Prop 28 funds must supplement, not supplant.
Letters of recommendation: The Hunger Games of college admissions
Story by Jayden Tran Staff Writer Illustration by Ellie Nakamura Graphic Designer Required by a majority of prestigious universities during the application process, letters of recommendation have risen to prominence in the holistic evaluation of students. Teacher testimonials have proliferated in the overall application with studies showing that emotional quotient has become as significant for college acceptances […]
SPUSD’s coronavirus policy is lacking
Story by Charlotte Dekle & Raluca Tudusciuc Staff Writers Illustration by Martin Walsh Staff Illustrator The return to in-person school marked the end of an era filled with uncertainty and chaos. However, what was supposed to be a step back into normalcy is proving to be a continuation of the disarray present throughout the pandemic. […]
Mental health cannot be commercialized
Story by Sofia AlvaAssociate News Editor Illustration by Terry SongAssociate Design Editor The coronavirus pandemic continues to harm teenage mental health, shown not only in student complaints of increased stress, but in such a serious way that it has produced statistical results. Adults who control the structure of student life acknowledge the existence of this […]
The current system of education cannot be tolerated any longer
At the start of my junior year, I finally told my friends that their obsession with academic comparison was wrecking my mental health. I suggested that we avoid talking about grades altogether. Oftentimes after a test, I would hear this seemingly innocent inquiry: “Oh my God, what did you get?” Yet, this question is frequently […]
The process of military recruitment at high school is purposefully deceiving and must be reformed
Story by Haelee KimStaff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator Military recruiting tables are a ubiquitous sight on high school campuses across the country. Since the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001, high schools are obligated to allow the military just as much access to campuses as regular colleges. This can have […]
Normalcy should not be the expectation
Story by Kahlen MiaoStaff Writer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator At the beginning of this month, I opened my report card to a mixture of shock and disappointment. I had ended the last semester with three B’s. Transitioning into my sophomore year was more difficult than I’d like to admit. I know for a fact […]
Opinion spread: student sexual assault and harassment — the power of social media when administration’s response isn’t enough
Story by Georgia Parsons & Quinn ManzoAssociate Feature Editor & Staff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator This article contains descriptions of sexual assault and harassment that some might find disturbing. The #MeToo movement, founded by Tarana Burke in 2006, skyrocketed into mainstream conversation when the hashtag began trending on Twitter in 2017. It quickly […]
Student testimonies
Reporting by Georgia Parsons & Quinn ManzoAssociate Feature Editor & Staff Writer Illustration by Tarry SongAssociate Design Editor 10th grade, she/her: “One time, I [was] groped on campus by an SPHS student. I do not want to disclose their name but I will mention that they identify as male and repeatedly touched me even when […]
What needs to change about how SPHS approaches sexual assault and harassment
Story by Georgia Parsons & Quinn ManzoAssociate Feature Editor & Staff Writer Illustration by Tarry SongAssociate Design Editor Currently, the school has a series of protocols in place along with resources for survivors of sexual misconduct. The overarching procedure is Title IX, which ensures quality of education as one of several federal and state anti-discrimination […]
The pros and cons of using social media as an outlet
Social media has become the go-to platform for many teenagers to share their experiences with sexual assault and harassment, but it does not come without consequence.
Distrust in administration fuels social media exposés
The perceived administrative precedent of little to no punishment for abusers feeds into campus rape culture and distrust.
Retire American Pageant
Story by Sam GrotensteinOpinion Associate Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator On April 18th, 1975, Reverend Marvin Horan was found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to bomb a school. This was after three months of nonstop racist and violent protests, which included the armed hijacking of school buses, the harassment of individual students, and […]
SPHS needs to end its outdated stance on drugs
Story by Sam GrotensteinOpinion Associate Illustration by Nicholas FormanStaff Illustrator Health is one of the rare uniting courses that all students must take in order to meet graduation requirements. No matter how a student takes the class, either during the school year or over the summer, they find that a large portion of the curriculum […]
Teachers need to regulate discussions
Story by Quinn ManzoStaff Writer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator When class discussions go smoothly, they can result in logical compromises and new ideas that build on each other. However, a productive dialogue is fragile; it can quickly become futile and often leaves students feeling alienated and threatened in an environment that is supposed to […]
SPHS needs to combat campus ableism
Story by Georgia ParsonsStaff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator The disability rights movement began in the 1960s as an effort to challenge negative attitudes and stereotypes surrounding disabilities. Parents demanded that their children be taken out of institutions and placed into schools with the necessary accommodations in order to succeed. Since then, dozens of […]