In 1999, Harper’s Bazaar magazine published the essay I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Sing by reporter and essayist Francine Prose, a critique of the quality of high school required reading. Prose argued that in high schools, a book’s status as a classic will often override the substance and relevance of the book. The […]
The self-destructiveness of comparison
Story by Sofia AlvaStaff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator Academic comparison is ubiquitous among SPHS students and high school students across the world; students often use comparison to measure success and take into consideration their peers’ GPAs, SAT scores, and the amount of APs they take. In fact, comparison is a natural reaction to a need […]
Encouraging proactivity over abstinence
Story by Caroline KimbelPrint Managing Editor Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator High school alcohol education, similar to sex-ed, preaches that abstinence is the best way to prevent danger. Classes often utilize scare tactics and demonize alcohol in an attempt to convince teenagers that they should never drink. The reality is, however, that most teenagers will be exposed […]
Student mental health and clashing priorities
One would think that schools would prioritize access to mental health services in a climate of seemingly everyday school shootings and ever increasing adolescent suicide rates. However, it is quite the opposite. According to Mental Health America, only about one in five kids in need of mental health services receive them. SPHS’ alarming lack of […]
Queer education belongs in school curriculum
Story by Cat FloresCo-Opinion Editor Illustration by Nicholas FormanStaff Illustrator Marginalized communities have long been subject to ignorance and whitewashing by the public education system. The LGBTQ+ community has been especially ostracized from this conversation, with only four U.S. states mandating LGBTQ+ history. Eight years ago, California was the first state to make changes to this system […]
Emphasis on STEM harms the humanities
Story by Cloe MaurerAssociate Feature Editor Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education was officially added to the American vernacular in 2001. Since then, public high schools across America have decided that STEM education is the secret ingredient needed to churn out children equipped with the tools to propel the U.S […]
Politics should have a place in the classroom
The word ‘politics’ is one that teachers cautiously stumble around for fear of imposing their own opinions on students. Current events and important social issues are intentionally glossed over in order to keep the classroom “bias-free”. However, this exclusion of content leads to the deterioration of youth interest and involvement in government. Politics have a […]
Understand before you speak
Story by Cat FloresOpinion Co-Editor Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator Every discussion I’ve ever had pertaining to race in a South Pasadena classroom has left me feeling uncomfortably shameful. I’m practically always the only Black person in the classroom, and oftentimes I’m also one of the only Latinx people. Being the only person in the room of […]
Columbus Day is a distortion of American history
Elementary schools have canonized the mnemonic “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue,” when discussing early American history. Most students come to adopt this psyche, a curricular choice that solely acknowledges Columbus’ discovery of the Americas and not of the United States’ problematic background of colonization. America has a blatantly Eurocentric focus when dealing with […]
Can I hear it for my freshmen?
Story by Aanji SinSenior Staff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator Finally being a senior has caused me to do a lot of reflecting on my past three years at SPHS. I remember first stepping onto campus as a timid freshman, excited yet terrified at the prospects of the “best four years of my life.” Unfortunately, most […]
Trump’s Greenland Proposal: A Loss of Trust During a Climate Crisis
Story by Noah Kuhn & Lilian ZhuStaff Writers Illustration by Nicholas FormanStaff Illustrator The world’s largest island has garnered much publicity in recent news. Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, was the recent focal point of U.S. President Donald Trump’s real estate fantasies. At first, Trump seemed to be joking about buying the […]
Dark Humor and the Trivialization of Mental Health
Story by Lilian ZhuStaff Writer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator Joking about suicide and depression has become the norm, whether it’s through social media or day-to-day conversations. Teens might hear their friends say, out of stress, “If I don’t get an A, I’m jumping off a building.” And they will most certainly hear the phrase, “I’m […]
LGBTQ+ Education Belongs in Schools
Story by Amber ChenStaff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator During a school board meeting on June 11, parents voiced concerns over LGBTQ+ curriculum, including books with LGBTQ+ characters and themes, being taught in South Pasadena Elementary Schools. Over the past decade, California has passed laws in an attempt to prevent discrimination and create an inclusive environment […]
We Need to Teach Our History of Racism
Story by Noah KuhnStaff Writer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator Racism, segregation, and discrimination are all part of our country’s history. And they all undoubtedly still exist. White supremacy and the subjugation of minorities are entwined with the American narrative. Racism in the United States conjures up images of brutal slavery, Native American genocides, and immigration laws […]
The Fight to Decriminalize Magic Mushrooms in California
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Illustration by Alicia Zhang Staff Illustrator Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound that is produced by more than 200 species of magic mushrooms, commonly referred to as ‘shrooms.’ At institutions like John Hopkins University and New York University, clinical trials exploring psilocybin as a therapy for depression, drug […]
Please stop saying “traps are gay”
Illustration by David Sohn If you’ve spent any time in the degenerate cesspools of 4Chan and Reddit, you’ve likely heard the phrase “traps are gay” thrown around casually. Those who use it typically have a poor understanding of its far-reaching implications, or even what it means. While the phrase may seem like a harmless joke, […]