Story by Noah KuhnStaff Writer Illustration by Nicholas FormanStaff Illustrator Arts are integral to humanity as an avenue for self-expression. Unfortunately, forcing art on those who are not enthusiastic about it causes it to lose many of these celebrated qualities. The UC system currently mandates that all applicants take one year of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). […]
It is time to bury the “dead white men”
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 […]
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 […]