enjoying the sport and loving the sport and the passion has been well-represented by our captains, and it’s kind of the same feeling I had when I was at Ashland,” Walsh said. “I just felt some energy and some passion, and that’s one of the qualities that you want as far as what you’re looking for in the players.”

She said she hopes the players fully

commit to the team and constantly work to improve themselves.

“As long as they try their best, that’s all you can ask, and learn from your mistakes, and move on, just learn,” she said. “They’re not machines, you know?”

She adopts the PACT principle, teaching that success comes from preparation, attitude, conditioning, communication and team. She said that statistics are not important in determining the success of a team.

“It’s more the experience and the fun, the energy,” Walsh said. “If you’re going to spend time doing something, be passionate about it, have fun and get better conditioned, and just display the talents that you have.”

Walsh expressed her aim to intensify the program, emphasizing organized practices and conditioning.

“I think she will have a good influence [on the program],” senior Molly Mackler said.

“I think that what we’ve been used to is more of a chill environment — not necessarily as in nobody cared, but just more relaxed. I think she’ll be more on top of that and take it more seriously.”

According to Quinn, Walsh’s toughnes will improve the players both on and off the field.

“She’s not afraid to speak her mind, and really push us to be better players and people.”

Science department head Gerry Gagnon, who also served on the hiring panel, said players will greatly benefit from Walsh’s enthusiasm

photo by Kiana Lee

for the game and enjoy greater success on the field as a result.

“Kids will see her passion for the game and I imagine that that will ignite some passion in them as well,” Gagnon said.

Members of the team and athletic department said they are confident that Walsh will bring unique talents to the program and propel the team to future success.

“It’s going to be more intense, … a more structured program than it’s been in the past.

It’s going to be a good change,” senior Monica Cipriano said. “She’s ready to push us to be better and I think everyone is going to respond well to that — she’s really a perfect fit for the program.”

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Sports

Coach’s Corner The Roar’s Ethan Krop asked girls lacrosse coach Molly Widrick about her first season as head coach

Molly Widrick girls lacrosse coach

Q A Q A Q A

Why did you choose to coach lacrosse?

I just always loved sports. Once it ended for me in college, I knew I wanted to somehow stay involved. I knew that I was going to become a teacher, so I thought, what a great way to get to know the kids outside of the classroom on the field. I think that kids that play sports learn so much that they don’t learn anywhere else.

What does your coaching style look like?

If you ask the girls, they’ll say I’m very loud. I’m not a quiet coach. I don’t yell at players; I’m constantly yelling encouragements and trying to yell out different things to help them succeed. I push the girls. I want them to work hard at practice. So we’re going to work hard everyday at practice for two hours. I’m also a coach that thinks it’s off the field as well, that you have to bond as a team not just on the field, but off the field -- team dinners, all that kind of stuff.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

When I first started coaching here four years ago, we went 0-14 with the freshmen team. So we’ve really kind of grown that over the last four years. Hopefully we continue to be successful. Hopefully we make it into the playoffs again. I know the girls are working really hard and that’s really what they hope to do.

South Scoreboard ***All information is as of 6;30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2016***

Team

Next Game/ Meet

Record (W/L/T)

Baseball

April 19 vs Newton North

1-1

Boys Lacrosse Girls Lacrosse Boys Track

April 20 vs Cambridge April 20 vs Cambridge

2-1

April 20 vs Westford

2-2 0-1

Girls Track

April 20 vs Westford

0-1

Softball Boys Tennis

April 20 vs Westford April 20 vs Westford

2-1 3-1

Girls Tennis

April 20 vs Westford

2-1

Boys Volleyball

April 20 vs Cambridge

4-1

April 15, 2016|page 23

Not Just Track SABRINA STACKS

sports contributor

Floating Column EDITORS NOTE: Every issue, The Roar publishes a different athlete’s perspective from his or her position on a sports team.

Contact srstaff@thelionsroar.com if you are interested in writing this column.

When people talk about track, they tend to forget a really important piece of the sport. It’s called field. When asked, “What sport do you do?” I say, “Track and field.” When asked, “What do you run?” I say, “I don’t.” A common misconception, and frankly, a huge turnoff to some prospective Track and Field athletes, is that all we do is run. While running is extremely important to many athletes of our sport, there is so much more to track and field than just running.

There is an entire group of diligent athletes that we often leave out. These athletes are the throwers, jumpers and vaulters; though they do comprise a rather small portion of our team, we would not win a single meet without them.

Field events rack up a huge amount of points for our team, and South is lucky to have amazing athletes in the high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, discus and javelin.

Often, the field events are not thought of as very serious or skill-requiring events, particularly, the throws.

People often consider it “a dumping ground” or in other words, where you go if you can’t do anything else. Even more specifically, shot-putters are commonly thought of as heavy girls; girls who don’t run. The truth is, the greatest throwers are all-around athletes.

My best event is the shot put, an 8.8 pound weight throw. Up until this season, I specialized in the heptathlon, which consists of the 100 meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, 200 meter dash, javelin throw, and 800 meter (half-mile) dash.

For my entire career at South, I have focused on field events and training both on and off the track, so blindly forgetting about the field events diminishes both my role on the team and the eight seasons of training I have put in for my school.

Recently, our team was faced with a weather dilemma for our first meet of the outdoor season. After postponing the meet for one day, all of our facilities remained snowed over. Some tossed around the idea of only holding the running events, since the snow on the field hadn’t cleared up yet. This option angered not only me, but my entire team of throwers.

I have never heard of a meet held without running events, yet so many have gone on without the field events.

This exclusion further contributes to the view that running events are more important, when in reality, all events are worth the same amount of points.

Additionally, favoring one part of the team further divides us by event, when we should work to unite as one team.

My goal this season is to amalgamate the event groups, but to do that, all athletes must be respected and viewed as equals.

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