Opinions - Page 17

Mental health has long been a largely neglected topic within GDS. With the advent of groups such as LOVE and a resurfacing of criticisms over the lack of mental health education at GDS, the school is finally starting to devote attention to mental health awareness. However, the discussions surrounding this topic have failed to account for a significant portion of the study body. Students of color at GDS are further disadvantaged due to the added effects of stereotypes and problematic cultural norms that are often not understood by white peers and teachers. Therefore, as we begin thinking of ways to

In late April, renowned sexuality educator Shafia Zaloom came to GDS to lead a sex-ed workshop for each grade. For four days, each grade took their turn spending the day with Zaloom for what some have called a “crash course” on sexual education. While many have argued that the series of workshops was “too little, too late” of an attempt by GDS to make up for the lack of sex-ed in the current Physical Education and Health curriculum, it was ultimately a combination of the school and the students who diluted the value of the sex-ed workshops. As GDS students

This marks the first year the GDS high school did not hold traditional midterm exams. In a November letter to the GDS community, high school principal Katie Gibson wrote, “This change in our schedule will allow students and families to enjoy their winter breaks, with a firm end-date to the first semester falling prior to the departure for winter vacation. In addition, it allows us to add seven more teaching days to the calendar.” In the spring of last year, when Quinn Killy announced that GDS would not be holding midterms for the following school year, it seemed pretty surreal.

America has an undeniable obsession with celebrities. Thousands of news sites and magazines trace the movements of movie and TV stars, publishing them doing mundane activities like walking down the street and shopping for groceries. Our obsession with fame and famous people, however, does not need to—and should not—leak into our political system. Celebrities tend to be charismatic and know how to appeal to a specific audience, which is wonderful for a TV show in need of ratings, but not ideal for the chief executive of a diverse country. As junior Revati Mahurkar says, a “lot of [celebrities’] success depends

Every single GDS student knows a peer struggling with their mental health, whether or not they are aware of it. Although mental illnesses do not always have obvious physical manifestations, mental health issues can affect people in a variety of seen—or invisible–ways. Still, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, at least one in five high school students around the country battle with a mental health illness—and GDS students are no exception. While recent student-driven actions have begun to shed light on mental health issues in our community, the school itself needs to step up and meet its students

Violence can be very tempting, especially when those you are fighting against are spewing hate and intolerance. But more often than not, violence just makes things worse. It can cause the other side to use more violence, and further magnify the conflict. Right now, across our country, a group of anti-fascists who refer to themselves as Antifa have caved to the pull of violence. The political unrest in America right now is causing many people to join Antifa. The far-left group believes that the terrible and violent history of those on the far-right requires violence in order to stop them

How many times a day do you scroll through your Facebook feed? A Nielsen Company audience report found that adults in the United States spend over ten hours a day consuming media. Social media attracts the attention of an extremely wide age span, and is heavily integrated into our everyday lives through both personal and commercial use. As teenagers, many students at GDS use social media every day, and often personal opinions, such as political affiliations, can become a recurrent theme in one’s social media feed. It is another common theme on social media to get into arguments online with

On January 27, President Donald Trump announced the temporary entry restriction United States for travelers from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen – seven majority Muslim countries. Likely the most controversial of all the executive orders Trump has issued, the “Muslim ban” has invoked mass protests all over the nation, caused confusion and disorder at many airports, and separated several families. With its broad implications and heavy historical impact, there’s no question that this will significantly change the course of American history and our relationships with other nations, specifically in the Middle East. Even if it has no

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