Stretching for miles, hundreds of thousands of pink hats were visible throughout the mall in downtown Washington D.C. this past Saturday. People were squeezed throughout the streets, at times unable to move due to the size of the crowd. Signs that said “My Body, My Rights,” “Accept my Existence or Expect Resistance,” “Protect Planned Parenthood” and a host of others were on proud display. This was the scene of the Washington D.C. Women’s March, one of the many that took place around the world January 21. The sheer size of the DC march just after a presidential inauguration made it
Sam Brodsky In the past few months, Georgetown Day School has undergone a lot of turmoil. Nobody can seem to pinpoint one specific event that sent the entire community into day-long discussions and school-wide meetings, or at least, nobody has publicly announced such event as official. Rather, sporadic episodes of racism, misogyny, assault, and bullying from months and years past have been bubbling up within the walls and hallways of our community, concluding in an outburst of emotion and dramatic upheaval. A great number of these small yet profoundly hurtful moments seem to take place in the realm of social
Ben Kaslow-Zieve Since announcing his candidacy last summer, Donald Trump has come to dominate American life. A news cycle rarely passes without a story involving Trump, nor does a day pass without him coming up in conversation. Unfortunately, Trump has made his presence felt in the classrooms of GDS as well. Teachers joke about Trump, perhaps half in jest and half in fear, practically on a daily basis. Some students report hearing jokes about him at least once a week, while others say every other day. To be sure, much of Trump’s rhetoric is at odds with what Georgetown Day
Rohan Palacios Two months ago, the entire Georgetown Day community underwent a process of painful self-examination. What started as a discussion of the use of social media at the school quickly turned into a wider airing of grievances. For a few tense days, students shared experiences of racism, sexism, bullying, and other forms of marginalization that captivated and shocked both peers and faculty alike. Affinity group, grade, and all-school meetings allowed students to voice concerns held by many but never before put into words. These conversations were undoubtedly a significant moment for the community, prompting a new level of awareness,
Jenna Schulman and Lucy Walker In the past few weeks, sexual assault has become a widely discussed topic throughout the GDS community. With a recent case of sexual assault reported at Sidwell and heated discussion about sexual assault arising at our own school, the question of how GDS will handle further conversations about consent is becoming a pressing issue. Only recently has the conversation surrounding consent, sexual assault, and rape turned from a “back alley” discussion to being at the forefront of the community. For GDS students, improved sex education seems to be the priority. How can we become more