CENSORSHIP IN SCHOOLS
SPARKS DEBATE
By Ahmed Huossein
Editor’s Note: Views expressed in this article are
solely from the author's opinions and beliefs.
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Censorship is the suppression of information and can be carried out through the banning of books, films, and other forms of media that convey messages deemed inappropriate or threatening. Recently, state governments and school boards have attempted to censor topics that are taught in schools, such as depictions of the Holocaust in literature and teaching the Critical Race Theory.
Contrary to the popular belief that teachers have a significant role in determining what is censored in our curriculum, the truth is, school boards hold the most influence. Often problems arise when parents or administrators judge material to be unsuitable or offensive in a school environment. This leads to the school board taking immediate action - banning “supposed” inappropriate materials. When this occurs, a student’s freedom of speech and right to knowledge is limited.
Maus is a graphic novel written by Art Spiegelman, covering the story of a Holocaust survivor. As of January 2022, this book has been banned by a school board in Tennessee as it was regarded as improper for students to learn about. According to an article from The New York Times titled “School Board in Tennessee Bans Teaching of Holocaust Novel ‘Maus’” by Jenny Gross, states, “ ‘It’s depressing to see this happen anywhere in the country, and when it comes to censoring an easy way to reach children and teach them about the Holocaust, it’s particularly disturbing,’ [Representative Steve Cohen, Democrat of Tennessee and the state’s first Jewish congressman] said in an interview.”
According to an article from Webjunction titled, “Censorship and the First Amendment in Schools: A Resource Guide” by the National Coalition Against Censorship, “Censorship is particularly harmful in the schools because it prevents students with inquiring minds from exploring the world, seeking truth and reason, stretching their intellectual capacities, and becoming critical thinkers. When the classroom environment is chilled, honest exchange of views is replaced by guarded discourse and teachers lose the ability to guide their students effectively.”
Bayside High School sophomore Tejas Modi expresses, “Censorship definitely has a negative impact on students. Real historical events shouldn’t be censored… Censorship in school is growing as schools and governments lately have been in the news for constantly attempting to ban new material.”
Critical race theory is a theory that studies racism as a social construct and the impact of racism on the justice system. Supporters of the movement criticize the U.S. and its institutions for being inherently racist.
An article from Education Week titled “Efforts to Ban Critical Race Theory Could Restrict Teaching for a Third of America’s Kids”, reports that “Local pressure by parent groups or community members often led to the same end result that the state-level bans are having. According to the report: Teachers were afraid to discuss race, racism, and gender and sexual identity topics in the classroom, not knowing what they might say that will land them in disciplinary trouble.” Because of attempts to ban critical race theory, teachers have felt the need to withdraw from speaking on important topics.
Bayside High School History teacher Mr. Cercone says, “I think the author Stephen King put it best when he said if somebody bans a book, immediately go out and read it. It is important to evaluate what people do not want you to know. When elementary schoolers are exposed to topics they might have trouble interpreting, I can see why censorship might be a consideration. I think censorship in education over my career has gotten more strict on the national level.”
Despite censorship being a controversial topic for schools to continue doing, voices and criticisms of our society and institutions are still being heard through other outlets.
​SPACE PRIZE: INCORPORATING
MORE WOMEN IN STEM
By Sophia Sewpersad
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In recent years, the motivation to travel to space and to explore new aspects of our universe has significantly risen and younger generations seemingly have a newfound love for aeronautics and careers surrounding it. Enter: Space Prize. The Space Prize Challenge is a city-wide challenge designed to encourage STEM and affiliated careers in the space industry for all women in public high schools. Bayside High School, one of the many high schools taking part in this event, sent five talented and brilliant women in STEM to participate and win the opportunity of a lifetime. Our participants, Kimberly Arichabala, Alina Ashraf, Britney Bowes, Ivy Kang, and Christina Ng, all became finalists for our borough and were featured on a Times Square billboard after experiencing a space simulation at the Challenger Center in Manhattan. Two of our finalists, Britney and Ivy, went on to attend a weekend space camp in Huntsville, Alabama, where they had a first-hand experience of what an astronaut does, as well as the opportunity to meet American astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson, during their stay.
After their trip to Huntsville, the Bayside group attended a Manhattan gala where Alina won the borough prize and received a zero-gravity trip to space later this year as well as a mentorship with a leading female astronaut. So, what inspired these women, and how do they expect to help lead this revolutionary stage of science?
Kimberly mentions close family and teachers, saying, “Throughout my life, there have been three primary women who have sparked my interest in space and STEM. These women include my mother Luisa, my sister Karina, and my physics teacher Mrs. Norwich… These women are incredibly inspiring and continue to change lives every day. Their influence is something I am eternally grateful for.”
Inspired by her childhood, Christina mentions astronomer Amy Mainzer, “In my eyes, when I was a kid, I thought it was cool that there was a woman who worked in this field. It was always fun to watch and listen to her talk about something she worked to be in and that made me work even harder and like science in general.”
Following her win, Alina spoke about the experience and how she’s still learning from it, saying, “I hoped to gain knowledge on what it truly means to be an astronaut and the wide variety of fields within STEM. I hoped to experience being a part of a group of women who hold the same interests in bridging the gender gap within STEM whilst going for their passions… I realized that to succeed, we cannot always challenge ourselves, and asking for help is one of the best ways to grow, especially when you’re young and mapping out your future career and interests.”
In modern times like these, opportunities like the Space Prize are perfect for young women to participate in and have an experience of a lifetime. The goal is to not have just one group, but multiple groups of women take part in this opportunity to grow and learn more about themselves and the careers that they want to pursue in the years to come.
Ivy Kang emphasizes, “Do it for the times' girls who have been told to just sit pretty. Do it for the patronizing glances of men who feel threatened by a dwindle of control. Do it for yourself, for a world you can be proud of living in. We have waited long enough. Go for it.”
Correspondingly, Britney encourages other girls, saying, “You have to believe the incomprehensible is comprehensible, that the unfathomable is fathomable, that the seemingly impossible is possible – otherwise you’ll never be able to achieve it.”
Congratulations to these five talented Bayside High School women for participating and enjoying this experience!