Empowering students to think critically and creatively since 1913
VOLUME 111 ISSUE 5
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
IN THE NEWS
SPAGHETTI DINNER NIGHT
SPHS Band and Color Guard will host a Spaghetti Dinner Night on Thursday, March 6 from 6–9 p.m. at the SPHS gymnasium.
SENIOR PANORAMA PHOTO RACC NIGHT AT SPHS
Seniors will take their panorama photo on Tuesday, March 11 on the Roosevelt Field from 12:15–12:45 p.m.
Regional Admissions Counselors of California (RACC) will present case studies to students on Wednesday, March 12.
Students celebrate Lunar New Year
STORY OWEN HOU
PHOTO KAITLYN LEE
Gonggi stones strewn about a table, the scent of dalgona and fried rice through the air, and the sight of children folding paper lanterns. These were just a few scenes from the SPHS’s Lunar New Year celebration, hosted by the Asian Pacific Islander Student Union (APISU) on Friday, Feb. 7 at the Tiger Patio. The main goal of APISU’s event was to enable students and staff to honor and celebrate Asian culture through food and other festivities.
A variety of food was sold across tables, including fried rice, dumplings, and musubi. Crowds of SPHS students lined up to partake in its festivities. Additionally, traditional games such as Korean gonggi and ddakji, along with Chinese mahjong were available for students to play.
“We have such a large population of Asian students and Asian families within South Pas[adena] … it’s really important that we help honor the tradition of having a Lunar New Year celebration within the high school,” APISU president Nadia Cho said.
“ ”
It’s really important that we help honor the tradition of having a Lunar New Year celebration within the high school.
Money raised from the event aided those impacted by the L.A. wildfires. In fundraising, APISU was aided by the support of other programs on campus, such as IgniteHer.
“It’s been a while since the fire has happened, but a lot of people are still struggling. If we can do anything to help
that at the very least, I think [it’s] worth every challenge,” IgniteHer co-president Paige Tang said.
APISU additionally operated booths in the Alhambra Lunar New Year event on Saturday, Feb. 8, an annual festival held by the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce. During the event, they helped run two booths, offering festival goers the opportunity to craft their own paper lanterns and practice traditional Chinese calligraphy.
“We were invited by the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce to run a booth to booths again this year… [The event] was mostly just people showing up to volunteer, which was really nice to see [since] people were coming out to really support the community,” Cho explained.
The SPHS and Mark Keppel High School APISU chapters collaborated to mobilize student volunteers and gather supplies. In the future, SPHS APISU hopes to combine
Inside the meteoric rise of sports gambling
STORY BENJAMIN REGAN
ILLUSTRATION NATHAN FRIEZER
The potential for widespread legal sports gambling in America arrived in May of 2018 when the Supreme Court voted down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Since then, the tremendous ascent of the industry has traveled from one state to the next, achieving legality in all but 11 states, of one which is California. Online sports gambling has become so mainstream so quickly because bets are no longer placed under the table or require a trip to Las Vegas, but instead are conveniently entered on an app.
People can pick a team to win any given game, but are not limited to these broad bets. Sportsbooks offer prop bets, or bets placed on individual players to go over or under a specific number. For example, the line for Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards
in the AFC Championship Game opened at 254.5 on DraftKings, and bettors chose whether the Chiefs’ quarterback would throw for more or fewer yards. Some also bet on entirely random details, such as the color of the gatorade poured on the Super Bowl’s winning coach, or gamble on obscure sports they have no interest in. Online sports gambling enables bettors to make these decisions very easily.
EXPLICIT CONTENT IN YA Tiger analyzes the dangers of publishing mature content in young adult books, urging publishers to alter their marketing approach in this genre to ensure that consumers make informed choices about their media consumption.
“Online sports betting is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be accessed via computers or smartphones, which eliminates the need for physical betting locations,” Rachel Volberg, Research Professor for University of Massachusetts Amherst’s School of Public Health and Health Sciences said.
Sports gambling’s path to popularity has also been aided by extensive advertising. A study conducted by the University of Bristol counted 799 gambling references during a single NBA game between the broadcast, official social media pages, and brand logo appearances. Fans cannot go a game without seeing sports betting ads, and leagues are fine with it. To them, the sports gambling surge means more interest in and eyes on their sport. Intentionally shot into the vein of American entertainment, the sports gambling industry has consumers fixated. GAMBLING, see Page 14
8-9
PARENTING STYLES AND SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
Tiger explores different parenting archetypes, anlayzing the difference between “loose” and “strict” parenting. The SPHS student body weighs in through a poll on parenting style preferences and results.
efforts with the SPHS DEI initiatives to host a multicultural fair or an AAPI Heritage Month celebration and also contribute again to the Alhambra Lunar New Year celebration next year.
“I just hope that we can just pay homage to all of the hard work that the Asian American community has done within the past decades that we’ve been in the U.S. and that we can just really honor the strong community that we have in South Pas[adena],” Cho said.
STORY RAFA ESTOLANOSRIDHARAN
French movie musical Emilia Pérez follows Mexican lawyer Rita Mora Castro (Zoe Saldaña) as she helps a cartel kingpin (Karla Sofía Gascón), Emilia Pérez, transition. Years later, the film follows Rita as she helps Emilia mend the wounds of her past wrongdoings. Debuted in 2024, the film has been lauded by critics and has received 13 Oscar nominations — more than Schindler’s List, The Godfather, and Titanic. Despite its critical acclaim, Emilia Pérez has been almost universally reviled by audiences. The film has received intense backlash from Mexican and transgender communities who have called it “offensive,” “shallow,” and “tone-deaf.”
This Spanish-language film primarily about Mexicans and set in Mexico, was written and directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard, a man who neither speaks Spanish nor has any direct experience with Mexico.
PÉREZ, see Page 12
SOUTH PASADENA APISU hosted a schoolwide Lunar New Year festival, including a paper lantern making booth.
Emilia Pérez: media analysis
- Nadia Cho
STORY OWEN HOU
PHOTO MAC SHROPSHIRE
T
he SPHS Speech and Debate program competed in the Spring Varsity Debate Tournament at Schurr High School on Saturday, Feb. 8, placing first in their division for the first time since 2020, against schools such as Mark Kepple and San Marino.
SPHS competed in three events: Parliamentary debate, Congressional debate, and LincolnDouglas debate.
SPHS sent students to finals in each of the three events they competed in. For Congress, junior Eric Shiroishi finished third overall, freshman Lucia Lois was fifth, and junior Aidan Liu had an eighth place finish. Additionally, senior Emilio Lois secured a first place finish in Lincoln-Douglas. Seniors Elisa Argus and Morgan Sun both made it to the Parliamentary Debate finals, finishing eighth place in the event overall.
“[Being first in our division] has not happened since 2020 and this predates me, so that was really cool that we ended up first place. I think everyone is really proud of the results,” Speech and Debate advisor Christopher Herrin said.
Among the students who reached finals, two were highlighted by Herrin. Freshman Lucia Lois stood out for her performance despite limited experience. During the varsity tournament, L. Lois finished fifth overall in Congress and managed to secure first place in a novice tournament held the day before.
“We’ve never had a ninth grader finish that high in the varsity tournament before, and she actually finished first overall in Congress at the novice tournament the day before,” Herrin said.
Herrin also recognized Emilio Lois for his performance in Lincoln-Douglas. During the
Speech and Debate competes in Spring Varsity Debate tournament
SPHS Speech and Debate competed at Spring Varsity Debate tournament on Feb. 8
THE TEAM’S CAPTAINS, student leaders, and members at Schurr High School.
[The tournament was] Probably the most successful that we’ve had since I started here, so it was really cool [to see]. “ ”
- Christopher Herrin
tournament, E. Lois went undefeated up until the final round, which he lost after two of the three judges ruled in his opponent’s favor. Still, Lois placed first in the event overall, despite having never competed in it before.
“It was a really successful couple of tournaments for Speech and Debate,” said Herrin.
Speech and Debate’s next competition will be the Speech State Qualifiers on Saturday Feb. 22 and the Debate State Qualifiers on Saturday, Mar. 1.
Public Housing Element Tour reworks height limits
The Arroyo Group hosted a Public Housing Element Tour to add to existing South Pasadena buildings.
STORY GAVIN BARTOLOME
PHOTO EMIKO ESSMILLER
The Arroyo Group, an urban planning firm, hosted a public walking tour on Saturday, Feb. 1. The focal points of the tour concerned planning efforts for downtown, discussing housing certifications, public opinions on new building heights, and what kept the city’s charm. The tour was an opportunity for residents to discuss South Pasadena’s changing development plans that will add several floors to buildings to increase housing units.
Community development director Alison Becker, who led the tour, emphasized the importance of residents’ opinions.
“We don’t plan in a vacuum. We plan for community and with community, and part of [it is having the] community [being involved with] residents conversations like this,” Becker said.
The Arroyo Group, led by Philip Burns, presented many potential areas that could undergo construction.
These sections included large parking areas behind the Rialto Theater and the old school district office. The City Yard site, which currently houses public works facilities, was marked for reconstruction. Currently, the facilities on site are planned to be relocated to areas along the Arroyo.
The driving force behind South Pasadena’s housing reconstruction started when California reworked the minimum requirement for housing units per square acre which the city council approved on May 30, 2023. As a result, the planners who had originally proposed an extra 500 units were forced to push for 2,775 housing units by 2029 which drove the need to increase the height limit.
The city had capped building heights at 45 feet since the 1980s, excluding buildings that planned to have more affordable housing units. However, recent developments will allow for more flexibility. For contracted constructors, they will be able to apply for a higher height limit based on the state’s Density Bonus Program, which expands the height cap if more affordable housing units are constructed.
Burns stressed the inevitable increase in height limits, housing density, and the likelihood of groundlevel parking instead of subterranean. The residents were worried about the idea of potentially 80-foottall buildings, and the planning group eventually explained the major problem. For South Pasadena to help adequately address the housing shortage within LA under state mandates, buildings would need to expand upwards to accommodate residents. For senior citizens or businesses in crowded areas, the lack of places to park their cars could slow down the flow of customers. Meanwhile, many elderly participants worried about housing buildings being too secluded from business, becoming difficult or even impossible for some to reach. A concern shared by many others, the Arroyo planned to consider that when reworking their plan for where buildings should be placed.
Residents also expressed concern regarding protecting South Pasadena’s history, pointing out the need to protect Route 66, which runs down Fair Oaks Street.
While plans for buildings to be completely reworked were discussed, it was important to both the residents and planners that they did not infringe on the town’s warm architectural style. Among several designs, the residents that participated enjoyed the sketches of Spanish colonial buildings with layered floors that withdrew to not overwhelm people as they walked by.
“Our team find[s] value in the specific suggestions that were brought to us as we’re formulating our height district proposals,” Becker said.
Becker gave the Arroyo Group’s thanks to attendees for helping contribute to the future of their city as the tour came to a close.
“I encourage residents of all ages to be aware of what’s happening. We try to use social media. We use traditional forms of communication. We have a website. There are a lot of ways that residents can learn about what’s going on in town, and lots of opportunities to share their thoughts about what we should be doing,” Becker said.
The Arroyo Group hosted another walk around the Ostrich Farm and Huntington Avenue on Saturday, Feb. 15 and an open house on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m for general input. A study session between the City Council and Planning Commission is scheduled for early March to cement plans and ensure the public accepts the changes.
MAN
Band renaming efforts receive little traction
Band students continue renaming efforts while the Board is unsure on renaming criteria.
STORY GAVIN BARTOLOME & OWEN HOU
PHOTOS HELENA EASTERBY
SPHS band members have been working to rename the band room in honor of band teacher Howard E. Crawford since the board meeting on Aug. 3, 2024. On Tuesday, Feb. 11, band members revisited the topic and requested that the school board take another look at the issue.
Previously, the board did not directly discuss the band room during the November meeting but instead talked about the general topic of renaming facilities. They mentioned other ways to honor Crawford’s legacy through establishing a scholarship fund. During the October meeting, board member Karissa Adams gave a post-visitor comment reiterating the situation and tabling the discussions.
The renaming effort began with a request to place an initiative on the August board agenda from Crawford’s daughters in late June 2024. From there, they reached
out to the previous board president, Adams, to meet, but both sides were unable to schedule a chance to talk before the board meeting.
Although the board previously helped to rename the SPHS auditorium in former principal Janet Anderson’s name, questions concerning the board’s role in naming facilities arose. To start, the board stressed that it was their duty to make and evaluate the district’s policies, not to fulfill smaller requests within schools.
“There’s a huge responsibility by us as board members to put someone’s name on a building or a classroom, and I struggle with finding the specific criteria for which that should be,” Adams explained after the session. “In this circumstance, I felt strongly that there are other ways to honor him and his legacy and his years of service, and it wasn’t appropriate to name a building after him.”
During the February meeting, seniors Chaemin Lim and Emilio Lois both asked the Board of Education to
revisit the topic of renaming the high school band room. The students wanted to place the subject as an action item during the upcoming March board meeting so that progress towards the renaming could be made.
“Many in the high school still feel extremely strongly about this, and we believe that Mr. Crawford remains a cornerstone not just of the musical community, but of South Pasadena as a whole,” Lois said.
The students were firm about renaming the building in the SPUSD August 2024 meeting. In place, the board suggested other ways of honoring Mr. Crawford.
“We continue to encourage the students and advocates to work with the high school administration at any time to determine ways to honor Mr. Crawford’s contributions,” board president Karen Tamis said.
The school board is only legally allowed to discuss issues such as renaming the band room after those topics are listed on the agenda during a public board meeting.
“At that point, there was no movement by any member of the board, and certainly not a consensus, which is required to take an item from a discussion and make it an action item, if it had been placed as an action item,” Adams said.
Given the fact that the issue is not an action item, the board will most likely continue to hold back from renaming the band room. Adams readdressed the topic, giving insight into the board’s thought process when tackling the issue.
Many band students still feel strongly about renaming the room in Crawford’s honor. Both Lois and Lim requested to address the topic as an action item under the old policy that other buildings were renamed for the March public meeting. Still, the band struggles to get the board to discuss a potential renaming for Crawford.
“I admire the advocacy of the students, parents, and family members of Mr. Crawford, and his contributions to the district,” Tamis said. “We are fortunate to have many outstanding teachers, administrators, and staff working within our district. We are hopeful that everyone will consider alternative ways to honor these individuals.”
Nature Park hosts workshop to protect the environment
STORY CHRISTIANNE DULEY
PHOTO HELENA EASTERBY
The Arroyo Seco Woodland and Wildlife Park, also called the South Pasadena Nature Park, held its monthly volunteer day on Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event featured a special wildflower workshop, led by the eco-sensitive designer and educator Leigh Adams. There, volunteers learned how to grow native plant species and germinate various seeds. Friends of the Nature Park, a community stewardship group, organizes each event in order to protect the wildlife native to South Pasadena.
The workshop provided the participants with gardening knowledge that they could use in their own yards. Volunteers were also given time to prune, weed, and clean up the Arroyo Seco area. Participants of all ages and backgrounds joined the event, educating kids and seniors on how to care for the local wildlife.
“I loved seeing the kids from the community really engaged in knowing how to care for the land and knowing how to plant new seeds,” volunteer Nicole Ball said. “Caring for the land is part of our purpose as
people and being in community with each other and the world around us.”
Volunteers worked with lupine seeds and subjected the seeds to four different forms of scarification (a process of scratching seeds) as a means to learn about the natural process of plant growth and germination. One seed group was shaken in a bottle filled with sand, another was exposed to bamboo vinegar, the third was treated with warm water, and the control group was planted without alteration. The lupine seeds are expected to germinate and naturally sprout at various times in the coming weeks.
“People need to know that it’s important to plant native plants,” Friends of the Nature Park founder Barbara Eisenstein said. “We’re trying to educate the public on this wonderful place we live in and try to get them to move away from exotic plants.”
Friends of the Nature Park has aimed to teach the community about gardening with native plants, as well as the importance of the environment, since two years after the nature park’s opening in 2004. The parkland was originally bought by the city in
the 1920s as open space, but urbanisation eventually reached the land when the Arroyo Seco Golf Course was built in the 1950s. The city considered building a school on the land in the 1990s, but the community rallied together to prevent this decision.
The remaining land officially opened as a nature park in October 2004 to protect it from being allocated. In March of 2006, Friends of the Nature Park was founded to maintain the park’s flora and fauna, and to safeguard South Pasadena’s native wildlife. Since its formation nearly two decades ago, the group has revitalized the land and protected it from further urban expansion.
“We’re trying to build an improved habitat to try to slow down the loss of species and diversity that we have made happen here,” Eisenstein said. “We need to just be out here, just be looking and smelling and hearing what’s going on. I hope we can get people to appreciate nature a little more.”
The next volunteer day will be held on Saturday, Mar. 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Arroyo Seco Woodland and Wildlife Park on 100 Pasadena Avenue.
EMILIO LOIS argues for the renaming of the band room at the SPUSD board meeting.
A VOLUNTEER WORKS TO CLEAN the nature park by raking leaves on Feb. 15. The group had just finished the wildflower workshop.
Trump’s executive orders
President Trump has issued multiple executive orders potentially impacting America’s education system, but it is not yet clear if these orders will truly come to pass.
PAGE DESIGN OLIVIA CHIN
DSTORY TRISHA CHAKRABORTY & CHRISTIANNE DULEY
Executive orders impacting education
onald Trump, the 47th president of the United States, has signed over 60 executive orders since his inauguration one month ago on Jan. 21. His orders have covered a variety of legal topics and have left students and education faculty concerned regarding the security of their freedoms and livelihoods.
Executive orders are instructions the president gives to federal government officials and agencies, instructing workers how to uphold the law through specific actions. Executive orders can direct any area of legal enforcement, as long as they are within the president’s Constitutional power and do not conflict with federal laws or statutes. Courts have the power to overturn an executive order if it violates the previously mentioned regulations.
One of Trump’s executive orders that will affect education is “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” This executive order halts funding provided to educational programs that allow transgender women and girls to participate in women’s sports. The order states its purpose as protecting the fairness of women’s sports by barring biological men from participating. It also interprets Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs, so as to limit the opportunities of trans women in sports.
Another executive order likely to affect education is “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling.” The order states it will protect parent rights
regarding their child’s education and defund K-12 schools that teach topics such as “white privilege,” “unconscious bias,” and transgender issues. Aiming to keep schools “patriotic,” this order cites Title IX and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars racial and ethnic discrimination in federalfunded programs, as having been violated by some schools.
Trump has issued additional executive orders promoting private and religious schools, giving parents more influence in their child’s education, and defunding schools that mandate COVID-19 vaccines. The executive orders will limit the independence of schools and shift education to a more rigid structure regulated by the federal government, resulting in infringement on certain rights for students and unemployment for noncompliant faculty. Trans students might lose athletic opportunities and acceptance, classes may avoid discussing controversial social issues, parents could dictate and limit the education of their children, and public schools are at risk of being unable to fund programs for students.
The future of public education could be influenced by executive orders, depending on their enforcement and legal challenges. Trump’s plans for education and vision of how to enforce his rules come with costs and may face constitutional challenges. As legal processes unfold, it remains uncertain whether the orders will be fully implemented or if public education will see little impact.
Legal obstacles faced by executive orders
C
ourts have the ability to check presidential power by striking down executive orders that contradict constitutional provisions or an established federal law.
“Executive orders can help calibrate how federal entities use their discretion,” Loyola constitutional law professor Justin Levitt said. “But [when] an executive order flatly says something different than a statute … it has no legal effect.”
Trump issued an executive order attempting to alter birthright citizenship on his first day in office. However, the courts intervened and ruled that the order contradicted the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of citizenship to those born on United States soil.
“The only people who have to pay attention to executive orders directly are federal government employees,” Levitt said. “But because federal government employees affect a lot of stuff, a lot of other people are paying attention.”
One of the executive orders issued by Trump, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” mandantes that transgender women be barred from competing in women’s sports. Despite the administration’s claims that the policy directive promotes fairness in sports competition, it faces legal hurdles, particularly from states like California that already have established protections for transgender athletes.
The directive interprets Title IX of the Education Amendments (which prohibits sex-discrimination in all federally funded educational programs) to define sexdiscrimation solely on the basis of sex assigned at birth.
The order contradicts the legal precedent established on sex-discrimination in regards to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits sex-discrimination in employment. In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII’s definition
Candidly, that’s something that a lot of school districts are currently thinking about – how to stay out of trouble with the arms of the federal government that enforce antidiscrimination statutes, while still both teaching and caring for kids in the way that they, parents, and students want. “ ”
- Justin Levitt
of sex-discrimination included discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The court argued that it was impossible to discriminate based on a person’s sex without discriminating based on a stereotype of what it means to be a man or woman.
“The Trump administration and this executive order take a very different perspective that runs directly into the [past] Supreme Court’s ruling on employment,” Levitt said.
The Department of Education could attempt to withhold federal funding from noncompliant schools, but doing so would prompt lawsuits. Since past Supreme Court rulings establish protections for transgender individuals, legal experts anticipate this executive order to face an uphill battle in the courts.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) stated that it will continue to allow transgender athletes to compete in accordance with their gender identity, putting it at odds with the new federal directive.
Another of Trump’s executive orders, “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” is unlikely to have an effect on schools in California, in part because the state’s educational curriculum choices generally oppose the Trump’s administration’s definitions of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, and national origin.
“When an executive order purports to tell schools what to teach or not to teach, it’s not generally going to end up as part of a legal requirement that schools listen to,” Levitt said. “Some schools will follow that lead, and some schools will not … That’s a right the schools have.”
Affected school districts are likely to sue if the Department of Education attempts to withhold federal funding based on noncompliance.
“Candidly, that’s something that a lot of school districts are currently thinking about — how to stay out of trouble with the arms of the federal government that enforce anti-discrimination statutes, while still both teaching and caring for kids in the way that they, parents, and students want,” Levitt said.
ILLUSTRATION ISOLE & LANAH KIM
THE TIGER
ESTABLISHED 1913
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2024
CSPA SILVER CROWN 2021
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2019
CSPA SILVER CROWN 2018
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2017
CSPA CROWN AWARD 2016
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2015
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2014
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2013
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2011
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LINDA YUN
MANAGING EDITORS
BENJAMIN REGAN, Print
CLEMENTINE EVANS, Online
SONYA SHIMPOCK, Associate
NEWS
CLAIRE MAO, Editor OWEN HOU, Associate
OPINION
SONYA SHIMPOCK, Editor
RAFA ESTOLANO-SRIDHARAN, Associate
FEATURE MORGAN SUN, Editor
RAFA ESTOLANO-SRIDHARAN, Associate
SPORTS
ZOE CHEN, Editor
GAVIN BARTOLOME, Associate
DESIGN
OLIVIA CHIN, Editor ISOLE KIM, Editor LANAH KIM, Associate
PHOTOGRAPHY
EMIKO ESSMILLER, Editor
HELENA EASTERBY, Associate
COPY
ETHAN KWAK, Editor
SOLANA SINGER, Editor
EVELYN DIAZ, Associate
BUSINESS AND ADS
CHLOE LUONG, Staff Ads Manager
STAFF WRITERS
TRISHA CHAKRABORTY EVELYN DIAZ
CHRISTIANNE DULEY RUBY FOUDY
ISABELLA JONASEN
PHOTOGRAPHERS ZOE CHEN
SUNNY (SUNHYE) CHOI KAITLYN LEE
MADELINE MADRIGAL MAC SHROPSHIRE
ILLUSTRATORS
SUNNY (SUNHYE) CHOI NATHAN FRIEZER DIANA LOPEZ
PAGE DESIGNERS
HANA OBERLANDER
VIDEOGRAPHER
HELENA EASTERBY
FACULTY ADVISOR KAREN HAMES
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STAFF EDITORIAL
OPINION
Informed Sex Ed keeps students safe
SPHS students deserve comprehensive sexual education, not a lackluster health class.
Many SPHS students’ only exposure to a high school sexual education class is a condensed summer course as rising freshmen. The shortened curriculum allows students to complete the required class quickly and reduce their academic workload during the school year. However, while this option is convenient, it is a contributing factor to a faltering sexual education program at SPHS. This leaves students unaware of their resources and unable to make educated and safe decisions about their sexual health.
“I don’t think [the summer Health class] taught me very much … I don’t really remember anything I learned,” one anonymous student said. They had taken Health before starting their first year of high school and only vaguely remember some of the content. “I don’t think anyone took it very seriously… we watched a lot of movies and short films which, in my opinion, undermined the importance of educating people.”
This inconsistent recall of the summer Health curriculum is common in a lot of students and presents a dangerous gap in education. Comprehensive sexual education is crucial in equipping students with the knowledge and resources to make safe, informed decisions about their health. Studies have shown that thorough school-based sexual education positively influences the sexual health and well-being of young people. Not only does it help students develop healthy relationships, but it also increases media literacy, strengthens social and emotional learning, and helps prevent dating and intimate partner violence. Contrary to misconceptions, comprehensive sexual education does not encourage early or risky sexual activity; instead, it has been shown to delay the onset of sex and promote safer practices. Yet, at SPHS, many students do not receive sufficient sexual education to reap these benefits.
In the classroom, the quality of sexual education in summer Health classes varies vastly based on the instructor. According to many students, the final exam expectations differ based on the teacher they are assigned to. “I took Health as a summer school class and they really did not go over sexual education,”
a student noted. “Personally, I’m fine talking about [sex] on campus but I feel like other people really aren’t as comfortable.”
Ultimately, this disparity in education results in a spotty education that omits crucial information. The California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA), passed in 2015, requires California public schools to provide medically accurate, LGBTQ+ inclusive, and comprehensive sexual education at least once in middle school and once in high school.
While the summer Health course may technically satisfy CHYA’s minimum requirements, a forgettable curriculum fails to achieve the law’s intended goals — explicitly, to “provide every student with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect their sexual and reproductive health.” Without reinforcement beyond a single unit in the school-year Health class, SPHS students are left without the comprehensive education the law is designed to secure.
Sexual education is about more than just instruction — it is a form of protection. It ensures that students understand their rights and have the knowledge and confidence to advocate for themselves in situations of misconduct. With ongoing debates over Title IX protections and changing policies around sexual harassment and assault, the need for comprehensive sexual education has become even more urgent. Students must be equipped to navigate their health, relationships, and personal safety in an informed and empowered way.
The health curriculum provides a foundation, but there are significant opportunities to expand and strengthen the program to better meet students’ needs. Whether through an expanded and standardized summer Health curriculum, greater engagement from student leaders, or clearer resource visibility, the school has an obligation to provide students with the education and support they need — not just to check a box, but to genuinely prepare them for the realities of their health and relationships. It is essential that sexual education is not just a forgotten requirement but an accessible, ongoing conversation.
Tiger’s cheers and jeers for the month of February
BOO to cows with no legs. They’re nothing but ground beef.
BOO to the new Instagram update. My digital footprint cannot be aired to the world.
BOO to day two of my period. I literally can’t.
BOO to to Senioritis. I fear I’ve caught a deadly case.
BOO to the TikTok unban. I was about to get my life together.
BRAVO to Indeed. You are, indeed, half of my screen time.
BRAVO to Girl Scout cookie season. I know a box of Thin Mints hates to see me coming.
BRAVO to school lunch. Say what you will about the express line but Orange Chicken Day is HEAT.
BRAVO to Mr. Whitney’s psychology lessons. The only thing keeping me together.
BRAVO to Kendrick Lamar. He taught me it’s ok to be a hater.
Boos & Bravos BRAVOS BOOS
Trump’s immigration policy is violent and immoral
Increasing immigration enforcement and deportation threatens to destroy communities, families, and lives.
STORY EVELYN DIAZ & RAFA ESTOLANO-SRIDHARAN ILLUSTRATION DIANA LOPEZ
O
n Thursday, Jan. 23, Giovanni Duran was detained by ICE agents in front of his two young children while buckling them into the car for their drive to school. Duran, who came to the United States at two years old from El Salvador, works two jobs to support his family. He has absolutely no memory of the country he is about to be deported to.
Tragic incidents like this have become more common with President Trump back in office. His administration
is pushing for mass deportations, claiming they will solve crime, housing shortages, and the rising costs of living. With this, immigration enforcement has escalated, with ICE raids happening in schools and even places of worship, tearing families apart in the process. While officials claim these actions target violent criminals, many of those arrested have no criminal record at all.
Trump’s immigration policies are not just about law enforcement or policy — they reflect a deeper ideology. His past of comparing immigrants to animals and calling them “poison” demonstrates his goal to push a view of America that excludes certain communities. Trump and his allies have a view of America as a nation of and for white people.
In this worldview, immigrants coming from Latin America are destroying the sanctity of this white nation. This rhetoric is not just misleading but also dangerous, reinforcing xenophobic narratives that field fear and division.
Much of the younger generation is not staying silent about the impact of mass deportations. Across the country, students are organizing walkouts, protests, and social media campaigns to push back against Trump’s immigration policies. For many, this issue is personal; they have family members or friends who are undocumented and live in fear of being separated. Young people see these policies as an attack on their communities, and they are demanding change. They are calling for immigration reform, an end to ICE raids, and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. They are saying that they will not accept a system that dehumanizes people and destroys families.
SPUSD has reaffirmed its commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. The district has protocols in place to protect students and families. If ICE agents were to enter a school campus, district policy requires that they be directed to the district office, where the superintendent or a designated official will review any warrant, consult legal counsel, and proceed in accordance with state and federal law. This policy ensures that SPUSD remains a place where students can focus on their education without fear.
The escalation of deportations under Trump’s administration is not about security or economic stability — it is about fear and exclusion. These policies devastate families, weaken industries, and create a culture of fear that harms communities rather than protecting them. The fight for immigration reform is not just about policy — it is about basic human dignity. America must radically reform our archaic immigration system to help, not hurt, ensuring that this country emphasizes justice, not cruelty.
Spicy YA novels cannot be advertised as just “mild”
STORY EMIKO ESSMILLER & MORGAN SUN
ILLUSTRATION ISOLE KIM
The infamous Chapter 55 of BookTok’s darling A Court of Mist and Fury is many young readers’ unexpected and largely unwelcome introduction to mature literature. Though the book is marketed to readers as young as 12, it includes multiple graphic sex scenes between its main characters — a 19-year-old girl and 500-year-old mystical creature — with no content warning. It belongs to Sarah J. Mass’s popular book series, A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), and was originally published as Young Adult (YA) before being reclassified as New Adult (NA). While this may seem inconsequential, the small shift in sorting makes a huge difference in audience.
In general, YA books are intended for an audience of teens aged 12-18, while NA books are meant to appeal to those aged 18-30. However, it’s extremely common for kids as young as 9 — especially avid readers — to shop in the YA section of bookstores. Nevertheless, it is completely inappropriate for some novels in the YA genre to continue to include explicit content without properly warning or notifying consumers, some of whom are still under ten years old.
Mass’s series is not the only one to have been tactlessly published to the younger generation. The YA bookshelves in stores and libraries are filled with sexually explicit novels hidden by unsuspecting covers. Titles such as Icebreaker by Hannah Grace or Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston are prime examples of misleading covers and deceptive advertising that inherently appeal to younger generations, whether intentionally or not. A child who is not mature enough to read explicit scenes may unknowingly pick up books full of them. Publishing companies must take it upon themselves to avoid covers or ads that are targeted at unsuspecting youth solely to gain publicity for a novel.
Morgan’s Musings
MORGAN SUN
Fire, Water, and Belonging
Recently, I watched the Disney and Pixar animated movie Elemental and was faced with a bittersweet surprise. After being released in 2023, it came out as a box office flop with lackluster advertisement, but underwent a resurgence after its appearance on Disney+.
Elemental’s basic plot follows a whimsical tale about anthropomorphic elements, but beneath its vibrant animation lies a deeply resonant story about immigration, identity, and the struggle to belong. At its
It is worth noting that smut in YA books is not fundamentally dangerous when consumed in moderation. The ability for people, especially young women, to explore their sexuality in the safety of fantastical book pages is vital to the development of their sexual identity. Only when indulgence turns into excessive consumption and addiction does the issue crop up in future relationships. Over-reliance on smut in novels as sex education fosters an idealistic purview of what may actually go on in the
heart, the film is an allegory for the immigrant experience, particularly that of Asian Americans, reflecting the generational tensions, cultural expectations, and sacrifices that come with forging a new life in an unfamiliar land.
The central conflict in Elemental revolves around Ember, a young Fire woman whose parents emigrated from their homeland to build a better future. Their struggles to assimilate while preserving their cultural heritage mirror the challenges faced by many immigrant families. The film beautifully illustrates the emotional weight of being a firstgeneration child, torn between honoring one’s roots and forging one’s own path.
One of the film’s most poignant themes is the invisible barriers immigrants face. The elemental world is divided, with Fire elements seen as outsiders, creating segregated yet bonded communities reminiscent of the “Chinatowns” in today’s cities.
bedroom or in a healthy relationship. Couples in romance novels often romanticize toxic relationships, fostering unrealistic expectations about intimacy and normalizing tropes such as the miscommunication plotline or even instances of dubious consent that frequently appear in mislabeled YA books.
Additionally, there is currently no way of distinguishing between books appropriate for 12-year-olds and those better suited for older teens. The maturity of readers between the ages of 12 and 18 varies greatly, yet publishing industries take no responsibility for moderating explicit content. Instead, they place the responsibility on consumers. While consumers need to hold themselves accountable for the books they purchase, and what they may contain, they also need to encourage publishers to be more transparent with the content, and subsequent content warnings, that are crucial in candid advertising.
YA books containing graphic sex scenes should not end up on the shelves of the Young Adult section. ACOTAR, Icebreaker, or Red, White, and Royal Blue should not find themselves in the hands of 12-year-olds who are unprepared to read explicit content.
Most importantly, books that are officially labeled YA should not contain content unsuitable for the age range that it corresponds to. All forms of advertising, from a book cover to trigger warnings to age ratings, need to be considered in the marketing of a novel. Above all, it needs to apply to the audience to which the book actually caters to.
ACOTAR’s chapter 55 being the first “spice” that a young reader encounters should not be normalized, and the writing community as a whole needs to do a better job at protecting underprepared youth from reading the detailed happenings between 19-year-olds and their 500-year-old mystical love interests.
After seeing such a vivid reflection of myself and the experience of other immigrant families, I took to YouTube to watch reviews and analyses. Because, of course, the Internet is the sole source one should consult when formulating any opinions.
Unfortunately, many watchers didn’t seem to understand the underlying message within the film — they only saw the light-hearted animations and romantic plotline. And this underscores a pattern I tend to see in our media: If a piece of media is advertised or executed as a lighthearted piece, those outside of the directly referenced experiences are blind to the true message.
If media is advertised to portray a certain societal issue, those not affected by that issue tend to not consume that piece. In either scenario, those who could benefit from learning a new perspective are unable or unwilling to see it.
A detested case for self-censorship online
Sharing
mental health issues online can be beneficial, but excessive oversharing may become harmful.
STORY RUBY FOUDY
PHOTO SUNNY (SUN-HYE) CHOI
Many teens are guilty of oversharing online — whether it’s what they had for breakfast, what school they go to, or their relationship status. Although this may seem innocuous, disclosing unnecessary information becomes much more devastating when it comes to mental health, where it can trigger, desensitize, or encourage unhealthy behaviors among viewers.
Reza Shabahang, a psychologist at the University of Tehran, sought to further understand the repercussions that excessive and personal sharing online could have on vulnerable teenage populations. Shabahang and his colleagues investigated the digital habits of 352 teenagers in Iran, noting how often they shared their feelings, opinions, and values on social media — and whether or not they thought that this information was “too personal” to share online. After analysis, they discovered that teens who shared excessively online had higher levels of “anxiety and attention-seeking tendencies.” They also reported “feeling higher levels of worry and an excessive attachment to social media.”
Social media, specifically apps like TikTok and Instagram, have become large platforms for discussing personal issues. In many cases, this has led to a positive shift in societal attitudes toward mental health. This further makes it easier for people to discuss their challenges without fear of judgment. This can be beneficial in breaking the stigma surrounding mental struggles or disorders, however, an overwhelming amount of delicate or potentially triggering information, or “trauma dumping,” has a dangerous effect.
Many creators wear the line between spreading awareness about mental health and oversharing thin or completely disregard it altogether. When a flood of information about mental health content overwhelms users, it can normalize destructive behaviors and foster a toxic environment that negatively impacts the mental well-being of others.
Excessively posting graphic or personal details about one’s mental state shifts the focus from seeking support to sensationalizing suffering for likes or attention. Trauma dumping can normalize self-destructive behaviors like self-harm, substance abuse, and other unhealthy coping mechanisms, which could create a dangerous roadmap to harmful practices others can follow and be influenced by. The acceptance of this content is only reinforced by the number of likes and comments is receives. Furthermore, this online normalization of destructive behaviors that
oversharing has caused can also lead impressionable teens to be desensitized to mental illness. As more people post about their struggles, viewers become numbed to the severity of the content.
What may initially seem like a cry for help can be overshadowed by the likes of similar or more alarming videos, and is lost in the stream of almost identical content. The constant exposure to this content makes it harder for viewers to differentiate a serious situation from a non-urgent post. The whiplash between exposure to tumultuous content and “normal” posts forces viewers to internalize the idea that these behaviors are “normal,” potentially leading viewers to engage in similar actions.
In addition to desensitization, excess amounts of information about someone’s mental problems can cause viewers stress or anxiety from exposure to graphic or triggering content. Witnessing other’s mental health
struggles can cause feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, or confusion — especially in those already vulnerable. For some, the comparison between their own struggles and what they see online may lead to harmful self-comparisons or desires to “one-up” others’ experiences, which will only deepen their sense of distress. Furthermore, when mental health is presented as a spectacle for public speculation, viewers may believe online help is enough, and will not seek the advice of a professional.
Though social media has provided a valuable outlet for discussions of mental health, it is the responsibility of youth to exercise caution over what they put out on the internet. When moving forward on social media, it is imperative for platforms and individuals alike to be mindful and aware of what is posted, and the impact of sharing certain subjects online. By fostering responsible, compassionate online spaces, social media can remain a place for true support and positive change.
The fallacy of limerence: obsession is not love
STORY CHRISTIANNE DULEY ILLUSTRATION DIANA LOPEZ
Love is a complex emotion that comes in many different forms. Everyone reacts to it differently, but mutual connection is a universal aspect of love. When the connection is not mutual and rooted in the imagination, love becomes closer to the even more mysterious feeling of limerence.
Limerence is defined as an uncontrollable, one-sided obsession with someone. This person is referred to as a limerent object (LO). Limerence can stem from a variety of circumstances, but the more common causes are trauma responses, insecurity, and mental disorders. If someone’s relationships were unstable in the past, they are more likely to idolize their present crushes as a way of seeking escapism or validation.
While limerence can look like love, or maybe a crush, these experiences are not the same. The feeling of love is usually experienced as being happy around a specific person, wanting to spend time with them often, and
engaging in romantic activities. Additionally, having a crush on someone is associated with an elevated heart rate when around a particular person or daydreaming about that person. Limerence often overlaps with love in these areas, but it takes them to a more obsessive, parasocial level.
Those who experience limerence tend to idolize whoever is the object of their affection — ignoring potential flaws and perceiving the person they are infatuated with as perfect. This can also occur in the early stages of falling in love with someone, but the idolization is more extreme, one-sided, and long-term, with limerence. Additionally, when a person deals with limerence, they might change how they behave or what they believe in order to match the LO’s behaviors and beliefs.
Relying on others for one’s own fulfillment provides no permanent solutions to problems. Placing anyone on a pedestal is also risky, as the LO could exploit this and cause more harm to the limerent person. Ultimately, dependency is unhealthy and will inevitably lead to disappointment, which occurs after the person with lim-
erence loses interest, identifies the LO’s flaws, or realizes their feelings will not be reciprocated.
Social media is likely a catalyst for limerence. With increased access to large amounts of information on strangers via their social media profiles, it has become easier to paint an unrealistic picture of someone new. On top of this, the prominence of dating apps fosters limerent emotions by convincing users they are forming a romantic bond with someone, despite this person being a stranger assigned to them by an algorithm.
Celebrity and stan culture are additional catalysts for limerence. The internet has normalized obsessing over celebrities, despite the fans never having met them. Fans see the brief and performative persona of celebrities in interviews and social media posts and then fill in the gaps with their imaginations. When combined with the enabling nature of internet groups, these fans are at risk of developing limerent feelings for strangers.
However, limerence can be avoided if the right steps are taken. The first step for a limerent person is to acknowledge that they are experiencing the feeling of limerence, not love. By doing this, one gains the ability to confront, and overcome, limerence. Limerent people can also ground themselves in reality and their present relationships. It is healthy to learn more about friends and family by conversing with them instead of gathering bits and pieces of information about influencers online.
Speaking to a therapist is an effective way to overcome limerence if one can afford it. Although a more costly option, therapy can help someone with limerence to tackle the emotion head-on and find solutions and alternatives. If therapy is not available for a limerent person, then practicing mindfulness and prioritizing their own needs is also helpful.
Like any other emotion, limerence is natural not inherently wrong. It has harmful symptoms, but these can be converted to positive ones through acknowledgment, socializing, therapy, and committing to improvement. With the right mindset, limerence can be transformed into a healthy love for others.
DESIGN LANAH KIM
TUNING INTO someone’s instagram live may offer unwelcome insight about a person.
Teen perspectives
Tiger explores the difficult concept of parenting from the teenage perspective, drawing on the shared experiences of SPHS students to reflect on the benefits and drawbacks of hands-off and strict parenting.
Q: What is one thing you appreciate about your parents’ parenting style?
They have always given me enough freedom that I don’t crave it and go crazy when I finally have it.
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Q: Is there anything you would change about your parents’ parenting style?
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Q: How to do you view parental pressure related to post-grad plans?
It’s stressful
I’m neutral
It’s helpful
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Q: Do you feel you can openly talk to your parents about personal issues?
Strongly disagree
Loose parenting encourages independence
A part of childhood and adolescence is making mistakes, which help people grow, mature, and develop into adults. The permittance to make these mistakes comes from parents who give their kids freedom and encourage learning through experiences, both positive and negative. By allowing some margin of error for their children, parents promote kids who express themselves more freely and learn to not give up or break down in the face of setbacks or challenges.
Allowing kids to err when they are young gives them time to learn. Parents who choose to allow mistakes — such as underage drinking, failing tests or school assignments, or spending all their allowance money — create children who are more independent in adulthood and are more likely to be good decision-makers. On the other hand, stricter parenting can lead kids to be overly dependent on rigid rules, which prevents them from learning how to think for themselves.
Trust and open communication between parent and child is an important establishment that is created through loose parenting. When kids feel safe enough to express their thoughts, emotions, and plans without fear of punishment, they are more likely to turn to their parents for guidance or advice. Strict parents can unintentionally create a relationship based on fear, causing children to hide mistakes rather than discuss them.
When kids feel that they have a reasonable amount of freedom, they are also less likely to rebel. According to the Canadian Center of Science and Education, strict parenting can lead to secrecy and defiance as kids try to regain control over their own lives. Loose parenting helps children feel respected and heard, reducing their need for rebellion.
I wish they’d compliment me more when I do well. They spend more time talking to me when I do poorly rather than when I do well, it feels unbalanced.
Q: Do you feel your parents give you enough responsibility and freedom?
Tiger conducted a survey to understand SPHS student perspectives on parental pressure and parenting styles. Over 60 percent of student respondents said that they feel pressure from their parents related to post-graduation plans. However, when asked about how they view that pressure, nearly 50 percent of students viewed that pressure neutrally, with the rest almost evenly split between viewing it as helpful or stressful. The vast majority of students feel pressure in academics (as compared to sports or arts). The survey received 224 responses and was publicized in class and on social media.
Children who are raised in a less restrictive environment develop stronger self-worth because they feel as though their opinions are valued and that they are trusted, according to International Education Studies. They are further encouraged to express themselves, take risks, and learn from failures.
While loose parenting has many advantages, it is important to strike the balance between boundaries and freedom. Too much leniency can lead to a lack of effective discipline, while too much strictness can cause fear and rebellion. The best approach is often a balance between freedom and structure, allowing kids to grow independently while still having clear guidelines.
Loose parenting, when implemented effectively, provides children with the self-authority that they need to become responsible, confident, and well-adjusted individuals. Strict parenting, on the contrary, can enforce discipline but also stifles creativity and damages self-esteem. A more flexible and understanding approach creates an environment where children thrive, growing up happier and more capable.
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perspectives on parenting
Four types of parents
Every parent is different, but there are four main parenting styles according to parenting professionals and psychologists: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. Each style has its negative and positive effects longterm, and the parenting style chosen by a guardian will impact how their children deal with real life experiences in their futures.
Depending on how they are raised, sons and daughters will carry on with their lives after childhood greatly influenced by their parents.
Authoritative Authoritarian
The authoritative parenting style is viewed to be the best out of the four among parental advisers. This type of guidance gives the child both structure and independence, but is not a disengaged parenting strategy either. This style creates a sustainable balance between having sets of expectations and giving them room to experience trial and error.
This method has been proven to benefit the child in handling responsibility and developing self-confidence. Children are also able to provide a nurturing type of support to others when they get older thanks to the style of parenting they received growing up.
Permissive
The permissive type of parenting gives little to no structure. These types of parents let their children roam free, not implementing any rules or expectations. These parents may have come from an authoritarian background and are now doing everything in their power to ensure the same type of strictness is not a reality for their children.
Without consequences, children undergoing this style of parenting will test boundaries freely since there are no potential punishments to be worried about.
The authoritarian take on parenting consists of parents who leave very little room for communication and compromise with their children. They often expect their children to obey without question. Authoritarian parents will condition children with harsh punishments to ensure obedience as well.
This parenting style causes children to have a hard time deciding for themselves in realworld scenarios. Furthermore, it creates low self-esteem in their adult lives as they seek acceptance from other authority figures, according to The National Institutes of Health, which has studied the long-term impacts of parenting.
Neglectful
If a parent practices a neglectful type of parenting, that means therelittle interaction between themselves and their child. Children in this position are left to fend for themselves since they have no form of support, and are often victims of complete abandonment.
The repercussions of this style of parenting include the child having severe mental health issues and disassociating from others around them (disconnecting from their thoughts, feelings, and personal identity). This behavior could cause children to experience suicidal tendencies in extreme cases.
The hidden benefits of strict parenting styles
Strict parenting often gets a bad reputation. People argue that setting too many rules can be suffocating, limiting kids’ freedom and pushing them away. But for many teens raised in structured households, the reality is different. Strict parenting does not just enforce discipline; it creates an environment where stability thrives.
High school is full of choices, and not all of them are good ones. Underage drinking, vaping, and skipping school are not uncommon, and peer pressure can make it easy to fall into bad habits. But for kids raised with strict rules, those situations are easier to avoid — by the time they reach high school, this mindset carries over and they naturally recognize risks. Their upbringing supports the idea that rules exist for a good reason, so they are less likely to challenge them compared to kids raised with less discipline. The lessons learned in childhood help shape a child’s values, influencing their behavior throughout highschool and beyond.
Strict parenting tends to emphasize school as a top priority. While some teens might push back against high expectations, they also benefit from them. Habits formed in a structured home, like setting aside time for studying, staying organized, and holding oneself accountable for grades, can help students perform better in school and prepare them for the demands of college and future careers.
Grades are often a reflection of a student’s work ethic and discipline, qualities that carry over into adulthood and influence success in the workplace. Many strict parents push their kids to get all As but do not expect them to do it alone; they actively support their child by helping with homework, creating study routines, and hold up the idea of the importance of education. The hands-on involvement these parents demonstrate not only helps kids academically, but also teaches them responsibility and patience.
One of the biggest myths about strict parenting is that it isolates kids socially. In reality, it often leads to better friendships. Without the pressure to fit into certain social circles, teens raised in stricter and more structured
homes tend to form relationships based on shared values rather than convenience or popularity. Children with higher levels of parental monitoring are more likely to form close, supportive friendships rather than engage in peer groups associated with risky behavior, according to the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. This suggests that strict parenting can encourage teens to seek out friendships that are more stable and positive rather than ones based solely on social status.
The other parenting styles prioritize flexibility; strict parenting prepares kids for a world where expectations and responsibilities do not just disappear. The discipline instilled at home often translates into longterm success, whether in education, career paths, or personal development.
FEATURE
What Dumb Technology overlooks
A screen time addiction is not solved by a flip phone — no matter what TikTok says.
STORY ISABELLA JONASEN & SONYA SHIMPOCK
PHOTO KAITLYN LEE
I n late 2022, young entrepreneurs Will Stults and Daisy Krigbaum founded Dumbwireless, a wildly successful e-commerce company that would come to dominate TikTok feeds for months following. Stults had suffered from a crippling addiction to Twitter for much of his online history, and Krigbaum had found herself dangerously over-reliant on apps like Pinterest and YouTube. When Apple’s Screen Time restriction tool did nothing to curb their online consumption, they turned instead to “Dumb Technology.” Now, Dumbwireless sells rudimentary phones, data plans, and accessories to consumers who have dumped their smartphones for more limited — and hopefully less enticing — technology alternatives.
Dumb Technology refers to a section of low-tech devices that eliminate the more addictive aspects of modern smartphones, like high-resolution screens, app stores, and video cameras in an attempt to strive toward a more simplistic and disconnected type of communication. Dumb Tech serves as an outlet for individuals looking for devices with a singular use to restrict their daily screen time. As more influencers online continue to push the narrative that Dumb Tech is a “cure-all” to mental health issues, popularity among consumers has skyrocketed.
Although the concept sounds appealing, this type of technology is not sustainable in the long run. Dumb technology is nothing more than a short-term escape from the constant technological stimulation consumers face daily. Many popular social media apps like Instagram and TikTok have been proven to increase anxiety and lower self-esteem, so it is understandable that consumers would try to limit their consumption. However, a complete switch to Dumb Technology is not the way to do it. Nothing is stopping consumers from switching back to their smartphones or consuming social media content elsewhere; because of this, Dumb Technology is nothing more than a bandage solution.
Furthermore, many of the companies who are profiting off consumers’ switch to Dumb Technology are the same ones who are enabling technology addictions. By first pushing a narrative that encourages consumers to remain hyper-connected with their devices, companies create a dependence that quickly becomes problematic once users become inevitably overstimulated. Once this point is reached, many companies offer a simpler alternative like Dumb Technology to combat their anxiety so that the tech industry can benefit at large.
When consumers reach the ultimate decision to cut their screen time by shifting to Dumb Technology, setting up these rudimentary pieces of technology can be a struggle. Modern smartphones are built to be extremely convenient and user-friendly, so deciding on a suitable replacement that maintains function while eliminating general bells and whistles is not as easy as it seems. Many consumers are forced to supplement their Dumb Technology with additional purchases like cables, software, and new phone plans for their new purchase to work at its fullest capability. A healthy lifestyle will not materialize solely by discarding a smartphone; genuine choices and steps must be taken in order to address the root causes of internet addiction.
At its core, the phenomenon of Dumb Technology is less about breaking free from digital dependence and more about repackaging disconnection as a marketable trend. Much like the way people buy dupes of designer items to cultivate an image, purchasing Dumb Technology devices allows consumers to appear unplugged — all without ever fully disengaging from the digital world. Curating an aesthetic built on ineffective digital substitutes reflects the very culture of consumerism that fuels technology addiction in the first place, as companies profit from both hyperconnectivity and the reactive push to escape it. Ultimately, true disconnection will require more than just swapping a smartphone for a flip phone; it calls for a fundamental shift in digital habits, one that cannot be bought or sold.
Lately, by Linda
LINDA YUN
On Impermanence
I’ve always been fortunate to have four living grandparents. Throughout childhood, I’ve clung to my family with pride. I often remember proudly yet subtly announcing to my friends that I was FaceTiming my grandparents who live in China, feeling like a pious granddaughter who stayed in touch with family despite an ocean of distance. When you make it to 17 without losing a loved one, you feel as though death transcends you.
Last month, right before Lunar New Year, I received news that my paternal grandmother passed away. She was in her mid 80s; it was apparently painless and “perfectly predictable.” Yet, despite the normalcy of her passing, I was shaken. There are many sides to grief: emotional, social, physical. However, one perspective is often neglected: how death forces you to grapple with faith.
Over winter break, I met up with Hanna over tea to catch up — she had fresh new experiences in college, I went through the trials and tribulations of senior year. Among the things we talked about was religion. From my observations, it seems as though people turn to faith in large masses as they begin to live on their own and process unforeseen emotions. This makes sense, especially as the stability of faith attracts people who are uncertain about their futures. Though I was raised Christian, I was never able to fully empathize with needing an omniscient figure to lean on, since my days were mapped with plans and I had the privilege of a stable upbringing. However, as my schedule opens up with senior year, I’ve begun to ask myself curious questions about the future that I’ve sought to avoid for most of my high school years. Why do I do what I do? What should I do with my time when it no longer needs to be spent appeasing admissions?
When I experienced loss for the first time in January, this curiosity turned morbid. Since I never had to grapple with death, I began to challenge my own beliefs. All my life I’ve believed in life after death, but how can we be certain?
In a way, I’m grateful that I experienced loss so late in my life. Speaking to friends who’ve lost loved ones as a kid, it seems that parents try to conceal the permanence of the loss, and children never get to honestly process the idea of mortality. As confusing as it was at the moment, I think this event has humbled me into understanding that my family isn’t invincible as I once believed. People across generations and religions have looked for ways to make sense of death: Buddhists aim to reach nirvana; Christians, Jews, and Muslims want the door to heaven. People across centuries want to preserve the image of youth: the conquistadores drank from the Fountain of Youth; endless makeup brands advertise miracle serums so women can look young forever. All of these attempts stem from a fundamental understanding that, no matter if you believe in higher power or not, there is no physical forever — at least not on Earth.
As my family shut down Lunar New Year celebrations to grieve my grandmother’s passing and silence loomed over the dinner table in her absence, I was reminded of the value of reunions like this. It is a cruel kind of selfishness, I realize, to believe that the people we love will always remain — that time will not inevitably take them from us. The clichés remain unchanged: all we can do is hold on while we can, leave nothing unsaid nor unlived. I’ve spent a year meaning to buy a digital camera. Maybe I’ll start there.
The beliefs and high prices of Scientology
Despite its infamy, the inner workings of the Church of Scientology are shrouded from the public.
STORY RUBY FOUDY ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM
Whether advertised on billboards, on social media, or from the mouths of celebrities like Tom Cruise, Scientology maintains a strong presence in the Los Angeles area — even establishing a church as close as Pasadena. The organization has been labeled a religion, a cult, and a business, with each description carrying some degree of truth. Yet despite its omnipresence, the beliefs, practices, history, and controversies surrounding the Church of Scientology remain largely unknown or misunderstood.
Scientology was founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. The book, considered the foundation of Scientoloy, proposed ideas Hubbard hoped would revolutionize the psychiatric profession. It examined what he described as humankind’s mental aberrations and how they could be overcome. At its core, the basic principles of the book revolve around the two states of the mind: “analytical,” which is used in everyday function and survival, and “reactive,” which is used in times of extreme stress, pain, or trauma. Hubbard suggested that elongated periods in the reactive state of mind resulted in long-lasting traumatic scars or memories impairing everyday function. He believed these scars, referred to as “engrams,” could be erased by a therapeutic process called auditing. In this process, an “auditor” replaces the role of a therapist and asks an individual a series of questions in the hope of identifying and overcoming traumas. While these ideas initially remained philosophical, the success of Dianetics led to the transition from self-help concepts to an organized religious movement.
Central to Scientology’s doctrine is the story of Xenu, an alien overlord. According to Church teachings, due to overpopulation in his galaxy, Xenu gathered a large group of people, killed them, and froze their “souls,” which are known as thetans. These thetans were sent to Earth, where they are believed to live on in different bodies throughout many lifetimes. Scientologists believe that after weeding out the reactive mind through auditing, a person can reach a state known as “clear,” freeing an individual’s thetan from destructive engrams. By freeing oneself from the negative effects of being trapped in the reactive mind, it is believed
an individual reaches a higher level of being. The ultimate goal of Scientology is to reach the state of Operating Thetan, where one’s thetan is completely free of external limitations and can fully express its true potential.
This goal is not dissimilar to that of Buddhism or Hinduism, which believe in reincarnation and reaching an ultimate state of being. What differentiates Scientology is the exuberant costs of achieving this higher level of existence.
Becoming “clear” costs approximately $128,000 and an additional $130,000 to $160,000 to become an Operating Thetan. The steep price of reaching so-called spiritual freedom is a large source of controversy. Critics of the Church point out that a higher level of spirituality should not come at such a high cost, while Scientologists rebuke that in general, education is expensive. They argue that most colleges are equally costly, and it all boils down to priority.
About $125 million per year is collected from the cost of auditing sessions alone, much of which is spent on legal defenses. Over the years, the Church of Scientology has faced many legal challenges as the subject of numerous lawsuits. Critics and former members have filed lawsuits accusing the Church of harassment, fraud, and abuse. The Church has also been involved in defamation suits, with claims of aggressively targeting those who speak out against it. Scientology is a closely guarded religion, and its members are required to pay for knowledge about its teachings. This discreet nature, combined with its controversial practices, has led to many legal battles and skepticism of the Church’s intentions.
Scientology’s blend of unconventional beliefs, secretive practices, and a costly journey to spiritual enlightenment has sparked both controversy and curiosity. Nowhere is its influence more visible than in Los Angeles, home to the Church’s international headquarters and many of its recruitment efforts. While some view Scientology as a path to enlightenment, others see it as a business-driven organization shrouded in secret that remains largely misunderstood by the public. As long as L.A. remains the Church’s stronghold, it will continue to serve as an intersection of spirituality, wealth, and control — an epicenter of devotion and skepticism.
Love Hurts: a movie romance that misses the punch
STORY CHRISTIANNE DULEY & SONYA SHIMPOCK ILLUSTRATION NATHAN FRIEZER
Jonathan Eusebio’s Love Hurts is an engaging romcom and action film, with fun characters and thrilling fights. With its stand-out action scenes and lead actor Key He Quan’s charismatic performance, the movie is certainly entertaining. However, beyond its wellexecuted fight choreography and comedic aspects, the film fails to leave a lasting impact. A promising premise is bogged down by a bland script and underdeveloped relationships, making Love Hurts a film that, while fun, fails to fully capitalize on its potential.
The movie opens by introducing Marvin Gable, a charming yet unremarkable real estate agent played by Quan. He enjoys his simple life with his boss and friend, Cliff, and his pessimistic assistant, Ashley. Marvin was not always unremarkable, as he used to be an assassin working for a criminal organization called The Company, with his brother, Knuckles. Marvin abandoned his life as a killer when he fell in love with
Rose, played by Ariana DeBose. Rose is a lawyer who stole from The Company and who Marvin was ordered to kill. Although he hasn’t seen Rose since then, Marvin longs to see her again.
After Marvin suddenly receives a Valentine’s Day letter from Rose, he is dragged back into his past life as assassins sent by Knuckles attempt to kill him. Between Marvin’s squabbles with hitmen, Ashley falls for the poet assassin, Raven. Rose contacts Marvin and informs him of her plan to expose Knuckles’ schemes, hoping to get Marvin’s help in the matter. Through intense fights and striking confessions, Marvin must embrace his past and present to secure the love he desires.
Lead actor Quan’s comeback to movie stardom has been nothing short of remarkable, and his performance is one of the film’s biggest strengths. Quan brings warmth and humor to the character that makes Marvin easy to root for, even when the script doesn’t give him much depth. His comedic timing is spot on, and he handles the physical demands of the movie with the
same precision and agility that made his performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once so memorable.
Unfortunately, Love Hurts does not give the actors enough material to work with. The film attempts to incorporate elements of romance and comedy in its action-thriller genre, but ultimately spreads itself too thin.
One of the film’s biggest weaknesses is its underwhelming love story. The chemistry between Quan and DeBose is lukewarm at best. Their interactions feel stilted, and their relationship is never given the time or depth it needs to feel believable. Instead of being the emotionally charged dynamic that the film advertised in trailers, their romance is closer to an afterthought — a plotline the script felt obligated to include rather than a natural and compelling part of the story.
Ironically, the side dynamics between Ashley and Raven had more chemistry and intrigue than the main couple. The two side characters mesh together beautifully with the organic feeling that they were made for each other, something that Marvin and Rose are partially lacking.
Despite its flaws, Love Hurts remains an enjoyable watch, largely due to its action and comedic elements. Eusebio’s background in stunt work, including wildly successful films like John Wick, ensures that the fight scenes are dynamic and well-choreographed. Though some of the interactions may seem a little redundant, the physicality and camera work still blend in ways that elevate the viewing experience. Whether it’s handto-hand combat or a tense shoot-out, the fights are always the highlights of the movie.
The humor also helps to take pressure off of the film’s more uneven moments. While some jokes definitely landed better than others, there were enough genuinely funny moments to keep audiences entertained. Quan’s comedic timing makes weaker parts of the script more palatable, and stand-out supporting actors like Mustafa Shakir, who played Raven, add their own humorous spin to their lines.
“It’s a fun watch,” one viewer said. “I came here with my friends, and even if the movie wasn’t the best, I’m still glad that I saw it. I’d watch it again; I had a good time.”
While Love Hurts certainly will not be a defining moment in Quan’s career, it serves as a good reminder of his versatility and charm. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is certainly entertaining enough to be an enjoyable ride.
Untangling Los Angeles’ web of governance
Los Angeles’ governing entities are split across multiple jurisdictions, complicating accountability and reform.
STORY TRISHA CHAKRABORTY ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM
L
os Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has faced intense public scrutiny in the wake of the recent Southern California wildfires, with many residents blaming her for emergency response failures across the region. But in some of the hardest hit areas, like Altadena, Bass has no jurisdiction at all.
Wildfire response, particularly in unincorporated areas like Altadena that lack distinct city governments, falls under the responsibility of Los Angeles County — L.A. County operates as a separate government entity than the City of Los Angeles. Yet county supervisors, who oversee the largest local jurisdiction in the United States, have largely avoided the same level of public outrage.
This misdirected blame highlights a broader issue: widespread confusion over how Los Angeles is governed and who holds authority over certain services. Jim Brulte, a former state lawmaker and current political consultant explained that in terms of hierarchy, counties are closer to the state and cities are closer to the people.
L.A. County oversees 88 municipalities, including the City of L.A., but more than 65 percent of its land is made up of unincorporated areas. While regular cities govern themselves with mayors and city councils, unincorporated areas such as Baldwin Hills or Altadena rely entirely on their overarching county for municipal services.
In general, cities manage local services such as policing, zoning, road maintenance, and libraries, while its corresponding county oversees regional services, including public health, social welfare programs and emergency response for unincorporated areas. However, this division is not always clear-cut.
Unlike its city governments, which are led by the traditional mayor-city council combination, L.A. County does not currently have a single elected executive overseeing operations. Instead, it is governed by an extremely influential five-member Board of Supervisors.
With each member representing a district of about two million constituents, supervisors are responsible for setting
policy, budget controls, and county department oversight. Notably, they do not currently have a single countywide figure — like a mayor — to be the forefront representative of decisions. By contrast, the City of L.A. and the county’s 87 other municipalities have strong-mayor systems, with the city mayor acting as the chief executive of the city council.
Oftentimes, city and county officials’ jurisdictions intersect in region-wide issues, making it challenging to determine which government entity holds greater responsibility in specific instances.
For example, both the City of L.A. and L.A. County have programs aimed to address the region’s rampant homelessness crisis. While the city funds shelters and housing programs, and the county largely provides access to social support programs, the joint Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has historically faced scrutiny over its inefficacy due to overlapping city-county departments.
California’s Venn diagram of local governance was intentionally designed to prevent the power
concentration that fueled corruption at the turn of the 20th century in cities like New York and Chicago. By distributing authority across multiple governing bodies, the system makes it difficult for any single leader to dominate local politics.
The passage of Measure G last fall aims to address the current complaints of inefficient governing spread by expanding the L.A. County Board of Supervisors from five to nine members and creating an elected county executive — essentially a mayor — for the first time. Supporters believe these governance reforms will improve representation for L.A.’s Latino and Asian communities and call for greater accountability. Opponents expressed concern over politicizing the county’s chief executive position.
Although it will take many years until Measure G’s effects can be seen, L.A. continues to navigate crises like wildfires, housing shortages, and homelessness. Understanding the distinction between city and county governance is essential for effective advocacy, change, and informed accountability.
Emilia Pérez is as offensive as it is shallow
STORY RAFA ESTOLANO-SRIDHARAN
DIANA LOPEZ
ILLUSTRATION
This is not necessarily an issue — Audiard could have researched Mexican culture and history, and hired consultants to fill in the gaps, but he did not. In an interview at the 2024 Morelia International Film Festival, when asked what his research process was like, he responded that he “didn’t study much,” because he “already knew what [he] had to understand.”
The lack of research is painfully obvious. From the get go, the film engages in classic stereotypes of Mexican culture. As Rita dances down vendor-lined streets in one of the first musical numbers, she is accompanied by mariachis and a gang of football fans. In his article “Emilia Pérez hates Mexico,” film critic Richard Gallegos remarks “I wouldn’t have been surprised if a masked luchador with churros in his hands jumped out of a street light during the opening minutes of Emilia Pérez .”
The film’s plot largely focuses on the cartel violence that plagues parts of Mexico — a violence that has left as many as 60,000 dead and 400,000 missing. True to form, Emilia Pérez completely fails to handle the subject with sensitivity.
In a baffling move, Audiard has made the hero of his movie the former leader of a lawless, violent cartel. Returning to Mexico after her transition, Emilia has a sudden change of heart and realizes the error of her ways. To rectify her crimes, she decides to start a nongovernmental organization to find the disappeared. For her work, Emilia is held up as a hero, a saint even. In doing this, in making the person who should be the villain into the hero for the sole reason that she has just an ounce of shame, Emilia Pérez makes a mockery of the many thousands of victims of cartel violence.
To top it all off, this story is told through a series of musical numbers that are at best silly, and at worst, wildly offensive. In the song “El Mal,” Rita sings about the deeply-rooted corruption that has allowed cartel violence to continue, dancing down and jumping on rows of tables while caressing herself.
The film also runs into issues with its casting. Almost none of the actors speak fluent Spanish, and those who do have poor Mexican accents. Throughout the
film, Zoe Saldaña oscillates from poorly trying to speak with a Mexican accent to not trying at all. The only Mexican actor has very little screen time.
Emilia Pérez also does a poor job depicting the transgender experience. LGBTQ+ advocacy non-profit GLAAD has described it as a “profoundly retrograde portrayal of trans women.”
Audiard’s script is peppered with harmful stereotypes. At times it feels as though he was checking them off a list while he was writing. In an early number, Emilia
describes herself as half man and half woman. Later, she abandons her family to pursue her transition. And in a particularly disgusting example, Emilia, in a fit of rage, puts her ex-wife in a chokehold while yelling at her in the deep, masculine voice that she spoke with prior to her transition. This leans into the transphobic stereotype that trans women, because of a deep-seated masculinity within them, are violent. The overarching theme in all of these scenes is that, in her transition, Emilia is a deceptive liar.
The song “La Vaginoplastia” makes it painfully clear how little knowledge Audiard has about the trans experience. The song which features the lyrics “Man to woman or / woman to man? / Man to woman / From penis to vagina,” trivializes the incredibly difficult process of receiving gender affirming care and lumps in procedures like rhinoplasty and breast augmentations with bottom surgery.
The film also portrays Emillia’s transition as a kind of rebirth. After she wakes up from all of her procedures (this implies that she had all of her procedures done at the same time, something that would never happen in real life), Emilia is almost presented as a completely new person. She is absolved of the sins of her past life. Needless to say, one does not become a new person when they transition.
The most stunning part of Emilia Pérez ’s trans representation is that despite getting everything wrong, the movie remains self-congratulatory. In one number, Zoe Saldaña’s character sings “changing the body changes society / changing society changes the soul / changing the soul changes society / changing society changes it all.” It is a sentiment that would be charming if it was not so shallow. These trivial lyrics simply that by giving Emilia surgery, the doctor will change the world. In reality, it does not actually advance a cause. The idea that one’s individual actions are enough to effect meaningful change allows the rest to get away with doing nothing. In other words, it ensures that change will never happen.
Emilia Pérez has no redeeming factors. It is offensive and out of touch. The Spanish that is spoken ranges from middling to indecipherable. Emilia Pérez offers little in the way of commentary. It speaks with authority about controversial issues like cartels and trans rights that its creators clearly have limited knowledge on. In its attempts to bill as provocative and trailblazing, the Oscar-nominated film falls flat.
PÉREZ, continued from Page 1
TAAGLAA: Balloon Museum
TIGER’S AWESOME ADVENTURES IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA
Tiger explores the inflatable exhibits and imaginative art pieces of the Los Angeles Balloon Museum. The experience lasts until March 16 and is one of four locations displaying artists’ abstract takes on society.
The word “museum” often conjures images of fossils, antique paintings, or airplanes dating back to the early 20th century in the mind, not a bouquet of balloons and a ragtag band of sentient blobs. Despite this, the Balloon Museum, located in Los Angeles near Little Tokyo, was the perfect place for a Tiger outing.
Upon our entrance into the museum, our group — Owen, Gavin, Zoe, and Emiko — walked into a garden filled with whimsical, abstract inflated shapes: From stacks of donuts to bloated, rainbow igloos, seeing the inflatables was truly a one-of-a-kind experience. They were reminiscent of childhood bounce houses. Gavin gleefully threw a large sphere in Owen’s face, nearly knocking him over. Yet after realizing that the shapes were not meant to be touched, we swiftly made an exit up the stairs towards the next exhibit.
Our group briefly passed through the piece “Quadriga” by Max Streicher. The centerpiece of the artwork was a group of milky white horses prancing in the air. We were then welcomed with a dazzling flurry of colors. Ouchhh’s piece “AI Dataportal of” cleverly displayed the air quality data of the city to propagate thousands of colorful patterns that flowed over the walls and off the arched mirrors. Information that is often never seen or understood was metamorphosed into tangible images to evoke reflection within the viewer.
Moving forward, the next artwork resembled a box, holding a single centerpiece surrounded by a maze made of green inflatable pipes in which we almost got lost.
“It’s a creeper!” Owen exclaimed before darting deep in. A child’s innocence never fades. With Gavin smacking his head on every other turn in the tunnels, we slowly slipped our way out to the next installation.
Brushing past curtains, we were met with a stark white room and an ethereal line of dark black donut rings. After such vibrant displays of creativity, the simplistic nature of “ZEROS” by spY brought a wave of quiet peace. Naturally, we were quickly drawn to the shifting portal formed by the rings, trying our best to unsuccessfully catch glimpses of each other through the donut holes.
Gavin, quite self-aware, noted, “I don’t think I’m mature enough to understand this art.”
Next was a room crafted by Hyperstudio, structured like an expansive swimming pool. Bright LED lights covered the walls, with black orbs stuck to the roof. However, the main center of attraction was the threefoot-deep ball pit covering the floor.
It took no time before we hurled ourselves deep into the shifting pool, sinking under the layers of black balls. In a rapid turn of events, Gavin emerged from beneath the surface, mildly panicked about losing his phone. Owen followed, declaring that his shoe had come off in the exhibit. Thankfully, we emerged from the pit with both Owen’s shoe and Gavin’s phone, courtesy of Zoe.
“A Quiet Storm” by Quiet Ensemble was the next piece. Settling ourselves into a dimly lit black box, we swatted away fog-filled bubbles that gleamed in the light. After a high five, the bubbles’ sticky residue fused Owen and Gavin’s hands together like glue. Supported by an angelic chorus resounding around the piece, the artwork flew by in an instant and it was time to move on.
Although brief, “The GINJOS” by Rub Kandy was one of the most playful experiences. Dotted around in a room splattered with graffiti-like paintings were blobbish and extremely huggable creatures. To Owen, they looked extremely punchable.
A pair of soft curtains that we quickly slid under marked the halfway point through the museum. We entered a room filled from head to toe with panels of mirrors and lined with reflective spheres in a gridlike pattern on the floor and ceiling. Gavin tried his best to snap a cool photo to capture the moment, but ended up catching the eyes of one-too-many passerby instead. Needless to say, we did not stay long.
Soon, we found ourselves in an enclosure of clear spheres filled with inflatables of what appeared to be eggplant-shaped birds, called “Spiritus Sonata” by ENESS. They towered over us, standing roughly 10 feet high — around two and a half Gavins. After marveling in the glory of the balloon birds and almost toppling two over, we took our leave.
Next, we found ourselves in a brightly lit black room with human-sized spheres on strings hanging from the ceiling. We observed a father knock down his kid by launching a ball at his back. Witnessing the shock on the child’s face, we stifled laughter as we walked through the hall and onto the next room.
We arrived at a floor covered in bean-bag-like pillows with a giant mechanical butterfly — “Mariposa,” created by Christopher Schardt — at the front. The insect illuminated the dark room with thousands of LEDs on its body, the flapping of its wings powered by a single kid swaying back and forth connected to a bench beneath it. Exploring the enclosure, we almost lost a man, as Owen had to be shaken awake after getting a little too comfy on one of the oversized bean bags. Quickly, he sprang back to life, and onwards we ventured.
Once we made it through the next doorway, we found ourselves in a massive enclosure that held two exhibits.
From afar, the room was a strange sight: multiple blank walls covered in black markings, with an enormous, clear ball in the center that had little black nubbins on its surface. After walking into the exhibit, however, we realized that the little knobs were charcoal, and that the balloon’s purpose was to be pushed and bounced by museum goers to draw patterns on the walls. During our time in the room, we pushed the ball around at each other before accidentally almost knocking over a child. Luckily, the sphere slowed enough so we could catch it before that happened. With a sigh of relief, our group traveled to the next exhibit.
Next was a dark white room with balloons littered all over the floor, called “Perpetual Ballet” by Mauro Pace. Although it seemed plain at first, the vents on the sides of the small room began to blow, sending the inflatables into a frenzied cyclone that enveloped the whole room. Laughter filled the air as hair and balloons whipped around the onlookers.
Finally was the most technological of all the installations: “Airscape” by Sila Sveta — a VR experience that seemed to mimic a fever dream of vibrant colors and soft shapes.
After exiting the final work, we took a picture in one of the photo cubbies set up by the organization and meandered around the gift shop, where Owen spent around 20 minutes deciding whether or not to spend $15 on a plush Ginjo. He ended up buying it with absolutely no regrets.
Throughout the Balloon Museum’s numerous exhibits, we laughed, we cried, and we silently observed the inflatable art. For a limited-time museum, it was the perfect day to spend with friends, offering a curious and unique experience. From start to finish, the museum truly was a one-of-a-kind experience: whimsical, mind-boggling, and yet somehow elegant, all at the same time. It is a limited exhibit, only around until Mar. 16 of this year, so those who want to enjoy the experience must decide whether the $50 ticket is worth the price.
MARIPOSA
Sports gambling ascends worldwide
STORIES BENJAMIN REGAN
Inside the rise of sports gambling
GAMBLING , continued from Page 1
The potential for widespread legal sports gambling in America arrived in May 2018 when the Supreme Court voted down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Since then, the tremendous ascent of the industry has traveled between states, achieving legality in all but 11 states, one of which is California. Online sports gambling has become so mainstream so quickly because bets are no longer placed under the table, but instead are conveniently entered on an app.
People can pick a team to win any game, but are not limited to broad bets. Sportsbooks offer prop bets, bets placed on individual players to go over or under a specific number. For example, the line for Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards in the AFC Championship Game opened at 254.5 on DraftKings, and bettors chose whether the Chiefs’ quarterback would throw for more or fewer yards. Online sports gambling enables bettors to easily make these decisions.
“Online sports betting is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be accessed via computers or smartphones, which eliminates the need for physical betting locations,” Rachel Volberg, Research Professor for University of Massachusetts Amherst’s School of Public Health and Health Sciences said.
Sports gambling’s path to popularity has also been aided by extensive advertising. Fans cannot go a single game without seeing sports betting ads. Intentionally shot into the vein of American entertainment, the sports gambling industry has consumers fixated.
There is no question that the industry is growing rapidly, with 2025’s March Madness projected to set sports gambling records. It is now part of how Americans consume sports, and due to frequent ads, it is normalized. But since only a brief period of time has passed since the Supreme Court decision that jump-started the industry, there has not been a moment to consider how sports gambling will change sports forever.
Sports gambling is the new and exciting obsession for fans, but it threatens to taint sports as they once stood. When bettors wager on players and their individual performances, the team effort to win becomes secondary for fans. The enjoyment from watching a good game is replaced by a narrow focus on stat lines that could earn or lose money.
the players’ past and do not appreciate their skills. They only care about a player’s performance in one part of one game. It is almost dehumanizing, treating players like stat-generators instead of people.
The whole sports gambling industry relies on risk. The house incentivizes big swings with against-all-odds parlays, encouraging/forcing bettors to make two or more bets and combine them into one wager. This strategy of gambling has the possibility of a big payout, but it is statistically disadvantageous.
“There’s no advantage to doing [a parlay]. It’s entirely a sucker’s bet,” Millman said. “[Bettors] look at these things and say to [themselves], ‘this could happen; it’s $10 and I might win $100.’
The bookmakers…love it, because more and more people are betting [parlays]. And you’re not going to win them, so bookmakers make a ton of money on them.”
DraftKings and FanDuel are private sportsbooks and run their own operations. Companies have complete control. They gather data on each bettor that they can use to their advantage.
DraftKings and FanDuel also ban or
“I find myself oftentimes rooting against my interests as a fan, and I’m a huge Chicago Bears fan, which doesn’t mean I’m necessarily betting on the Bears on a regular basis. In fact, that’s a pretty bad idea,” Chad Millman, Chief Content Creator for The Action Network and co-host of the number-one sports betting podcast in America, said.
After losses, bettors often blame players who did not produce the desired statline. Players have long been criticized by fans for poor performances, but sports gambling adds another layer of disapproval. Fans become so blinded by their bets that they fault the players when one fails. Bettors are not interested in
Both companies also award VIP status to their more prominent bettors. To become a VIP, one must bet a lot of money consistently and do so with unlikely, high-risk, high-reward bets. The VIP classification includes seats to sporting events and concerts, free food and drink, a chance to meet athletes, and a personal betting ambassador from the sportsbook. This system is like an alcohol brand giving partial ownership stake in their company to its biggest drinkers: It preys on their addiction and also hides it behind glamour.
It is backwards how sportsbooks use their algorithm to ban top bettors, but use the same algorithm to glorify their worst addicts. Sportsbooks know which bettors are in the most debt, but instead of connecting them with a gambling hotline, they promote them to VIP status, knowing they are extremely likely to lose more money. This setup is nothing short of predatory.
The long path to legalization
Bill Bradley is best known for his career in politics, but before he served as New Jersey’s senator and tried his hand in the 2000 presidential election, he was a star basketball player at Princeton University. One of his fundamental beliefs as a player was that gambling did not belong in sports.
When he reached office, Bradley set out to separate sports and gambling in the law. In 1992, he proposed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which did not explicitly ban sports gambling in America but prevented states that did not have legal sports gambling from legalizing it. The act was passed by Congress and stood largely unquestioned for two decades, and while only Nevada and a few other states with sports lotteries were protected, it seemed as though sports gambling would be isolated to their borders.
However, in 2009, five friends in Scotland recognized the rise of fantasy baseball and wanted to capitalize on it. Instead of a long, drawn-out game over a full season, they wanted a more immediate payout. FanDuel was born in Edinburgh as a daily fantasy sports game, and it was pay-to-play, which blurred the line between fantasy sports and sports gambling.
Both FanDuel and DraftKings, a rival company born in 2012, gained interest during the early 2010s. The companies
operated for some years without certainty about how exactly they were different from a sportsbook. While their legality remained unclear, it was obvious that the idea of sports betting was gaining traction in America. Referendums in New Jersey, Bradley’s state, showed that two-thirds of people disagreed with his law.
The effort to overturn PASPA picked up momentum. In 2012, the New Jersey Legislature enacted the Sports Wagering Act, which allowed gambling on certain sports at New Jersey casinos and racetracks. The state argued that PASPA was unconstitutional, and that debate reached the Supreme Court in 2018.
In Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Supreme Court gave states the right to legalize sports gambling and introduce their own specifications by a 6-3 vote. Rather than trying to legalize sports gambling nationally, sportsbook lobbyists began targeting states without organized opposition. In Kansas, lobbyists found a legal loophole and offered millions of dollars in free bets, without tax. Kansas was the first state to legalize sports gambling, and 38 states have followed since.
California has remained firmly against sports betting, not legalizing it largely due to objections from tribal casinos.
Is it possible to win?
Before broken records and a World Series title, Shohei Ohtani’s first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers started with scandal. With rumors swirling around, Ohtani eventually emerged from a messy situation as the victim; his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, stole $17 million to pay back gambling debts through withdrawals from Ohtani’s bank account without Ohtani’s knowledge. In just two years, Mizuhara lost more than $40 million in sports gambling.
Mizuhara abused what has become a very popular pastime in America: sports gambling. The overlap between sports gambling and traditional, slot machine gambling is significant. The difference is in the accessibility: Online sports betting gives gamblers a casino in their pockets.
“Sports betting operators are no longer limited to under-over bets (who will win a particular game) and can offer odds on every aspect of an event. The result is that sports betting is now more like playing a slot machine in terms of speed of play, a structural characteristic that is associated with more risky forms of gambling,” Volberg said.
Betting on sports and investing in the stock market share an inherent component of unpredictability and therefore risk, and if not managed carefully, can cause crushing debt. They are not identical, in part because the stock market is a long-term investment whereas sports bets can be placed frequently and their result is known almost immediately, but there is some similarity in terms of strategy.
Expertise on a topic could potentially make someone more likely to profit. Understanding trends about players and teams can help inform sports gamblers before they place a bet. There is no flawless formula to being a profitable sports gambler, but using patterns is a better method than randomly picking overs and unders.
“You want to spend the time to understand how to put together the puzzle,” Millmam said. “[Good bettors] recognize that there are opportunities in the market where they can find value…It’s like buying stock. If you research a company and you feel like the value of this company is x, and it only costs me y, I’m going to buy it. A lot of people look at sports in the same way.”
It is possible to make money from sports gambling, but its unlikeliness should not be underestimated. Sports are wildly unpredictable and anything can happen in a game. Having the right information at one’s disposal, which theoretically is the tool to successful sports gambling, does not mean one will make money. Trends and tendencies can be helpful advisors, but even Millman, an expert giving gambling advice on The Action Network almost daily, acknowledges the challenges of sports betting. In short, winning is possible, but doubtful.
“The more educated you are, the more opportunities you have to understand what you’re going to be putting your money into, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to win. And I’d emphasize the most successful bettors are winning 53/54/55 percent of the time. 45 percent of the time they’re losing. It’s very…hard to do it…successfully,” Millman said.
Fans already watch the games, and tacking on bets to the experience seems fun. Many bettors have followed sports their entire life and feel like they know the game well enough to make solid predictions on upcoming games. Using sports knowledge to make money is a promising idea, but it is difficult and dangerous.
Young men are most at risk for developing gambling issues. There is also an increased likelihood of gambling addiction in individuals with poor credit, although the addiction impacts a wide demographic of people, including the wealthy.
“In my opinion, young men are particularly likely to engage in sports gambling due to social and cultural factors,” Volberg said. “However, sports betting operators are attempting to ‘grow the market’ by appealing to other groups in the population, notably women and older adults. There is also some recent research showing that individuals with lower education and income are increasingly betting on sports with serious impacts on their household financial health.”
The illusion of “striking it rich” in sports gambling remains strong, and it is closer to a myth than a possibility for the millions placing sports bets online. The low-risk, research-supported strategy that Millman suggests is not employed by bettors nearly enough. Instead, gamblers with a misguided understanding of risk are suffering from both addiction and debt.
Refereeing is a doomed profession
STORY EVELYN DIAZ
ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM
Referees play a crucial role in maintaining fairness and enforcing the rules in every sport. However, for many athletes, referees are more than just officials — they are a source of frustration. Whether it is a questionable call, a missed foul, or an outright game-changing mistake, conflicts between athletes and referees are common at every level of competition. Nevertheless, athletes and onlookers alike need to learn to appreciate referees because they are essential to the game.
Referee abuse has become a growing issue in recent years, leading to a nationwide shortage of high school officials. Verbal harassment from players, coaches, and even parents has driven many referees to quit, making it harder to find experienced officials for games. Refereeing is often a lose-lose job — no matter how fair the call, someone will be upset, and good officiating is rarely recognized.
Yet, knowing their work is essential to keeping the game going, referees continue to show up. High school referees often work multiple games a week, enduring constant criticism and even threats, which creates a toxic environment. Without enough officials, games get postponed or canceled, and the quality of officiating declines as inexperienced referees are rushed into action.
An SPHS junior varsity basketball game was postponed for half an hour because the referees did not show up.
As a result, the team was no longer warmed up when the game started, which lowered the team’s performance.
UPCOMING GAMES
If this trend continues, the future of high school sports could be at risk.
Referees make quick decisions under pressure while enforcing the rules and keeping the game fair. Without referees, games would be unorganized and full of disputes. Even professionals with years of experience miss calls sometimes, but their presence is what keeps the game running.
Understanding the challenges referees face could lead to more respect for their role. They deal with constant
criticism but rarely get recognition when they do a good job. Without enough referees, games suffer. Creating a more supportive environment can help keep experienced officials in the game and improve the quality of high school sports.
Referees are human and make mistakes, but they are essential to the game. Players can focus on the next play instead of arguing, coaches can set a better example, and fans can be more understanding. A culture of respect will make the game better and help keep high school sports going.
TUESDAY, FEB. 25TH @ 3:30 PM, SOFTBALL VS. HERITAGE CHRISTIAN AWAY
TUESDAY, FEB. 25TH @ 2:00 PM, BOYS’ GOLF VS. SCHURR AT HOME
Reality of invisible injuries in individual sports
STORY ANONYMOUS
In individual sports such as track and field or swimming and diving, there are different “protocols,” per se, when an athlete gets injured. More often than not, athletes in individual sports who get injured go more unnoticed than those on team sports, mainly because there are simply too many athletes to keep track of.
There are more athletes on the SPHS track team than on any other SPHS team. This makes it more likely that an injured athlete gets lost in the commotion of a typical track meet with over 300 spectators and over 100 athletes.
In track, there are typically seven to nine spots per running event. An athlete must qualify with a specific
time, which varies depending on the track meet rules, for them to be able to race in that running event. If an athlete is not able to compete — usually due to injury — that spot gets filled by another athlete. Unlike team sports such as volleyball or basketball, athletes do not have a substitute; the team simply has a backup for one’s spot.
There are races and field events happening at the same time, and running events happen back to back. There is such a large number of people on the track and field at once, so student injuries get lost in the crowd.
Individual sports put more emphasis on relying on the athlete to take care of themselves when they get injured. This does not necessarily imply the “walk it off” style of healing, but rather the athlete typically
Team dynamics influence injury culture
STORY LINDA YUN
PHOTO SUNNY (SUNHYE) CHOI
In team sports, injuries are much more apparent. Major events exist in the form of games, not large meets — meaning that spectators come to watch games play-byplay, not to spectate the performance of one particular person in a crowd of hundreds of athletes. Oftentimes, one injured player pauses the game entirely.
In injury-prone sports like soccer, football, baseball, softball, basketball, and volleyball, it is standard for the game to halt when a significant injury occurs.
At the girls’ basketball CIF round two playoffs against Mark Keppel, an opposing guard was injured. The game came to a halt, and the opposing coach carried the player off the field. When the player was escorted to safety, the packed gym erupted in applause.
Such is one demonstration of the attention team-sport injuries receive. On the high school level, it is standard for players from both teams to kneel at serious injuries. The game only resumes when the injured athlete is tended to and carried off the field by coaches or teammates.
The attention team-sport athletes receive is deserved, given that each starting player is pivotal to the formation and strategy of the team. For most team sports, fewer than 10 players are in the game at once. In basketball, there are five players from each team on the court. As such, in some instances, losing a pivotal player to injury can seriously affect the team’s performance.
The procedure for aquatic sports is slightly different. In water polo, it is rare for injuries to stop the game entirely.
“A lot of the time, you just play through the [injury],” senior Cleopatra Walker, co-captain of girls’ water polo, said. “If it hits after they take subs, you tell the coach and they can take you off.”
Despite the attention that on-court injuries garner, athletes still face pressures to play through injury — just as athletes in individual sports do. In high school athletics, there are substitutes for each player. The majority of SPHS varsity teams have over 20 players and a separate JV team to draw from, and only between five to 12 players on the field at any given time. As a result of competition, athletes frequently play through injury. Toward the end of athletic seasons, it is common for players to be held together by athletic tape.
One athlete in both soccer and swimming describes the attitude toward injury in their two sports as “very different.”
“For soccer, there is a lot of pressure to work through [injuries] so you can get back to being able to help your team,” they said anonymously. “I feel like for [swimming], everyone wants you to get better, but there are more people that are able to swim your races and take your spot.”
The culture around injuries differs depending on the sport. Yet one similarity persists: athletes in team sports receive the care they deserve, but many vow to stay in action despite the hurt.
goes to the athletic trainer alone to get some ice or a heating pad.
In swimming, another individual sport, there is a similar mindset. Injuries are a regular aspect of the sport. One swimmer said that during practice, she almost passed out before exiting the pool. She then went to the restroom to vomit and proceeded to get back into the pool for practice. Injury wise, swim meets and track meets are similar. Athletes are expected to take care of themselves. The mindset of “the game does not stop for you” prevails.
These are just some examples of how most individual sports’ injuries go unnoticed. Unlike most team sports — where there are usually only around 30 athletes, with most staying benched — individual sports tend to have about triple that number, making it easier for one athlete’s injury to seem less important.
AN INJURED PLAYER is escorted off the court with the help of her fellow teammates.
SPORTS
GIRLS COME TOGETHER for their final team huddle of the season.
STORY ZOE CHEN
PHOTOS
EMIKO ESSMILLER
Girls’ basketball played Mark Keppel in their second round of CIF Southern Section Division 3AA playoffs. Despite a dominant 77-48 Tiger first-round blowout win, the Aztecs entirely overpowered the Tigers in the next game. South Pasadena trailed the entire game and lost by a tough 51 points.
Mark Keppel beat South Pasadena girls’ basketball by four points in the Quarter Final last season, cutting short a promising playoff run. The Tigers entered this year’s game hoping for a stronger rematch. They didn’t get it.
South Pasadena won the tip-off, per usual, by senior center Kayla Boozer. As they typically do, the Tigers spent the first minute of the game attempting to read their opponent’s strategy and find their own footing. However, in those vital first minutes, the game took a turn from anything South Pasadena had experienced during the season.
Mark Keppel’s defense was exceptionally aggressive, and their ability to sink three-pointers was remarkable. Their one-onone defense got up close and personal with each Tiger player, and the Aztecs grabbed the ball straight out of the Tigers’ hands seconds after the tip-off.
Keppel charged downcourt and scored a smooth threepointer. Boozer took the ball, but the Aztecs somehow managed to snatch the ball straight from her controlled dribble. Mark Keppel sank more shots. South Pasadena failed to reciprocate, partly due to their own shaky shots and partly due to Mark Keppel’s strength in swatting Tiger shots right out of the air.
The Aztecs’ defensive capabilities were stunning. Only two minutes into the game, Keppel led 15-0.
Senior point guard Mia Leach gained the Tigers their first points with a three-pointer from the corner. Sophomore guard Kara Wang rebounded and scored a two as South Pasadena trailed 15-5. These two shots would make up almost a quarter of the Tigers’ entire point total.
Mark Keppel continued to score three-pointers from the corner, repeatedly catching South Pasadena’s scattered and scrambling defense off guard. Keppel easily predicted
South Pasadena’s offensive intentions and often prevented the Tigers from even nearing their own hoop. When an opportunity for South Pasadena to shoot did arise, the players hesitated before firing the ball. That split-second pause gave the ready Aztecs just enough time to jump to block the shot. The first period closed 27-10 for the Aztecs. Mark Keppel had gained more points in the first quarter than South Pasadena would in the entire game.
Any hope of a mid-game Tiger motivation boost fell as the Aztecs opened the second quarter with another three points. South Pasadena’s own falling morale caused the few unguarded shots they took to bounce off the rim or backboard. Keppel continued to take advantage of the Tigers’ unobtrusive defense. Their flawless three-pointers, in combination with South Pasadena’s lack of point gain, ended the second quarter 46-15 for the Aztecs. The Tigers had all but crumbled.
The Aztecs’ two-pointers, three-pointers, rebounds, steals, blocks, and passes were all excellent. The Tigers improved at blocking Aztec shots, but any attempts barely made a dent in the Aztecs’ lead. With three minutes left in the third quarter, South Pasadena, perhaps accepting the loss or maybe attempting to change the court dynamic, switched out all five of their starting players. By the end of the quarter, Mark Keppel led 64-21.
South Pasadena gained zero points in the game’s final quarter. The Aztecs, unfazed by the Tigers’ attempts to defend, continued to sink shot after shot without hesitation. The game ended with a lopsided 72-21 Aztec score. With the final buzzer, South Pasadena was knocked out of the playoffs by Mark Keppel for the second consecutive year.
Despite the tough Mark Keppel loss, South Pasadena had a strong 2024–25 season and placed first in the Rio Hondo League. Notably, the Tigers had a 10-game win streak in December and defeated Blair by a whopping 92-7 in late January.
Key seniors included Boozer, who led the team in almost all stats and averaged 24.7 points per game, and Leach, who showcased strong three-pointers and assists. Junior Madeline Park, sophomores Ella Go and Kara Wang, and freshman Jayda Nakagawa have played important roles this season and will return next year. A successful 2025–26 season is on the horizon.
Regan’s Row BENJAMIN REGAN Disfruta el momento
The Class of 2025 has four months left of high school. Many students have lost focus and have turned an eye to the future, and thoughts of studying for AP exams get replaced by thoughts of post-graduation plans. While some minds might be on next year, I think that is important to end the school year being present.
The idea of being present and living in the moment is a staple across numerous philosophies and religions. Buddha said “Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life,” and while many have a premature mind on the future or are reminiscing about the past, appreciating the present can be overlooked.
Living in the moment is important because it allows one to thoroughly enjoy and understand their current situation before moving on to the next occasion or responsibility. It has also been shown to improve focus and awareness, functioning as a sort of mindfulness tool that keeps one anchored in the moment. In doing so, a person can fully take in and appreciate the present.
Our baseball team spent a weekend in Palm Desert a few weeks ago, playing four games over three days. I knew that since it would be my penultimate high school tournament, I should truly value the time with my teammates. Few schools get the chance to compete in a tournament two hours away and stay in a hotel as a team. I was grateful for the opportunity and tried to be absolutely present for the experience.
It is a somewhat common sentiment that one only really recognizes what they had when it’s gone. For example, some people dislike school throughout their youth but come to miss it after high school graduation. This can happen if one is constantly focused on the future and isn’t processing and appreciating the present as it’s unfolding.
This year, I enjoyed the football games in the fall but the season seemed to end so rapidly alongside the first semester holidays. Now, the winter sports’ runs are over, and it’s baseball and the spring sports’ turn to take on the season. The season requires strong mental concentration and the ability to live in the moment is important because looking to the next game before winning the first can distract the team. A complete focus on every at-bat and defensive play is necessary when a long year of practice often comes down to a single pitch.
Instead of already accepting that school is over, I think the second semester is an opportunity to be participative and engaged with the experience before it ends. As seniors, we understand the feeling that high school has passed by in a blink. Between long school days and years gone by, the time dilates. The built-in ability to talk everyday with teachers and friends won’t be so accessible soon, so it’s a chance to be present in relationships. Living in the moment can mean that time doesn’t disappear so quickly and the last strides of school are memorable.
The future always arrives on time, so the present should be kept in paramount importance before it does. Then, and only then, can people make the most of what they have, living life to the fullest without hesitation or regret. No matter where we end up in the following months, we will always be connected by the time we’ve spent together: for some of us, it has been well over a decade. We must “disfruta el momento” — enjoy the moment while it lasts.
