Why Numbers Matter
Leah Pothel '21, Opinions Editor
May 31, 2020
When the coronavirus ramped up, schools across the country had no choice but to shut down. They did, however, face an important and contentious decision about how students would be assessed for spring term. Schools could either choose to switch to a pass/fail system or continue to assign a specific numbe...
The Case for a Fall Return
The Editorial Board
May 31, 2020
With Prize Day looming and summer stretching beyond it, attention is shifting towards the single most important question of the next year: should students return to campus in the fall? If we look to the most recent scientific studies and examine the global consensus, the results are compelling: come Se...
Online APs: The Wrong Enemy
Evan Cheigh '22 and Jiacheng Kang '22
May 31, 2020
Due to COVID-19, the nature of the Advanced Placement (AP) exams had to change — the alternative being the entire cancellation of the program. In a survey conducted by the College Board (CB) in early spring, 91% of students expressed a desire to take the tests. As a result, the CB created a new, f...
We Can’t Let the Culprit Become the Hero
April 28, 2020
As of April 28, COVID-19 has infected more than 2.9 million people across the world and claimed over 205,000 lives. This deadly pandemic — which has ravaged the global economy, locked billions of people in their homes, and necessitated a war-like response from the government and the private sector —...
The Pilot is Stupid and the Autopilot Sucks
April 28, 2020
While Trump congratulated himself on his “very serious” travel ban on China in early February, COVID-19 was already spreading across the nation, unhindered by travel restrictions and aided by government officials downplaying the imminent danger. The coronavirus has exposed not only the administra...
The Forgotten Evil of American Politics
Anuj Agarwal '21, Assistant Opinions Editor
April 28, 2020
When someone says “politician,” many people immediately think of the word “corrupt.” This stereotype is more prevalent in America than in almost every other developed country. According to a survey conducted by Transparency International in 2017, almost 7 out of every 10 Americans believe the ...
Traditions Have Expiration Dates Too
Jiacheng Kang '22, Breaking News Reporter
April 28, 2020
St. Mark’s Day. Check-in. Surprise Holiday. The interminable cycle of traditions define our lives on the Circle, yet we tend to forget the traditions that we no longer have. We no longer condone 6-5-4. We are no longer an all-boys school. We no longer shape the character of our students through “m...
The Groton Community – Online Edition
April 28, 2020
After Groton transitioned to online classes, many students feared that we will not be able to maintain the community that we all enjoy. However, from my siblings and my own experience at Stanford Online High School (Stanford OHS), I know that we can keep the closeness and togetherness of the Groton ...
Deaths vs. Dollars
Alisa Gulyansky '24
April 28, 2020
The United States has now surpassed all other countries in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. Meanwhile, our economy has crumbled. With the virus quickly becoming a double-edged sword, government officials are now forced to redefine our priorities: the success of the economy or the health of...
An Unaddressed Fallacy
April 28, 2020
The streets of Los Angeles and New York seem apocalyptic. Yet, all too often, we see young Americans mocking social distancing guidelines over social media. In the past few weeks, American cases have grown exponentially; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the US has more than 957,0...
Celebrities & COVID-19
April 28, 2020
The definition of “celebrity” is ever-evolving, now encompassing tech giants, athletes, social media stars, and political figures. In this new world permeated by COVID-19, celebrities must be prioritized more than ever because they interact with thousands more people than average citizens. For a st...
Groton School Primary
March 8, 2020
As the Democratic nominee field continues to narrow, many students and teachers engage in political discussions inside and outside of the classroom. The geographical diversity of Groton’s student body is accompanied by a similarly wide range of backgrounds and opinions, which stimulate these dynamic d...
It’s Time to Change Protected Period
Cam Nguyen '22 and Zola Sayers-Fay '22
March 7, 2020
The goal of protected period is to assess students without putting them under the enormous stress of an exam week, especially after a cold and dark term. According to Academic Dean Katherine Leggat, “Protected period has always been an integral part of Groton. It’s been here even before I arrived...
Run, Zebras, Run! Acceleration at Groton
Elizabeth Wolfram '23 and Aimee Zheng '23
March 7, 2020
Imagine being told that you are not allowed to accelerate academically by skipping course levels, just because other people would feel pressured to do so as well. Despite the peer pressure it might generate, having the freedom to accelerate is one of the best aspects of Groton. Due to the amount of extra work acceleration demands, it self...
The Irony of COVID-19
Christina Chen '23, Vivan Das '23 and Zhining Zhao '23
March 7, 2020
In mid-December last year, ophthalmologist Li Wenliang warned his medical school classmates about the possibility of a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Wuhan. But on January 3, 2020, the police department of Wuhan ordered Dr. Li to stop spreading “false information.” Fast forward...
D&I is Inherently Political
Brooks Anderson '20, Columnist
March 7, 2020
Disclosure: I am both a registered Democrat and a member of the Diversity and Inclusion group. The Diversity and Inclusion group (D&I) is inherently political. To be clear at the outset, I do not disagree with the principles or work of D&I. Yet, I firmly contest its assertion th...
“Freedom Dividend:” Not Feasible in the Land of the Free
Alisa Gulyansky '24 and Eleanor Taggart '24
February 12, 2020
As we advance into a new era of American politics, the prospect of moving toward a socialist or social-democratic style of government is becoming more mainstream. With candidates like Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Andrew Yang running in the upcoming presidential election, this prospect has beg...
Embrace the Groton Grind
February 12, 2020
During one of the first Chapel Talks I heard at Groton, Headmaster Temba Maqubela spoke about redefining the infamous “Groton grind” as the “Groton embrace.” The words did little to disguise the reality of Groton — Groton is a difficult school. The natural question, given the increasing e...
Should Congress Have Condemned China?
Lawrence Li '23, Jiacheng Kang '22, Steven Pang '22, and Zhining Zhao '23
February 11, 2020
In 2017, China created “ Vocational Education and Training Centers” as a form of forced cultural assimilation directed toward Uighur Muslims. The camps entail prohibitions against religion, a ban on languages other than Chinese, and the enforcement of Chinese ideologies on residents. These camps w...
Unnecessary and Unwanted: Trump’s Iranian Crisis
February 11, 2020
Former Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was recently assassinated through an American drone strike in Iraq. This killing has drawn criticism both from Democrats and foreign leaders like British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, but the Trump administration argues that the killing helped subvert the like...
The Dangers of Groton’s Echo Chamber
Alisa Gulyansky '24
December 20, 2019
When I first set foot on the Circle, I was in for a major culture shock: coming from a conservative public school in a conservative Floridian town, I was not used to the overtly left wing culture at Groton. At my old school, talking about politics was considered taboo; teachers’ jobs were on the line if the...
How to Get to Carnegie Hall
Allison Jiang, Assistant Arts Editor
December 20, 2019
It’s a classic New Yorker joke: on the intersection of 57th Street and Seventh Avenue of New York City, a man asks a passerby for directions. He asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Upon closer examination, the passerby turns out to be Jascha Heifetz, acclaimed violinist and virtuoso, who ans...
Should We Keep 6-5-4?
Elizabeth Wolfram ’23, Zhining Zhao ’23, and Erin Dollard ’20
December 20, 2019
In today’s world, the unjust vilification of institutions and traditions is all too common. Groton is no exception: over the years, 6-5-4 has been misrepresented time and again. We must defend the institution of 6-5-4, which is integral to the character of the School and honors the hard work, dedi...
Fake News and Dollar Bills
Kellen O'Donnell '22
December 20, 2019
The media within the United States has controlled the political realm dating back to our Founding Fathers. However, since the 2016 presidential election race, the influence of media in politics has become far too polarizing. In 2016, huge scandals on both sides of the race created tremendous opportu...
Trump’s Shot at Reelection
Brooks Anderson '20, Columnist
December 20, 2019
Donald Trump will likely be re-elected in 2020. The economy is strong, the Democratic candidates are weak, and impeachment is a colossal liability. That’s not even to mention the fierce popularity Trump still enjoys with his base and the lockstep approval he’s obtained from party leadership. It ...
Civil Rights For The LGBTQ Community
Leah Pothel '21, Assistant Opinions Editor
October 13, 2019
In 2013, Gerald Bostock was fired for “conduct unbecoming” after he joined a predominantly gay softball league that was created as a safe space for the LGBTQ community in Atlanta. Bostock had worked as the coordinator of child welfare services for a county government office in Georgia. He claimed t...
Piracy of Privacy: FBI Subpoenas
October 13, 2019
Not long ago, times were simpler –– at least technologically. Personal information was kept in cards, logs, and fiche film, and digital privacy laws were weak or nonexistent. However, in this new digital world, law enforcement has begun the widespread collection of personal information through or...
Protecting British Democracy: Boris Johnson Should Resign
Jared Gura '22 and Jiacheng Kang ’22
October 13, 2019
On September 24, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom unanimously ruled that Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson’s suspension of Parliament was unlawful and an obstruction of democracy. The intervention of the Supreme Court underscores the gravity of the situation, as it rarely involves itself in...
Should the Hong Kongers Keep Protesting?
Evan Cheigh '22, Jiacheng Kang '22, Steven Pang '22, and Tyler Weisberg ’22
October 13, 2019
On September 4, after months of protests, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam withdrew the controversial extradition bill that allowed Hong Kongers to be tried in China. The protests, however; did not end there. In fact, they have evolved into a turbulent movement for democracy in Hong Kong that...
Destruction of the Presidency: Anderson’s Authority
October 13, 2019
It is an impressive feat to fully extinguish all the prestige and tradition of an office, especially such a vaunted one as the presidency, in only three years. Most presidents attempt to rollback or alter the policy achievements of their predecessors, but none have completely defiled the office itself as ef...
Destruction of the Presidency: Garett’s Gospel
October 13, 2019
The greatest myth of the presidency is that the ethical code of the office’s occupant must match the respect the nation owes to the office itself. The office of the president is a symbol of democracy, the embodiment of our trailblazing ability to peacefully transfer power from one opposing side to...
Feel the Bern: Why Sanders is “Most Electable”
September 24, 2019
Many Democratic voters nowadays are concerned with electability. According to August polls conducted by The Economist and YouGov, Democratic voters would rather vote for a candidate who would beat Trump than one who shares their policies. Jill Biden continued to perpetuate this line of thought in her...
A Constitutional Reg Flag
Brooks Anderson '20, Columnist
September 21, 2019
It has become clear to the vast majority of Americans that “thoughts and prayers” are no longer enough. In the wake of the Parkland shooting, there have been numerous calls for legislative action to implement stronger gun control laws on both state and federal levels. These calls have been amplified...
Erosion of Democracy
Jack Wilmerding '19, Assistant Opinions Editor
February 5, 2019
A recent Groton alumnus, Victor Liu ’17, is currently forbidden from leaving China, with no charges against him. The Chinese authorities are after his father, Liu Changming, an alleged $1.4 billion fraudster who has evaded authorities for years, and they are using Victor and his sister as hostages...
Should We Livestream Chapel?
Lars Caspersen '19, Humor Editor
February 5, 2019
Aren’t you tired of waiting in line to get in to chapel? I sure am. So I decided that I might improve upon the engineering class’s best efforts to reduce this wait. To streamline logistics Groton needs to get with the times and allow students to enter chapel virtually. We should live-stream chapel. The...
Why I Would Send my Daughter to Groton
Lilias Kim '19, Arts Editor
February 5, 2019
Last night my mother called. She asked me, “Would you ever send your daughter to Groton?” After a long pause I replied, “Yes.” The silence on her end told me she was surprised. And I understood why. A few years ago were St. Paul’s sexual assault case and the Boston Globe Spotlight ...
Time to Abolish Intervis
Abby Kirk '19, Assistant News Editor
December 18, 2018
Intervisitation is a broken system that actively prevents the formation of a healthy culture around sexuality at Groton. Intervis is intended for members of the opposite sex to visit in each other’s rooms while a faculty member is on duty, the door is propped open, and the lights are turned on. ...
Peer Counseling: An Analysis
Yumin Shivdasani '20, Assistant Opinions Editor
December 18, 2018
The peer counseling program undeniably maintains and promotes the mental wellbeing of students on the Circle, but shortcomings in the system prevent certain groups of students from reaping its benefits. Lower Schoolers have observed the efficacy of peer counseling; for example, Jacinta Lopez Guzman ’22...
Catastrophic Global Warming: President Trump, Just Stop It
Brooks Anderson '20, Columnist
December 18, 2018
Wildfires. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Flooding. The consequences of climate change and global warming are nigh. It’s impossible to claim that only in a few decades this will be a real problem. It’s a real problem right now. We are killing ourselves. Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be up...
Vaping in America: a Buzzing Issue
Jack Wilmerding '19, Assistant Opinions Editor
December 18, 2018
Vaping, particularly Juuling, has wormed its way into high school and college campuses across the country. While the explosion of Juuling is unhealthy for all age groups, it is especially damaging to minors due to nicotine’s effect on developing brains. Per Business Insider, Boston Children’s Hospital...