Behind every purchase is a person; reduce holiday shopping
Michelle Wei, Editor-in-Chief
December 23, 2019
As ornaments are put on the Christmas tree, gelt is eaten, hot chocolate is drunk, ugly Christmas sweaters are worn and the countdown to 2020 begins, it’s clear that the winter holiday season is here. In this time of year, the air thickens with the aroma of gingerbread and anticipation of everythin...
Pro: Discussing the merits and issues with gender-separate classes
Tim Mathas, Opinion Editor
December 18, 2019
Since the opening of Masters’ Middle School in 1986, classes have remained gender-separated for a wide variety of reasons. This was primarily based on research that showed that developing young adults, specifically those who were female, are more successful in a single-sex learning environment. Thes...
11th Grade Drug Education: Too Little Too Late
M. Brody Leo, News Editor
December 18, 2019
From the D.A.R.E. era of the 1980s to the present day, drug use has been a problem at the forefront of many school administrators’ minds, and Masters is no different. We, like the vast majority of the country’s schools, have an irrefutable drug problem that desperately needs a solution, not ...
Con: Discussing the merits and issues of gender-separate classes
Mitch Fink, Sports Lead Editor
December 18, 2019
When the Masters middle school first implemented its policy of gender-separated classes from sixth to eighth grade in the 1990s, it was a result of research showing how boys and girls – especially during the middle school years – learn more successfully when taught separately. However, in the...
Restroom ‘upgrades’ are environmental ‘downgrades’
Logan Schiciano, Editor-in-Chief
December 18, 2019
I expected my classes to stress me out by day’s end, but it was one minuscule “improvement” in the bathrooms that really had me scratching my head. It was the first day back from Thanksgiving break and after a long day of classes I strode up to the third floor of the Fonseca Center (FC) to g...
CON: We cannot tolerate zero tolerance
Nora Fellas, Opinion Lead Editor
December 4, 2019
This academic year, as of Oct. 25, just two months into the year, six upper school students had been expelled for violating the school’s zero tolerance substance abuse policy. Sixteen others faced the possibility of expulsion for their involvement in substance use on campus, but were diverted into Sanct...
PRO: Zero tolerance keeps us safe
Annie Rubinson, News Lead Editor
December 4, 2019
In 2008, students witnessed a classmate suffer a seizure in the middle of Mandarin class. When his belongings were searched, it was determined that he overdosed on illegal drugs dealt to him by an upperclassman. In response, Masters implemented a zero tolerance drugs and alcohol policy. Recently, how...
Bring back flex lunch!
Ethan Schlapp, Staff Writer
December 4, 2019
When I first received a copy of the new schedule, I was concerned. No flex lunch, school ending later, the introduction of Masters Hour, and an eight-day rotation were some of the changes I noticed immediately. New goals were outlined by the administration, such as a more consistent class schedule, reduced stre...
The internet makes it easier to exploit children
Sophia Van Beek, Copy Editor
December 4, 2019
I don’t use Facebook often, but it takes only about two minutes of scrolling through my feed until I see a picture of a baby or a child. Cute? Maybe. Wrong? Definitely. Whether it’s a photo of a newborn immediately after birth or a post celebrating yet another milestone of the arduous kindergarten...
I repeated tenth grade, now I can’t compete in sports
Sophie Grand, Opinion Editor
December 3, 2019
While I knew the decision to repeat my sophomore year would change my social and educational spheres, I had no idea that it would prevent me from participating in school sports teams. Mid-way through this year’s fall season, I learned that I would not be eligible to participate in sports for my senior year on account of being a repeat st...
Letter to the Editor
November 23, 2019
Following the publication of Tower Volume 76, Issue 2 on Thursday, Nov. 21, a number of members of the Masters community expressed concern with an image on the front page that depicted the flag of the People’s Republic of China with the logo of TikTok, a social media platform, in the upper left han...
Atwood grabs ‘em by the possibilities
Mattilynn Stone, Photo Editor
October 30, 2019
The Testaments” (2019) is a riveting sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985) by Margaret Atwood. It’s a powerful novel about three unlikely women coming together and telling their stories despite the risks. The three main characters are Agnes, the daughter of an important commander who stru...