The Circle Voice

The Meme Wall as a Voice of Change

The Meme Wall as a Voice of Change

Alisa Gulyansky , Opinion's Editor February 1, 2023

What do photos of Drake, Ziggy Bereday’s latest haircut fiasco, and characters from The Office have in common? At Groton School, they are all voices of change. Among the Groton Meme Wall, featuring a...

Courtesy of Creative Commons

Mahsa Amini and College Instagrams: A Cry for Help From Iranian Women

Elizabeth Wolfram '23 December 15, 2022

A typical post on the Harvard University Instagram has anywhere between 30 and 150 comments. On October 2nd, a generic, benign post featuring a “Fall day study session” had 178,932 comments. Almost...

Courtesy of M. Matsui 23

To Rank or To Not: the Rationality of Abandoning Educational Rankings

Evan Khym '24, News Editor December 15, 2022

On November 16th, Yale Law School released a notice announcing the end of its participation in the US News National Law School Rankings. Within the next week, nine T14 law schools, a term coined by the...

Courtesy of C. Zheng 23

Sustainability in the Strategic Framework

Amy Ma December 15, 2022

Walking out of the CPAC after Mr. Pyne introduced the 2030 Strategic Framework, I felt like something was missing. At first glance, the renewed commitment to D&I, GRAIN 2.0, counseling, and GEOs...

Courtesy of C. Zheng 23

The Dangers of Groton’s Dining Culture

Caroline Creasy '25, Staff Writer December 15, 2022

Under the pressures of Groton’s cutthroat “grind culture,” it has become a common occurrence for Groton students to prioritize school work above all else. However, it is perhaps too far to allow...

The Circle’s Lost Legacy

Arjun Ray '24 June 5, 2022

During the sixties, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Boston in April 1965 to lead Boston’s first large-scale march for freedom. Among its nearly 22,000 attendants was an enthusiastic squad of...

Groton Student Survey Responses

*All results come from the same survey conducted via All-student email, for which 84 respondents participated.   D&I (On a scale where 1 is not enough, and 10 is plenty) A number of...

A Double-Whammy to SCOTUS’ Legacy

A Double-Whammy to SCOTUS’ Legacy

Arjun Ray '24 May 28, 2022

The American public’s faith in its federal government has been eroding at an accelerating pace in recent years, and with good reason: the Executive branch has been the centerpiece of controversy since...

Is Water Wet?

Joy Cao '24 and Jiacheng Kang '22 February 15, 2022

Water is wet. Is water wet? It's a timeless conversation that has dogged philosophers for generations. And yet, oftentimes it’s the easy proofs that are often overlooked because of their deceptive...

Why The Freedom to Vote Act Was Doomed to Fail and Here’s What to Do Instead

Eric Ge '24 February 15, 2022

From the January 6th Capitol riots to President Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud, the 2020 presidential election was a chaotic and challenging time for the US government and even the foundations...

The Kang Doctrine — We Can’t Blame Students for Fixating on their Grades

Jiacheng Kang '22 February 15, 2022

I am someone who cares a great deal about my grades. If you take a look at my teacher’s comments from term to term, you’d find an endless slew of “suggestions” to “focus less on the grade”...

Revitalize Groton’s Legacy: A Defense of Moderates

Arjun Ray '24 February 15, 2022

Today’s politics are characterized by unprecedented polarization, a lack of decency and hardline partisan culture. The combination of these factors, along with the Democrats’ thin Senate lead, have...

Why Students Should Use the Circle Voice as an Outlet for their Opinions

Elizabeth Wolfram '23 February 15, 2022

Following the herd is easy. There’s very little risk. Leading the herd in a new direction takes bravery, but it is often the only way to discover new pastures. In 1969, Walter Mead stepped out of...

There are Only Two Sexes*, but Gender does not Exist

Alisa Gulyansky '24 February 10, 2022

So you identify as an attack helicopter. How does it feel to be the king of comedy? Ultimately, I know that people who self-identify as “attack helicopters” are just making a ridiculously unfunny...

Creative Commons

Kyle Rittenhouse: Neither the Villain nor the Hero

Steven Pang '22 and Joon Yeon Whang '23 December 21, 2021

The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict has drawn both the ire and admiration of those all over the political spectrum. With Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty of all charges, some champion it as a victory for a gun-holding...

Its Time to Eliminate APs

It’s Time to Eliminate APs

Alisa Gulyansky ‘24 December 14, 2021

It is no unpopular opinion among Groton students to detest the entire AP system with a burning passion. However, we rarely think about the prospect that we can actually get rid of APs at Groton with great...

How to Invest After China’s Trillion Dollar Crackdown

Eric Ge '24 October 30, 2021

1.5 trillion dollars. This was the amount wiped off Hong Kong and Chinese mainland stock exchanges in the last week of July alone. Amid rapid and unpredictable government crackdowns, China’s largest...

Credit to Creative Commons

What’s Really Behind the Planes in Taiwan

Michael Lu '24 October 30, 2021

China is not on the verge of war with Taiwan. Though you may have come to believe otherwise after reading last week’s headlines, proclaiming “Brazen China Steadily Ramps Up Warplane Flights in Taiwan’s...

A List of School Restrictions That Don’t Make Sense

Steven Pang '22 October 30, 2021

  No Singing Indoors  The reason that prohibitions against singing are obviously incorrect is not that they have no basis in disease prevention—they do—but that there are many analogous...

Withdrawing US Troops was the Best Choice

Withdrawing US Troops was the Best Choice

Vivan Das '23 September 25, 2021

Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks of Al Qaeda triggered the US’ war in Afghanistan, a long overdue question lingered: what was the US still doing in Afghanistan? Trillions of dollars had already...

A Safe Groton is an Open Groton

A Safe Groton is an Open Groton

Elizabeth Wolfram '23 September 25, 2021

Credit to Chloe Zheng '23 Groton should be totally open this fall: no distancing, no masks, no nothing.  In addition to the slew of reasons relating to students’ mental health and the need for...

Why We Should Keep the Pandemic Afternoon Activity System

Jessica Lee '24 September 25, 2021

I know that we are all eager to say goodbye to all remnants of the tumultuous 2020-2021 pandemic school year, but we should consider that certain products may actually be worth holding onto. Specifically,...

Tuning Immunity: How Vaccinated Exposure Can Make Us Safer

Tuning Immunity: How Vaccinated Exposure Can Make Us Safer

Elizabeth Wolfram '23, Assistant Features Editor June 26, 2021

For over a year, our country has tried to reduce the number of Covid cases to reduce the number of Covid deaths. With the arrival of vaccines, however, our goal has shifted. Now, we must focus on keeping...

Courtesy of Noemi Iwasaki 22

The Israel-Palestine Conflict is Not as Simple as you Think

Alisa Gulyansky ’24, Assistant Opinions Editor June 1, 2021

By now, it’s inevitable that you’ve stumbled across one of the countless pro-Palestine infographics flooding your Instagram feed, the kind packaged with those aesthetically pleasing blurbs of misinformation...

Courtesy of Chloe Zheng 23

Elon Musk’s Crypto Manipulation Is Not Just for Laughs

Eric Ge ’24, Staff Writer June 1, 2021

“One word: Doge.”   Like a magic spell, Elon Musk’s tweet on December 20th, 2020 sparked a 20% price increase in the digital currency Dogecoin. After electric cars, spaceships, and renewable...

Why Bitcoin Is Not the Currency of the Future

Why Bitcoin Is Not the Currency of the Future

Eric Ge '24 April 24, 2021

On Feb. 8, 2021, Tesla announced its controversial purchase of $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin. Only a month later, that investment turned a $1 billion profit. Bitcoin prices are surging past barriers previously...

Credits to Graham Hughs

Homelessness: A Crisis of Reluctance

Ronit Khanna '23 and Husayn Ladha '24 April 20, 2021

Throughout the economic rollercoaster that has molded American history, widespread housing has swiftly emerged as an invaluable factor for economic growth. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the already burdensome...

Courtesy of Noemi Iwasaki 22

The Bearer of Bad News: How Negative Covid-19 Reporting is Hurting Mental Health

Elizabeth Wolfram '23, Staff Writer April 20, 2021

“I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom,” says CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “Then at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, we enter the ‘post-pandemic...

Courtesy of Mei Matsui 23

Mental Illness Isn’t the Issue, Society Is

Alisa Gulyansky '24, Staff Writer April 20, 2021

Linden Cameron was just thirteen years old when, following an autism-related mental breakdown, he was shot by police officers and left paralyzed for life. Despite the heinous nature of this incident, the...

Courtesy of Hannah Wise 21

All-Gender Dorms

Lloxci Lopez , Staff Writer April 20, 2021

Groton prides itself on an intimate community — residential living plays a significant role as students spend time studying, playing, and most importantly living together for a good portion of the year....

Courtesy of Mei Matsui 23

Minimum Wage

Jack Lionette '23, Staff Writer April 20, 2021

Once a week, Joyce Barnes leaves the grocery at night, brown paper bag in hand filled shallowly with all that her $25 food budget can buy her. Barnes is 62, works two jobs, over twelve hours a day, and...

Courtesy of Amy Ma 23

The Atlanta Shooting and the Fetishization of Asian Women

Derek Hu '21, Editor-In-Chief April 20, 2021

On March 16, 2021, Robert Aaron Long shot and killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women. According to the police, Long murdered the women to overcome his sexual addiction, which was at odds with...

Courtesy of Hannah Wise 21

It’s Time to Modernize Senior Prefect Elections

Beatrice Agbi '21 March 9, 2021

Groton, in its 135-year-long history as one of the nation’s top schools, has acquired quite the reputation for changing with, sometimes even before, the times. Once a school for rich white Christian...

Courtesy of Amy Ma 23

Steven Pang ’22 vs. Jack Wang ’22: Gamestop Debate

Steven Pang '22 and Jack Wang '22 March 9, 2021

For years, Gamestop, the video game chain focusing on brick and mortar stores, has been struggling to stay in business as more game purchases went online. Because of this, a great number of investors on...

Courtesy of Mei Matsui 23

Why Groton Should Have a Student Council

Joon Whang '23, Assistant Opinions Editor March 9, 2021

Life at school has become defined by a collection of stringent rules and procedures: meal times determine who gets a slice of pizza for lunch at what time; arrows direct traffic and movement in the Schoolhouse;...

Courtesy of Zenande Mdlulu 21

The Multi Variable Decision

Elizabeth Wolfram '23, Opinions Assistant Editor March 9, 2021

This past August I looked through the Multivariable Calculus roster and found that I was the only girl in the class. I guess all the other girls must be in the other section I thought. I soon discovered,...

Courtesy of Noemi Iwasaki 22

Standardized Tests Reimagined

Robbie Long '21, Staff Writer March 9, 2021

It’s January of 2020. My team bus slowly maneuvers the icy New England roads on the way home from a hockey game, and I begin to doze off while my “to-do list” for the next day sits on my computer...

A street destroyed by a bomb. Courtesy of Andrew Nelles.

The Blind Eye that Devastated Nashville

Brendan Pelikh '22, Opinions Assistant Editor February 8, 2021

When one thinks of the FBI, the nation’s most highly trained security professionals with innovative crime-stopping technology and techniques come to mind. However, both the Nashville Police Department...

Courtesy of Jessica McGowan.

Georgia Runoffs

Joon Whang '23, Opinions Assistant Editor February 8, 2021

The November 2020 elections were arguably some of the most impactful in modern American political history, ushering a new administration into the Oval Office and securing various Congressional seats for...

Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.

Capitol Riots: Impeachment was a Bad Move

Steven Pang '22, Opinions Editor February 8, 2021

After the storming of the capital, House Democrats (and a few Republicans) rushed to impeach Trump—to punish the president as severely as possible for inflaming the riots with false claims of a fraudulent...

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