opinions » oped
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.
Who can you trust?
By Ryan Handel | Jan. 11, 2017, 1:04 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Throughout much of America's history, the media was highly trusted by the American public as a reliable source of news. Unfortunately, those days are long gone. In an age in which fake news is more common than ever, it is necessary to get information from reliable sources and double check stories that seem unreasonable.
Lifting the veil on the rise of German Islamophobia
By Amy Forsbacka | Jan. 9, 2017, 1:11 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a ban on the full face veil in a speech at her party's conference. She said wearing the veil, called niqabs and burkas, was not appropriate in Germany. However, banning the veil does not encourage the cultural assimilation of migrant women.
Why Promethean?
By Amy Forsbacka | Dec. 23, 2016, 1:45 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Integrating technology in classrooms sounds groundbreaking, but the reality is not so glamourous. When Promethean boards started popping up in classrooms all around Montgomery County in 2008, it sounded like the perfect technology - designed to make learning interactive and to bring the fresh face of the 21st century to the classroom. But eight years later, those shiny dreams have come up short.
Snapchat streaking in style
By Pedraam Faridjoo | Dec. 2, 2016, 8:34 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Although the average person may not pay much attention to Snapstreaks, for some, keeping a Snapchat streak alive has become a test of friendship, or just a fun challenge to see how many days they can go without forgetting to reply.
The activist power of TV
By Neva Taylor | Nov. 30, 2016, 8:26 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
The national conversation about how to fix the racism, sexism and homophobia in our nation is an ongoing debate and over the past couple of decades, the people of Hollywood, the ones who "make the big bucks," and producers of popular TV shows, have joined the conversation.
I am not a costume
By Maniza Habib | Oct. 31, 2016, 1:10 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
With Halloween just a few days away, expect fall themed lattes, spooky decorations, horror movie marathons and terrifying displays of cultural appropriation.
More than just a team
By Zoe Friedman | Aug. 27, 2016, noon | In Op/Ed »
The presence of refugees at the Games proves that the Olympics are not just a stage for friendly international competition. The Games offer the perfect opportunity to make some noise while the world watches. These refugee Olympians represent a wakeup call to their country's political leaders who have contributed to the refugee crisis.
Never forget
By Ryan Handel | July 22, 2016, 8:57 a.m. | In Op/Ed »
Each day, the number of remaining Holocaust survivors trickles down towards zero. This came into the international spotlight on July 2nd, when Holocaust survivor and acclaimed author Elie Wiesel passed away at the age of 87.
Is nothing sacred?
By Charles Lott | May 26, 2016, 1:21 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Aliens, Lebron James, and Bugs Bunny definitely make my top ten list of things I enjoy watching on TV, but is it a good idea to combine the three? Warner Bros. certainly thinks so, and the final product will be a summer release of a sequel to the famous live action/animation movie, Space Jam.
Welcome to the Blair witch trials
By Charles Lott | May 9, 2016, 12:48 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
What would it be like if the Salem witch trials happened in 2016? Or even at Montgomery Blair High School?
When patience isn't enough
By Zewde Ingram | April 25, 2016, 9:41 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Long lines are more than a pet peeve to American voters; a functioning democracy is at stake. Not only are long lines the issue, but so are the demographics of people who typically fall victim to them: low-income, black and Latino voters.
Picking a bone with David Trone
By Nicholas Shereikis | April 18, 2016, 10:44 a.m. | In Op/Ed »
Campaigning extensively and aggressively over the past few months, 60-year old multimillionaire David Trone has entered the race to become the Democratic nominee for Maryland's eighth Congressional District.
A SCO guide to locker use at Blair
By Charles Lott | March 29, 2016, 10:40 a.m. | In Op/Ed »
In a school of almost 3,000 students, with three stories and tens of hallways, it's hard to get from one end of the building to the other in eight minutes. When you add a stop at a locker to that commute, you're almost guaranteed to be late.
The case for graduation
By Lauren Frost | March 16, 2016, 1:27 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
The County Council needs to approve the proposed budget increase in order to give students the graduation they deserve.
Divination station
By Neida Mbuia Joao | March 14, 2016, 5:47 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
New Age is a movement that gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s as an alternative approach to traditional Western methods of spirituality. In my experience and in that of some fellow Blazers, New Age spirituality can be both fun and serious.
A problem of the present
By Zewde Ingram | March 13, 2016, 12:27 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Montgomery Blair prides itself on its diversity. However, Blair is a rarity in an age when schools are more segregated than in 1971.
How a single inch of snow can shut down the county's schools
By Charles Lott | March 12, 2016, 10:25 a.m. | In Op/Ed »
While it might be easy for schools to reopen quickly in the northernmost tundra of Minnesota or Wisconsin, the DC metropolitan area has good reason to wait out the storm.
The pen is mightier than the keyboard
By Maniza Habib | March 11, 2016, 9 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Writing by hand is slowly becoming an old-fashioned way of learning, and this is detrimental to the education of our students. In an age of rapid technological development, the value of pen and paper should not be forgotten.
Everything you need to know about college financial woes
By Neida Mbuia Joao | March 7, 2016, 1:54 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
In order for students to enter the college decision process informed, they must be aware of the ways in which the institutions to whom they are entrusting thousands of dollars are making financial decisions.
Ooh ah, you wish you were a Blazer!
By Eleanor Cook | March 3, 2016, 1:45 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
In basketball, and all sports, female athletes work just as hard as their male counterparts, and should therefore be given the same respect. Girls' sports teams should be referred to without the preceding "Lady."
Donald Trump and the rise and fall of white nationalism
By Maximillian Foley-Keene | Feb. 17, 2016, 2:35 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
There's plenty to fear about Donald J. Trump. He's a bully, a sexist and a narcissist. But what's even scarier is the rising movement he represents: white nationalism--a movement defined by white identity and opposed to forces of economic and demographic change.
#aesthetic vs. art (Video)
By Ellie Struewing | Feb. 13, 2016, 10:47 a.m. | In Op/Ed »
In the past few months, pictures of the Renwick have appeared on Instagram and Snapchat or Tumblr nearly every day, and to see so many enjoying art isn't discouraging, it's exciting.
More computer science means more opportunities
By Eleanor Cook | Feb. 3, 2016, 7:40 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
The advances in computer science education in the county should be lauded, but need also be pushed further. Computer science should be made a graduation requirement.
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