opinions

Students' lack of language learning

By Eric Feigen | Jan. 12, 2018, 2:07 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

For some students, four years of hard work in a language program at Blair can result in a deep and holistic understanding of a foreign language. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case.

Resist the violence, end the silence

By Mahnaz Habib | Dec. 19, 2017, 3:08 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Nur Jahan, age 85, fled Kuinnyapara village in Myanmar and was forced to find refuge in Bangladesh after witnessing several violent attacks on her village from the Myanmar army. Her son, Abdullah, was killed by the soldiers at age 28. She has seven other children but is unaware of their whereabouts.

The open internet keeps more doors open

By Rebecca Wessel | Dec. 10, 2017, 2:22 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

The fast lane and the slow lane; Netflix versus Hulu; ordering takeout Pizza; modern air travel. All of these have been used as analogies to describe the complex topic of net neutrality, or the open internet. Net Neutrality encompasses a large number of issues such as internet speed, prioritization of some companies over others due to business agreement and ownership and a bundled one-fee plan in comparison to paying for each type of internet content separately.

(Dis)Honor Societies

By Tiara Oldfield | Dec. 5, 2017, 1:06 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

The National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization that recognizes students for their academic achievements, dedication to community service and excellence in leadership and character. Blair and the other 13,000 chapters are supposed to help students develop each of these qualities. However, students largely apply for the boost it gives their resumes, not because they care about growing as a person.

Classes on race will help build bridges

By Oreet Zimand | Nov. 30, 2017, 8:58 a.m. | In Op/Ed »

Our laws illustrate our priorities. From the widest pillars of American democracy to the rules that are made for conduct inside a house, each statute gives information on our beliefs. The right to freedom of speech, for example, states that we believe a democracy can only function when people speak their minds. On the other end of the scale, the fact that you're not allowed to put your shoes on the couch says that your mom cares about keeping her furniture clean.

Victim blaming is the new normal

By Mahnaz Habib | Nov. 29, 2017, 9:31 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

In a country built around the construct of race as a system of power and oppression, victim blaming is just another form of discrimination that people of color face.

#MeToo unites women all over America

By Arthi Thyagarajan | Nov. 29, 2017, 9 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Me too. These two simple words have been repeated on Twitter hundreds of times in the past month, to stand up for women who have been sexual assaulted or harassed in the past. The "Me too" movement has shown how social media can empower women, as it has allowed more and more women to realize that they're not alone.

Multi-sport athletes are coming out on top

By Ryan Handel | Nov. 27, 2017, 2:06 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

A growing sentiment among young athletes is that specialization in one sport is the most efficient way to achieve elite status in that sport, and beat out fellow athletes for a spot on a college roster.

MyMCPS: A decision we had no say in

By Eric Feigen, Nobline Yoo | Oct. 26, 2017, 1:56 p.m. | In Opinions »

From middle school to high school, many students had a best friend named Edline, who knew everything about them from their daily attendance, to the grades they received on assignments. But when school started this year, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) told them that Edline was no longer being used. With no recollection of giving input into the decision, students found themselves crashing head-first into a new system with almost no warning.

A teacher's political opinion should be left out of the class

By Nene Narh-Mensah | Oct. 19, 2017, 10:29 a.m. | In Op/Ed »

Teachers are among the most influential people in a student's life, but one area which teachers should not influence students is the political arena.

STEM education for all

By Reethi Padmanabhan | Aug. 26, 2017, 9:12 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Everyone deserves to have access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) resources, programs and opportunities regardless of their race, religion or gender. This should go without saying, but a recent event has demonstrated that even today, politics can come between girls and STEM opportunities by preventing an all-girls team from Afghanistan from entering the United States for an international robotics competition.

Keeping it in the family?

By Emma Markus | Aug. 9, 2017, 6:17 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Busing around town

By Madeleine Tilley | Aug. 3, 2017, 8:46 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

In an era of Uber, Lyft and many personal vehicles, cars contribute a lot to climate change. All of the carbon dioxide that cars emit damages the environment every time they are used. While some buses also emit the same amount of carbon dioxide, public transportation is a much greener option because many people are going to the same place, using the same vehicle, which decreases the carbon emissions would emit if they had gone separately.

Pressure to be perfect

By Mahnaz Habib | July 31, 2017, 3:27 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

A few reasons why not

By Lauren Frost | May 31, 2017, 8:18 a.m. | In Op/Ed »

"I'm about to tell you the story of my life – more specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to this tape, you're one of the reasons why."

Break the mold: A look back at the Women's March

By Sandeep David | May 19, 2017, 8:37 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

January 21, 2017 marked the second-highest Metro ridership and highest weekend Metro ridership in history, the primary reason for which being the Women's March On Washington. The Women's March was the biggest protest in American history, with millions of people raising their voices in solidarity. Even with its record-setting attendance and progressive message, the prevalence of white feminism overpowered other voices that matter.

How to spot a fire technician

By Amy Forsbacka | April 20, 2017, 2:04 p.m. | In Humor »

White + male + upcounty = Our next SMOB

By Lauren Frost | April 18, 2017, 9:16 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Although Montgomery County has an array of students from different backgrounds, the majority of the SMOB candidates all come from the same one. There needs to be more diversity among SMOB candidates to have different and more diverse issues raised and to better represent the county's array of different people.

#FreeTheStudents

By Neva Taylor | March 20, 2017, 2:07 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Students who are almost legal adults have little real freedom in high school, and this should change. Students deserve a more liberal arts-style curriculum, one that can give students some educational freedom.

Varsity athletes should not be required to take gym

By Ellie Williams | March 10, 2017, 1:40 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Every high schooler has to take one year of a physical education course in order to graduate. However, when students participate in school or club sports, they are getting the exercise that Physical Education (PE) classes provide, and should be exempt.

The U.S. is not ready for complete automation

By Ryan Handel | Feb. 22, 2017, 1:23 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Amazon has announced the opening of the first automated grocery store, called Amazon Go, which will have no checkout lines or cashiers. This signals the beginning of a futuristic era in which machines will perform more and more of the the tasks that humans used to do, but with increased efficiency and decreased cost.

Is College Board evil?

By Nate Bodner | Feb. 17, 2017, 2:15 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Sometime in the last fifty years or so, the idea of Advanced Placement (AP) classes, SAT tests and College Board as a whole, has been corrupted. The non-profit draws criticism in nearly every aspect of what it does, not the least of which is being a non-profit.

Are colleges truly diverse?

By Ryan Handel | Feb. 15, 2017, 1:07 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Nowadays, most top universities have everything a prospective student would desire in a place of higher education. However, hiding behind these amenities is a major weakness afflicting these universities: a startling lack of political diversity.

Religion or culture?

By Nate Bodner | Jan. 26, 2017, 1 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Christmas is not just a religious holiday anymore, as it has been accepted by nearly all Americans, regardless of religion. While the holiday still holds religious significance, it is undeniable that the Christmas season has become a part of American culture that largely leaves out the actual religious aspect of the holiday.

Showing a war through a screen

By Amy Forsbacka | Jan. 14, 2017, 1:17 p.m. | In Op/Ed »

Bana Alabed, seven, is a little Syrian girl bringing the daily struggles of living in a war zone and what is happening inside of Aleppo to the forefront of national media. Her medium for doing this? Twitter. During Syria's civil war, social media is helping the international community care more about the Aleppo conflict by directly seeing how it affects those living in Aleppo.