< Back Don't judge a book by its ban October 11, 2024 at 12:00:00 PM Lilah Weisburg '25 The most fundamental right that United States citizens hold is the freedom to speak without infringement, according to the U.S. Constitution. Yet, school districts are taking it upon themselves to blatantly ignore this right by banning “objectionable” books from schools, restricting children’s worldview. “Pen America” is an organization that tracks the number of banned books across school districts in the U.S. They documented over 10,000 book bans from July 2021 to December 2023. The majority of them engage topics of race, LGBTQ+, gender identity, and women, topics traditionally repressed or disregarded in past decades. As a new wave of activism rose during quarantine in 2020, some in America have asserted their right to approve materials available in their children’s school libraries. Many school districts banned, and continue to ban, hundreds of books from schools. They view their actions as protecting the children from being exposed to topics they deem inappropriate. However, this thinking creates a slippery slope. For example, districts may start by banning sexually explicit reading material from elementary schools. This action in itself is not controversial — except for two major points. The first is elementary schools rarely contain books with this kind of content, and the ones that do will inevitably arouse a reaction from angry parents threatening to drag the schools down through lawsuits and public discontent. The second is that once book bans start, individuals on the school board will see this as an opportunity to ban books that they themselves find uncomfortable. This happened in Escambia County, Florida, where 1,600 books were banned as of January 2024. The list included 8 encyclopedias, 5 dictionaries, the Guinness Book of World Records , Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl , and, ironically, Fahrenheit 451 . It is absurdly unlikely that a group of fewer than fifteen people have read 1,600 books and carefully considered their contents. This irresponsible behavior shows the pure ignorance of grown adults and their desperate attempts to gain control over the way children think. The modern world is rapidly changing. Social change, specifically, is happening faster than ever before. Young people must develop a broad understanding of the world through many different lenses. Banning books is a blatant way for conservative adults to hinder children’s growth. If such censorship continues without interference, it will spark a flame that will undermine the foundation of education in the U.S., and I fear that the future Ray Bradbury predicted over seventy years ago may just come true. Previous Next

< Back Airing Out the Dirty Laundry October 7, 2022 at 12:00:00 PM Crystal Yuen '24 I love dorm life. Being able to go back to my room at the end of the day, relax, and hang out with my friends is one of my favorite things about Mercersburg. I don’t have many complaints about residential life. The snack closet’s great. My roommate is amazing. My friends are in the same dorm as I am. And I love all the faculty. There is truly only one bad thing I have to say about it: laundry. Laundry at Mercersburg Academy is one of the most frustrating aspects of my life. It straight-up sucks. I am in my third year at Mercersburg, and I still do not have it figured out. First of all, we have almost no time in the week to do laundry. Students are expected to plan their laundry day and times so that they do not get in the way of others and so that everyone has an opportunity to wash their clothes. However, our schedules are so full that many of us barely have enough time to switch our laundry without holding up the line. Most dorms have around 16 people per washer and dryer (I have no idea how South manages), and with classes five days a week, PGA at least five days a week (plus games that take up entire Saturdays), nighttime commitments, and homework, there is no way that everyone can get it done. Some wings have tried to solve this problem with laundry schedules that just end up restricting people to doing their laundry on one particular day of the week, regardless of the fact that they could get stuck with a Monday where they are not free until 9:30, too late for us to even be allowed to do laundry. In addition to the fact that we don’t have time to do our laundry, the machines are horrible. I am used to doing my own laundry at home. I do it once a week, and I can wash all of my clothes in two loads. This is not my reality at Mercersburg. I wear the same amount of clothing here, yet what would be one load at home can take up to three loads here. Alternatively, I can do what many people do and wash a normal amount of clothing just to end up ruining them by running them through the dryer three times. Either way, that means three hours of laundry just to clean half of my clothes. No matter what amount of clothing I dry, it remains damp and smelling like a public school boys’ locker room, meaning I now use scented booster beads, fabric softener sheets, and fabric spray. Additionally, every time I do get the chance to do laundry, I hear Mr. Willis in my ear reminding me to conserve water and limit single-use items to save the environment, which just leaves me sad and guilty. What makes me most upset about the laundry at Mercersburg is that there are clear solutions to the problem. Literally, all they have to do is get each wing a good washer and dryer, and we would be so much better off. Besides the fact that I know from personal experience that there are better washers and dryers (especially dryers) out there, I have spoken to several faculty members who live in the dorm, and they say that their washers and dryers are amazing. They can shove as much clothing in as they want, and their stuff will be perfectly fine. If the school could install these same washers and dryers on each wing, our problems would be solved. Please, we need better washers and dryers. It might sound like an insignificant issue if you don’t live in the dorm, but it affects much more of student life than you would expect. Also, a PSA for all students: learn how to do laundry correctly. Don’t leave your stuff sitting in the washing machine for hours because it will stink. Clean out the lint catcher after you dry your clothes. Please do not put shoes in the washing machine, since it will just break. Previous Next

< Back Clubbed to death May 3, 2024 at 12:00:00 PM Alice Yoo '27 Many say we live in a world where students are expected to be perfect in everything, under the notion of “we-want-to-have-a-holistic-view-of-the-applications” and “we-want-to-see-every-individual-uniqueness.” It is difficult for students to balance classes and extracurricular activities as they often feel overwhelmed by the fact that they should be great at everything, from academics to sports to the arts. Students feel pressured to be involved in various extracurricular activities, even those they are not interested in, because of the competitive nature of college admissions. It is inarguable that extracurricular activities are great for students to show something about themselves to colleges other than the grades on their transcripts. Different dimensions of students can be shown in ways beyond the numerical data of SAT scores and AP test scores. Additionally, students can find new activities they enjoy as well as spend time with peers. Students need to know that extracurriculars should not be crammed into a list, with the student with the longest getting into the most prestigious college. Colleges cannot understand a student’s story and individuality merely through grades and teacher recommendations. Extracurricular activities should be one of the ways for students to express themselves aside from academics. It should be a time for students to explore topics and passions, get to know people, and acquire lifelong skills. In addition to the pressure on students, there is a significant social issue intertwined with extracurricular activities: the socioeconomic gap. Despite the goal of getting a holistic view of the application, it can be difficult for students to access extracurricular activities depending on their socioeconomic background. Common extracurricular activities that come into mind, such as summer camps and competitions, cost money. Even though some activities might sound “free,” they come with unavoidable expenses. Take the orchestra, for instance. The cost of purchasing and maintaining instruments as well as music lessons cannot be overlooked. Encouraging and assisting students with extracurricular activities would be hard for families having difficulties paying necessary fees. Furthermore, even if students want to participate in activities, not all schools provide them with the opportunities. It makes it hard for students since their school is the main place to seek resources. Colleges still look for students who have participated in various extracurriculars, often ignoring the context of whether they were given the chance to participate. They may have had the ability but just never the opportunity. This is not to say that extracurricular activities should not be accounted for at all in the college admission processes. Extracurriculars are indeed a great way to gain a holistic perspective of each student’s application aside from grades and standardized test scores. However, colleges should be aware of the inequalities in extracurricular participation during the admissions process and focus more on quality than quantity. Currently, there are eight to ten boxes for students to list their extracurricular activities. Shortening the list would both lessen the pressure on students to participate in every possible extracurricular activity and recognize the difficulty of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to be involved in various extracurricular activities. Previous Next

< Back Let's make it 'Ex'-Block May 5, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Sophie Koroma '26 Time at Mercersburg Academy is a valuable thing. No matter how hard I try to create a well-balanced schedule, it always feels like I lack the time to do everything that is required of me. Personal time is an even more valuable commodity, and I struggle to find time for myself throughout my busy life on campus. At Mercersburg, we all have hot takes, and mine is that X-Block should be reformed in order to benefit the personal and academic lives of students. To be clear, I do not think that X-Block should be abolished completely. I understand the purpose of it and why it is sometimes necessary. As a freshman, X-Block was helpful for teaching us about school culture, what classes are like, how to get involved, and many other useful topics. However, by the end of the fall term, all of these necessary topics had been covered. In the winter and spring term, X-Block has felt like a huge waste of time. Other than Irving-Marshall prep, course registration, and class elections, I have gained nothing from X-Block. And don’t get me started on Info Lit, where we had to hear about plagiarism for what felt like the thirtieth time in a month. Because of this, I do not feel like X-Block needs to be an every-week occurrence, and that it does not have to take up an entire class period. X-Block should be reserved only for when it is actually necessary. A crucial thing our advisers preach to us freshmen is time management. In my opinion, I don't think it's good management of my time to have a 75-minute block dedicated to hearing about what our class t-shirt will look like or whether or not we want Five Guys, Auntie Anne’s, or Chipotle for our class fundraiser (isn’t that why we elect a class council, and can’t these questions be answered in a Google form?). Topics such as these shouldn’t take up such long periods of time in students’ busy schedules. My time could be used more strategically doing homework, sleeping, or even just taking time to relax before PGA. Previous Next

< Back Dreamy revolution November 14, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM Michelle Zhang ’28 For too long, classroom nappers have been marginalized, scolded, and falsely labeled as lazy. Every day, countless students face unjust persecution for one simple act: resting their eyes in class. They are rudely awakened, exiled to the hallway, or told to “get some water,” as if hydration were a cure for exhaustion. Yet sleeping in class isn’t laziness—it’s an advanced academic and wellness strategy society has simply failed to recognize. Recent “research” overwhelmingly supports the science of subconscious learning that occurs when one’s eyes are closed. New studies suggest that sleeping helps students absorb information through a process called “osmosis of the mind.” This is a phenomenon in which knowledge continues to diffuse even in a state of deep sleep – the ultimate form of multitasking. A 2023 Harvard-adjacent study (conducted in my dreams) found that students who rested their eyes during lectures retained new information 67% more effectively than their perpetually alert peers. J ust as computers require periods of recharging while working, students, too, must occasionally enter sleep mode for optimal academic performance. Computers outperform human brains by roughly ten millionfold in data processing and calculation – an inequity clearly skewed by the fact that machines receive the consistent rest they need to recharge. If students were afforded the same luxury, it is entirely plausible that their cognitive efficiency would improve dramatically. After all, we don’t shame computers for charging – why shame students for doing the same? Some may object, claiming that nighttime sleep is sufficient for learning and cognitive restoration. This argument fails to account for the nuances of human circadian rhythms and ultradian cycles. Night sleep primarily serves long-term restorative functions, whereas short, strategically timed daytime naps improve immediate alertness, attention, memory consolidation, and problem-solving ability. A well-executed 67-minute nap during class aligns with natural brain cycles, enhancing receptivity to new information to a degree that night sleep alone cannot achieve. I n the wake of a global pandemic and the relentless rise of social media, rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout have spiked. We now inhabit a culture that glorifies “grind” and “hustle” at the expense of human rest. In a world obsessed with productivity, napping in class transcends mere fatigue; it becomes a quiet form of rebellion – the radical form of self-care in an overstressed academic world. Taking a nap is the ultimate exercise of free will, the epitome of self-respect: a deliberate choice to shut out the chaos of the modern world for a brief moment of peace. Furthermore, external pressures often prevent students from attaining adequate restorative rest at night. In this context, classroom naps are not optional indulgences, but necessary corrective measures for an overstimulated generation. Daytime sleep ensures that students can meet the cognitive demands of rigorous academic environments without succumbing to burnout. Mercersburg Academy promotes wellness, yet discourages classroom rest in practice. Those courageous enough to close their eyes in defiance are, thus, mental health pioneers. Beyond the psychological benefits, classroom sleep also functions as a long-term investment in productivity, heightening focus and cognitive performance in the hours that follow. Historical precedent supports this claim. Eminent thinkers and great leaders, from Leonardo da Vinci to Winston Churchill, utilized structured daytime naps to maximize creativity and productivity. Nighttime sleep alone was never sufficient to fuel their intellectual output. By following in their footsteps, students today continue a long tradition of optimizing human performance through strategic rest. Perhaps the problem isn’t students who sleep, but a system that doesn’t allow students to rest. Let us begin an earnest conversation about institutionalizing in-class naps. If we normalized naps, participation, and morale would likely soar. After all, nothing inspires a good discussion like a nice, shared experience. Next time you see a classmate closing their eyes, don’t wake them—thank them. They are not disengaged, but ahead of their time. One day, when sleeping is recognized as the peak of academic success, we’ll remember the brave ones who dared to dream—literally. Previous Next

< Back Shooting for the Moon April 24, 2026 at 12:00:00 PM Preston Zhang ’27 I’ve always had a special fascination for space, so the Artemis II mission was of particular importance to me. For the first time in over fifty years, humanity has come within 5,000 miles of the moon. But I feel as though I’m not alone in believing that this was long overdue. Modern technology has long surpassed the relatively crude spacecraft of the Apollo era. Why, then, did this take so long? Most importantly, the Space Race ended. We no longer thought that the Soviets would steal away the high ground for moon bases and orbital cannons. It simply wasn’t worth it to risk more human lives. The construction of new technology allows us to better protect our astronauts as we send them into the new frontier of space. The Artemis II mission saw Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen travel farther from Earth than any humans in history—roughly 252,756 miles—surpassing the legendary record set by the crew of Apollo 13. The mission was a triumph of engineering under pressure. The Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket ever built, proved it could safely loft a crewed Orion spacecraft into deep space. The crew spent ten days validating life-support systems, testing proximity operations, and even troubleshooting minor real-world issues like toilet glitches and thermal control. These are the unglamorous but vital lessons required before we attempt a landing with Artemis III. Every minor kink needs to be worked out or else the entire mission is a failure. This mission must succeed, for it will provide a boost to future research and deliver on the promise of hopefully becoming a multi-planetary species. We, as a species, will once again land on the moon. But the real significance of this mission lies in its contrast to the Apollo era. Unlike Apollo, which was fueled by the Cold War, Artemis is built on cooperation. The successful splashdown of the Artemis II mission on April 10, 2026, marks the start of a new era. We are no longer a species bound to one world; we are, once again, voyagers. Although this all seems so good and dandy, I have one slightly controversial opinion. I love Canada, but I don’t believe that sending Jeremy Hansen to the moon would be the best decision. There was definitely a deal behind the scenes that profited the U.S. in order to send him there, and I’m not saying he’s unqualified, it’s just that I would prefer that the moon be composed of purely U.S. crews for now, to continue the legacy of the Americans before us. I mean no offense to Jeremy Hansen or Canada, but I feel as though it would be more impactful if Canada created its own rockets with its own citizens to send to the moon. This would take a lot of time, but it would be a symbol of strength for Canada. It isn’t reliant on the U.S. In modern day, that means a lot, and waiting an extra few decades is worth it for both parties. Previous Next

< Back Huda on Huda February 20, 2026 at 12:00:00 PM Huda Mohamud ’26 Last Friday, Mercersburg Academy welcomed renowned hijabi writer and illustrator Huda Fahmy, whose webcomics Yes, I’m Hot in This and the widely popular Huda F graphic novel series are internationally successful. Her book Huda F Cares? was a finalist for the 2023 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. What made her visit especially memorable for me, however, was not just her success, but also her name: Huda. There were, quite literally, two Huda’s on campus at the same time. Not only two hijabis, but two Hudas. This would not usually be remarkable, except that Huda is not a common name, at least in my experience. The only other famous Huda most people seem to know is from a show sure to rot your brain: Love Island. So when I heard, “Huda is coming to Mercersburg,” it felt oddly surreal, like the universe had scheduled a meeting with my name. From the moment Fahmy began speaking, she had the audience completely enamored. She balanced humour with honesty in a way that felt natural rather than rehearsed. One moment she was joking about awkward social situations; the next, she was talking about what it means to grow up Muslim in America. It was this mix of comedy and sincerity that made her talk feel genuine and relatable, not only to me, but to everyone in the room. I found myself connecting deeply with what she shared. Fahmy described moving from a school where she was the only student who wore a hijab to one where she suddenly was not the only one anymore. My experience has been the opposite. At my school in the UK, I was surrounded by people who looked and dressed like me. But, coming to Mercersburg, I became the only student who wears a hijab. At first, this was intimidating. Being the only one made me more aware of myself in ways I did not expect. In the United Kingdom, there is a large Muslim population, and visibility is normal. Coming to the United States, especially to Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, was a culture shock. Suddenly, I felt far more noticeable, not only because of my accent, but because of my hijab. Yet over time, that difference became something that made me more confident rather than less. Listening to Fahmy speak about identity made me realise that standing out does not always mean standing alone. Sometimes, it means learning how to take up space as yourself. When I asked her if she ever felt like she had to do more than other people in her field or if she ever feels pressure to fit in she said, “I am done trying to change. I am done trying to be anything other than who I am.” What made her talk powerful, to me, was that it did not frame Muslim identity as something tragic or heavy. Instead, she presented it as complicated, funny, and human. She did not try to turn her experience into a lesson; she simply told her story. In doing so, she created space for others to recognise parts of their own. There was something quietly comforting about seeing someone with my name, my faith, and a similar background standing confidently at the front of a Mercersburg auditorium and telling their story. It reminded me that cultural identity does not have to be something you shrink or even hide to fit in—it can be visible, complex and still celebrated. Previous Next

< Back Critically low thinking October 3, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM Annie Mohr ’26 I am often amused by adults' understanding of social media. When I try to show my mom a funny reel, instead of taking the joke at face value, she often is distracted by questions like, “Who is that?” or “How do you know them?” While this often frustrates me as it defeats the purpose of the joke, it reflects a disconnect between Gen Z and older generations: critical thinking. Some might say that I am thinking critically because I am (over-)analyzing the situation to paint Gen Z as brainwashed. But this goes beyond social media. It's a fact: our generation struggles to think critically. This deficit began during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued with the rise of AI. Much of our generation participated in online classes during fundamental learning years. With no classroom accountability, students were more likely to cheat, not participate, or become distracted while learning. Unfortunately, soon after school began to return to normalcy, AI became available to students. The connection between AI and a lack of critical thinking is obvious: access to a detailed answer in a split second decreases the need for working through the problem yourself. One of Mercersburg Academy’s most repeated Conduct Review Committee case types last year was academic dishonesty, of which the majority were AI-related. This doesn’t even include students who weren’t caught. Additionally, the world our generation lives in is driven by standardized test scores and right answers. The pressure we put on ourselves to maintain a high GPA often is prioritized over taking the time to dedicate ourselves to actual learning. But why does this matter? Some would say that trading some critical thinking skills for increased efficiency is fine. However, I believe that Gen Z’s critical thinking disparity goes far beyond the classroom. We are supposed to think critically, all day, every day. Gen Z’s willingness to follow blindly–whether that be a trend, a political party, or an influencer–stems from accepting everything for what it is on the surface. We are so quick to believe what we see online or hear from our friends that we struggle to form our own opinions. This leads to a herd mentality. In last month’s edition of NEWS, Cole Piranio wrote an article about the decline of school spirit at Mercersburg. I believe some of this stems from a trend of nonchalance as the energy around Irving-Marshall events, home games, and Step Songs has dwindled. If students stopped following their own values without fearing judgment from the herd, I believe many would choose to participate more. While there are many issues our generation faces, this is one we can all fight back against. We have a privilege most high school students across the world do not: we attend Mercersburg Academy, an institution dedicated to developing our critical thinking skills. We must acknowledge that critical thinking isn’t just a buzzword or something to be applied as you’re writing an essay for a harsh teacher. It’s a skill invaluable to understanding the world around us: our relationships, our communities, and our values. Without critical thinking, we have no backbone. Previous Next

< Back I "D" "G" "A" "F" September 20, 2024 at 12:00:00 PM Alice Yoo '27 After over a week of classes, most community members realize the difference between this year’s schedule and last. Classes now start earlier in the school day but end later; we have five classes each day; we no longer have late starts on Wednesdays; Help blocks don’t last thirty minutes; and the classes occur in no logical sequence. Looking at these facts, you might wonder: why did we change? Having more classes each day encourages classes to explore topics in greater depth and leaves plenty of time to prepare for harder subjects. Additionally, for those worried about being too burdened, more classes means everyone can enjoy more of their free blocks with a sleep-in at least once every two weeks. Compared to last year, when there were terms without any sleep-ins for some unfortunate students, morning classes are now distributed evenly, allowing equal opportunity for the precious sleep-ins everyone loves. However, the confusion over the varying lengths of non-sequential classes makes it hard for students to memorize class schedules. Some classes are an hour long, and other classes are an hour and 15 minutes long. A day’s schedule being “G,” “A,” “F,” then “C” and “D,” for instance, forces students to constantly scan their Google Calendars, checking what class they have next block or looking at which assignments to complete for the next day. Imagine having finished homework for “B” instead of “D” just to realize you didn’t have it the next day. Nonetheless, there is one day that students have only four classes. On Tuesdays after the first class, an hour is designated for club activities, in contrast to last year when clubs barely met once a term. At that time, students often signed up for more than ten clubs but never met in any of them. This year, students can expect to engage in their clubs and have something to write in their college applications, as many desire. Now, here is my question: we have plenty of time to study and prepare for the future, but where is the time to take care of ourselves? With the loss of an extra 30 minutes of sleep-ins on Wednesdays and a short chat with your friends during Help, we are busy rushing off to our next class after barely finishing the corrections for Chemistry. Sometimes, you don’t have time to head back to the dorms to finish homework or retrieve a forgotten item. Growing and nurturing time management skills and responsibility is crucial for students to learn in school, but having an overly strict schedule could ironically deteriorate students’ ability to manage their time when they have the freedom to choose what they can do. I believe that some freedom should be allowed for students to make choices about utilizing their time, not only because there isn’t enough leisure time for students to rest physically and mentally, but also because students need to gain independence. As we go up in grade levels, we should be given more liberty to prepare for the future, plan schedules, and manage time ourselves. Previous Next

< Back The kin-nection May 9, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM Jack Pollinger '26 The Class of 2029 will include siblings of current Mercersburg students. Those who don’t encounter this circumstance may look at this situation and say, “That’s so cool. They’ll be at the same boarding school together!” But is this a good thing? That depends on who you ask. For some students, having a sibling on campus can be comforting. It can ease homesickness, provide someone to talk to, and create opportunities for shared experiences that few siblings ever get to have, like cheering each other on at games, running into each other at the dining hall, even just knowing that someone familiar is only a few dorms away. In a place as busy as Mercersburg, that sense of family can act as a safety net. But for others, it’s more complicated. For many students, boarding school is a place to build a new identity and discover who they are, perhaps develop independence away from home. When your sibling is just down the hall, or even worse, in your classes or friend group, discovering that sense of self can be a little harder than expected. There’s the constant potential for comparison, for unwanted overlap, or even just the pressure of feeling watched by others. While some students are best friends with their siblings, others might not always want to see each other, especially during the stressful parts of the year that might define their high school years. You can already see both sides of the experience playing out on campus: some siblings thrive in each other’s company–older brothers walking their younger sisters to practice, siblings swapping dining hall stories or even studying together. However, some barely cross paths or seem to intentionally keep their distance from one another to the point that it seems like they hardly know each other. For younger siblings, especially, coming to a school where their older sibling already has a reputation, whether it be good or bad, can feel like stepping into a shadow. Teachers, coaches, and even classmates might expect them to act a certain way, play the same sport, or achieve the same academic performance. That pressure to “live up” can be exhausting, especially for students who just want to be seen as an individual and have a fresh start. So, is having a sibling at Mercersburg a blessing or a burden? Truthfully, it's both, and how that plays out depends entirely on the sibling dynamics. But one thing’s for sure: as the class of 2029 moves in, more families are about to find out. Previous Next

< Back Qatari controversy December 9, 2022 at 12:00:00 PM Anish Shrestha '24 When I think of the World Cup, I imagine myself glued to my couch with my eyes fixed on the TV during a relaxing summer vacation (Shakira also comes to mind); So now, it's a bit odd to watch the World Cup during Thanksgiving dinner, to say the least. For soccer fans at Mercersburg, this month will be full of early morning and mid-class viewings of this rendition of the World Cup in Qatar. Ideally, I don’t want to have to choose between getting a good night’s sleep and waking up at 5:00 am to watch Messi’s Argentina face off against Saudi Arabia in what should be a routine win (it was not). Nor do I want the USA and Iran scoreline bothering me during APUSH. Beyond my entitled grievances with this tournament, there are far more severe consequences of hosting the World Cup in Qatar. For starters, to build the venues for the competition, Qatar imported thousands of foreign workers. Nearly 6,500 South and Southeast Asian migrant laborers lost their lives while constructing Qatar’s host stadiums. In contrast, the number of deaths to laborers at the South Africa and Brazil World Cups can be counted on two hands. Unfortunately, the deaths could have been prevented by adherence to humane working conditions on the part of supervisors and employers. Migrant workers faced passport seizure preventing them from escaping their brutal and hostile workplaces. Stadium construction and the World Cup, itself, were only possible due to forced migrant labor. Mistreatment of migrant workers has been widely reported for the past year or so, yet FIFA failed to revoke Qatar’s host status or even condemn its blatant violation of human rights. Unnecessary worker deaths were the truth that Qatar, FIFA, and the world have chosen to overlook for the sake of the world’s entertainment. If FIFA wanted to increase the popularity of soccer in Western Asia and the Middle East, why not host the tournament in Saudi Arabia, a nation that has its own developed domestic league and stadiums? Tunisia, Morocco, or Algeria would have all been much more fitting hosts, given their rich soccer cultures and histories. And this is not the first time FIFA has come under criticism for its World Cup planning. The previous host nation was Russia in 2018; Putin seized the stage and awarded medals to the winners at the finals. Less than three years later, Putin initiated a full-on invasion of Ukraine, an aggression that effectively banned the Russian national team from competing in this World Cup: not a good look for FIFA in hindsight. And despite its years of preparation for this World Cup, Qatar failed to impress where it matters most: on the pitch. In their brief stint in the tournament, the Qatari national team was humiliated as the first host nation in the history of the competition to lose its opening match (courtesy of Enner Valencia and Ecuador) failing to even win a single game. Why should a nation that has never qualified for the World Cup based on merit be chosen as a host nation to begin with? The motivation behind hosting this World Cup in Qatar seems to have been a purely financial decision for FIFA, not one born out of a love or even care for the game. The World Cup is heralded as a global event that unites people of different walks of life across the boundaries of race, culture, and creed, yet the Qatari games have been full of nothing but controversy and corruption. Previous Next

< Back Lights, Camera, No Action? January 27, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Anish Shrestha '24 On our highly driven campus, anxiety naturally rises when discussions of college come up during lower-middle year. References to early decision, the CommonApp, and SATs are all tossed around apprehensively. Yet one word (or two actually) currently dominate national headlines: affirmative action. Recently the Supreme Court heard the cases SSFA v. Harvard and SSFA v. UNC , and now the future of affirmative action lies in the hands of a predominantly Republican-controlled court. Legal analysts are already forecasting the program’s imminent demise by the next application cycle. If you’re worried about what this might mean for you as a prospective applicant, I’m certain your college counselor can advise you better than I ever could; I’m here to discuss why affirmative action requires revision and how it is indicative of America’s systemic pattern of socioeconomic and racial inequality. As the plaintiffs in the Harvard and UNC cases, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) has acclaimed nationwide attention as a nonprofit representing predominantly Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Under Executive Order, John F. Kennedy established "affirmative action to ensure that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” Whereas affirmative action was intended to grant total equality irrespective of race or color, the students in the case feel that they’ve been wrongly denied in favor of other underrepresented minorities. In supposed alignment with the original principles of the civil rights movement, SFFA argues that “a student’s race and ethnicity should not be factors that either harm or help that student to gain admission to a competitive university.” In layman’s terms, their allegation is the same affirmative action used to protect the equality of all minorities is now pitting opposing racial minorities against each other for spots at elite schools. Completely repealing affirmative action would detract from decades of progress in racial, gender, and socioeconomic representation in higher education. Considering that there is a historic correlation between socioeconomic status and race, one could say that the two go hand-in-hand. As a consequence of xenophobia and systemic racism, issues like redlining and city funding deficits have prevented generations of people of color from accessing quality education. Affirmative action has simply been used to paper over the cracks. What we really need, however, is to reform affirmative action to rest on the grounds of socioeconomic status as a whole and not entirely on race. If need-based admissions take precedence over race-blind admissions, then college campuses stand to benefit from a plurality in the student body that feature all kinds of walks of life crossing race, creed, and political orientation. Even with government measures such as the No Child Left Behind Act, public schools are still struggling to bridge the gap between underprivileged and upper-class education. With the plethora of educational opportunities available in public, private, charter, boarding, and home schooling, a universal education system is seemingly impossible. Nonetheless, we still must invest more in public education to level the playing field for the sake of equity and the future of the nation. That being said, affirmative action (as it is) only puts a measly bandage on the nation’s deep wounds caused by the systemic oppression of minorities. It’s about time we have a serious conversation about the equity of the American education system from K through 12 rather than just about the end product of the college admissions process. Previous Next