Importance of a Present School Resource Officer

Editorial Board

February 14, 2019

The introduction of School Resource Officers (SRO) to MCPS high schools has improved safety and peace of mind by providing a feeling of security for students and staff. But beyond just being a safety measure, the officer should be a familiar face to students because beyond being the one person in the...

Politicks Me Off: Longest Government Shutdown Unnecessary, Spurred by Conservative Commentators

Esther Frances, Print Copy Editor

February 14, 2019

Over 800,000 federal employers spent 35 days either without work or working without pay as the longest government shutdown came to a temporary close Jan. 25. Even after agreeing to a short-term spending measure Dec. 18, President Trump decided to reverse this position and shut down the government Dec....

Forcing Students to Take Four Years of Math Doesn’t Add Up

Ben Kushner, Opinion Writer

February 13, 2019

Slowly pushing through a packed hallway, a sophomore lethargically walks to math class. After working hard in middle school, he is now in pre-calculus. Whether he is interested in the subject or not doesn’t really matter; he is still legally required to make this walk for two and a half more years. ...

Pro/Con: Should Girls be Allowed in Boy Scouts?

January 16, 2019

MCPS Needs to Extend Recently Implemented Hazing Precautions

Editorial Board

December 21, 2018

In light of an incident at Damascus High School (HS) where members of the JV football team were allegedly sodomized with a broomstick as part of a hazing ritual, MCPS has finally begun addressing hazing and its severity as there have been minimal efforts to combat hazing in the past. The recent pre...

Administration’s Unprecedented Turnover Rate Harms Policies, People

Matthew Liu, Opinion Managing Editor

December 21, 2018

The Trump administration’s turnover rate for top officials has shattered records. As of the most recent standings, it is up to nine times as high as previous administrations at similar points in their presidencies. To combat this, President Donald Trump should reduce the turnover rate in his admini...

MCPS: Prioritize Student Health with Cleaner Drinking Water

Erin Bode, News Managing Editor

December 20, 2018

Greater amounts of attention are being given to students’ health as high levels of lead continue to be discovered in the schools’ water systems, including in water fountains. This past summer, testing of water quality in several Montgomery County schools showed that certain schools have elevated le...

Counselors Present to Classes, Discuss Suicide Prevention in Step Toward Better Mental Health

Emily Nagy, Editor-in-Chief

December 19, 2018

Suicide and the tragedies that accompany poor mental health are inescapable in society. No community is immune to these adversities which have created an increased awareness and incentive to educate the public. MCPS and RHS counseling have taken a step in the right direction by promoting mental health with...

MCPS Should Use State Accountability Report Cards to Help Improve Quality of All Schools

Zoe Moser, Editor-in-Chief

December 19, 2018

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) distributed new statewide report cards Dec. 4, and in response, MCPS proposed a new initiative to create an Equity Accountability Report to measure school success. The Equity Accountability Report will focus on specific racial and socioeconomic groups...

Pro/Con: Current Grading Policy Causes Inflation

November 29, 2018

Students Need to Learn More About Paying for College, Alternate Options

Jack Uhl, Staff Writer

November 28, 2018

University tuition in 2018 is at an all-time high and the amount of debt students now face once graduating college is crippling. There was a time when students managed debt from student loans because they were likely to be hired into a well-paying job in a robust job market.  Times have changed. Studen...

MCPS Made Right Choice Extending Spring Break

Michael Carvajal, Staff Writer

November 28, 2018

After Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan implemented an executive order in 2016 changing the length of Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) school year, spring break was cut short for the 2018-19 school year. Late last year, the governor agreed to offer five buffer days at the end of the school year to f...