Community service is no foreign concept for many students around the nation. Many school districts, including Princeton High School, require their students to fulfill a certain number of community service hours during their time in high school, ticking off the graduation requirement prior to leaving their senior years. While this requirement can be extremely beneficial and helpful for communities and students alike, it also raises many questions pertaining to the ethical aspect of mandating community service hours: Does requiring community service in schools undermine the intrinsic nature of what community service is? Does it instead build a strong foundation for the students while opening new pathways for students to explore their interests? While there is no definite answer, mandating community service for students infringes upon the intrinsic nature of what community service is supposed to be, despite still posing as a pathway for students to explore their interest and give back to their communities.

Community service at its core has been defined and recognized as an act of voluntary help for one’s community. The essence of community service is based on the foundation of volunteering, rather than a mandated requirement. By setting requirements for students to accomplish for the sole purpose of graduating, schools directly infringe upon the very nature of what volunteer work is, thus damaging and reducing the noble act of giving back to your community from the selflessness of your heart, to yet another “assignment” that needs to completed before the end of high school.

Reduction of such sorts can also prove to be harmful to not only students, but communities alike. By mandating community service, students may start to draw parallels by comparing it to schoolwork for classes, assigned homework, or class credits that need to be fulfilled in order to graduate. Such activities that usually carry negative connotations, due to their mundane and stressful natures, may in turn inflict a similar message upon community service. By requiring community service for graduation, students may start to shy away from taking part in any form of community service after they fulfill their hours or even after high school due to the weak first impressions they experienced as it being a requirement. As such, mandating community service may end up damaging the future of community service, rather than fostering one.

However, despite the concerns raised pertaining to ethics of mandated community service, the system can actually be beneficial for some students. The required hours for community service have created many opportunities, both in the school and within the community. Students are exposed to various forms of community service around their towns, and can pursue different passions or interests that they might have, while at the same time fulfilling their hours for graduation. With more than 20 community service clubs in the school and many more outside in the community, students are given a plethora of options to choose from when deciding how they want to complete their hours, and as part of that process, students may find a passion for a service project. They might continue pursuing that passion for the rest of high school, and maybe even carry that passion beyond, building a strong foundation for students to carry with them into the real world.

While the premise of mandated community service infringes upon the intrinsic nature of what community service is meant to be, its positive impacts can be seen reflected upon the school and community. Students can find boxes of canned goods filled to the brim, elementary children refining their musicality after school, and empowering posters to spread awareness on issues in the PHS hallways. These actions of the student body come as a result of a simple graduation requirement, and while the main intention is to tick that box, the process of reaching that point often leaves a positive mark on our school community, expanding our worldview and making new connections.

College apps or kind hearts: the truth behind community service

On October 11, 2023, sophomores and juniors at Princeton High School spent their day taking the PSAT, with many juniors hoping to achieve the honor of National Merit Scholar. But there was one catch: it was digital. While this may not seem so bad at first, a further look into the inner workings of the digital PSAT and digital SAT reveals more than one first imagines. 
Previously, the PSAT was made up of a total of 139 questions with two hours and 45 minutes of testing without breaks. On the other hand, the current DPSAT is made up of two 32-minute modules for reading and writing combined and two 35-minute math (calculator) modules, with one ten-minute break between the reading and math sections. This makes up for a total of 98 questions and two hours and 14 minutes of testing (excluding the break). Both standardized tests are still scored on the same 1520 scale. The difference? The DPSAT is adaptive. 
The DPSAT being adaptive means that your score for your first reading module affects the type of questions you get for your second reading module, and the same for your math modules. It is still yet uncertain if your score for your overall reading section affects the type of first math module you get, though. Overall, the difficulty of your modules places students on different tiers to be eligible for certain scores on the PSAT. There are a multitude of problems with this. First, what if a student needs time to get into the test-taking mode and they improve as time goes on? Should they be penalized for this by no longer being eligible to reach a certain score? Of course not. Second, how can a test be standardized if people are no longer taking the same test? “Standardize” means to conform to a standard, or to make something consistent and comparable. How can we compare students that are answering entirely different questions? 
Aside from this, this also creates a detrimental change to SAT studying. As we all experienced during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic and Zoom, being on the computer for hours on end is detrimental to our eyesight, attention spans, and mental health. Staring at a piece of paper for three hours was bad enough, but at least you could physically bubble, cross things out, and write annotations, which is helpful for the more hands-on learners. Now, not only do you have to focus on a computer screen for over 2 hours while taking the test, but you also have to include the hours of studying and practice tests you take beforehand, adding at least 2 hours a week to your already far-too-high screen time. 
Still, despite its many weaknesses, there are definitely some advantages to the DPSAT. The reading questions have become much more straightforward and easier to understand. Instead of trying to decipher a dense historical or scientific passage, which can often be subjective and left up to interpretation, students are now more tested on their ability to comprehend the meaning of individually isolated paragraphs. 
Overall, a standardized test is, ultimately, a standardized test, meaning whether students take it now or they wait until January to take the SAT, the tests will still be equally comparable. Furthermore, if students still wish to take a standardized test on paper after January 2024, the ACT is still available on paper. And, with many schools going test-optional, the SAT in college decision-making becomes less and less important each year, so remember to keep in mind that standardized tests will not be the final decision-maker and there are plenty of other things in your control to determine your future college. 

Was the Digital PSAT Unfair?

The notion that LGBTQ+ media can only exist as a source for historical information about the Stonewall riots, AIDS epidemic, or the Baker v. Nelson Supreme Court case is quite a common one. More often than not, these are the stories placed at the forefront of all LGBTQ+ experiences. Although this type of media is extremely important and should continue to educate people about LGBTQ+ history, it is equally as important to highlight the other side of the coin; we must understand how big of a role positive LGBTQ+ media can play in the lives of queer people. Joy is not always a major part of the depiction of queer people in mainstream media.  As Pride Month begins, it is important to reflect on the diversity of LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media and how we can make LGBTQ+ stories more diverse and accessible. 
In the 1930s, Hollywood introduced the Hays Code, an unofficial ban on any neutral or positive depictions of homosexuality in film and TV, deeming it obscene and inappropriate on the basis of  “sex perversion,” as Lynne Stahl, a Humanities & Interdisciplinary Studies Librarian at Wesleyan University, wrote in 2023. This code was cast aside in the 1958 Supreme Court case One, Inc. v. Olesen, which decided that homosexuality was not inherently obscene. This case discarded the idea that LGBTQ+ representation was inappropriate if it was not strictly negative in mainstream media. So, while LGBTQ+ representation remained minimal and queer characters continued to be portrayed as offensive caricatures, this case set a precedent to allow LGBTQ+ stories to eventually become a major part of mainstream media. After the progressive era during the 1960s and 1970s swept the nation, LGBTQ+ film and media greatly expanded, and gay representation emerged in popular movies like the 1985 film “An Early Frost” and the 1993 film “Philadelphia.” In the last few decades, the film industry has made even more progress. With attention paid to LGBTQ+ issues growing, queer media has spread immensely, with popular TV shows like “Young Royals,” “Heartstopper,” and “Euphoria” featuring explicitly queer coming-of-age stories. However, although mainstream media has come far from the era of Hays Code, LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media continues to lack complete inclusivity. Some issues with media featuring the LGBTQ+ community include lack of racial diversity, misogyny, underrepresentation of lesbian couples and underrepresentation of transgender stories.
Now that the queer community has gained greater representation in mainstream media, making that representation more true to the queer experience is the necessary next step. LGBTQ+ representation must depict LGBTQ+ struggles, celebrations of queer joy, and the capability to embrace different sexual orientations and gender identities in order to properly represent the LGBTQ+ experience. This representation provides LGBTQ+ people, especially queer youth, with the realization that they are not alone in their struggles because the early LGBTQ+ experience that can include bullying, alienation, and confusion due to their sexual orientation or gender identity as well as immense joy and happiness for the community has been experienced by so many people that have come before them which could include their favorite TV characters. In addition, realistic depictions of the oppression of LGBTQ+ individuals help spread awareness of the common queer experience to those outside the community, aiding open-minded, cisgender, heterosexual individuals who aren’t very aware of the experiences within the queer community with the chance to educate themselves and become LGBTQ+ allies. 
However, especially for the aforementioned queer youth, depictions of queer joy — a key part of the celebration of the LGBTQ+ community based on queer theory — are even more necessary. We need LGBTQ+ people to not only have a sense of community, but also thrive in their differences from their non-LGBTQ+ peers. The celebration of the community can be seen in pride parades as a flamboyant display of queer joy and celebration of the community as a whole as well as its millions of supportive allies. Pride Month originally marks the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City in which people of the LGBTQ+ community were attacked for who they loved. Since then, the years of trauma and concealing of sexuality that this month initially marked have been replaced by an immense celebration of our diversity and encouraging further inclusivity. It is crucial that similar sentiments of prideful celebration are depicted in mainstream media throughout the year to make sure LGBTQ+ youth thrive in their differences and that queer joy spreads positivity across our entire society.
It is incredibly important to depict queer positivity in mainstream media, especially because there is already so much censorship when it comes to queer representation and silencing of conversations surrounding queer individuals based on legislation such as the Florida “Don’t Say Gay” Bill, or the Tennessee bill that restricts drag performances. It is imperative that we spread diverse representations of the queer experiences. 

The importance of balanced representation in LGBTQ+ media

With an influx of social media hashtags such as #summer body, #weightlossgoals, and #skinnylegend, it’s easy to get sucked into the idea that a summer without perfectly tanned skin and a flat stomach is not sufficient. The constant upsurge of social media’s presence in our lives has made it possible for harmful trends such as these to arise and rapidly gain popularity. Many content creators have championed the “summer body” trend  for the past few years, creating a collective mindset that a body that doesn’t check off certain boxes is a body that could never be loved. The “summer body” trend refers to the documentation of diet and workout regimens to create the “most appealing” body for being seen in summer clothes. This mindset is especially detrimental for teens who are already faced with many social pressures, unrealistic expectations, and possible mental health issues. As summer is approaching, it is becoming increasingly important to highlight the issues that these toxic beauty trends create.
Large social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok can easily create false perceptions of what we should look like. These platforms’ sole purpose is to keep users scrolling for as long as possible, because the ads that pop up every once in a while create revenue for the company. Unfortunately, this leads to people, especially young women and girls, coming across videos and posts that encourage people to shave off weight before the summer and enter the season prepared to rock a bikini. 
Why should a random content creator on the internet get to dictate who can and can’t wear a certain type of swimsuit? This random content creator is likely following the ever-changing beauty standards that are so prevalent in today’s society. The Kardashians, Bella Hadid, and other such celebrities are quick to deny having had plastic surgery procedures done, but the repercussions of these denials are massive. These actions cause the emergence of unrealistic standards in the beauty world as the lines between plastic surgery and natural features are muddled, and the usage of social media filters and photoshop intensify. With these quite literally impossible standards set, online influencers feel the need to conform to a certain body type, and may even believe that without achieving their goal, they could never be content.
This constant circulation of the so-called perfect body type creates a mindset that eventually leads to a higher likelihood of people developing mental health problems. When a person compares their own body to someone else’s, they become more likely to develop body dysmorphia and eventually even eating disorders. Evidently, the whole theme that lies at the heart of the “summer body” trend on social media is the idea of comparison, jealousy,
     
When many people active on social media are already dealing with body dysmorphia, depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, this feeling of forced conformity and a need to change in order to fit impossible beauty standards only increases the pain and the burden on their mental health.
It is also important to consider that for teens and young people, this issue may be even worse. For one, young people make up the largest demographic of Instagram users. In 2023, Statista, a German company that specializes in gathering data, found that almost 70 percent of Instagram users globally are 34 years old or younger. It is also true that young people are much more susceptible to social influence and pressure, so when they view a certain look or body type as the standard, they likely feel the need to conform to it. With the added pressure of adhering to the “summer body” trend or other such social influences, young individuals who are already struggling face even more pressure and harmful criticism. 
The “summer body” trend on social media and other tags like it create more insecurities, more mental health problems, and more hatred towards one’s own self-image. The time to eradicate all such terrible messaging is now; far too many people on social media have felt the need to look slimmer, tanner, and more “perfect,” just because an influencer on Instagram said they must do so before the summer. It is so important to remember that the “summer body” is not a real thing because perfection is such a varied construct. It is absolutely imperative that we vocally defy these terrible standards and put an end to these damaging, detrimental trends. 


The problem with the summer body trend

   When it comes to celebrities, fans’ grasp of social conventions seems to slip away, as oftentimes by claiming that they understand their idols, they dehumanize them. We tend to think of respected figures or famous celebrities as being so far removed from real life that it’s impossible to connect with them in a typical person-to-person friendship. Idolizing celebrities is typical for adolescents — after all, just about everyone has a high-profile person they look up to or support. But with the rise of the internet and social media, these seemingly harmless relationships can turn into more nefarious ones.
   The obsessions caused by the idolization of celebrities sometimes develops into full-fledged stalking. In South Korea, the stalking of K-pop celebrities is so common that a term was coined in Korean to describe them: sasaeng fans. Sasaeng fans predominantly consist of teens or young adults encouraged by a heightened exposure to the media. One example of a sasaeng fan is Josh1994, a German fan documented to have harassed and stalked various members of the K-pop group Twice. After publicizing information about her and eventually being rejected, he began to send her death threats. Fortunately, this incident didn’t lead to further violence, but in some cases, it does. In one case, the look-alike of Rosé, a singer from the K-pop group BLACKPINK, was stabbed at an airport by a sasaeng fan for not returning their sentiments. 
   By supporting the tightly-regulated image of celebrities, the public essentially reinforces the false persona that controlling labels have placed on celebrities. In K-pop industries, celebrities are often subjected to unrealistic expectations pertaining to weight and body shape.   Moonbin of the K-pop group ASTRO died allegedly by suicide on April 19, 2023. It is presumed that the industry’s expectations of him combined with the demands of the “Korea wave” were the major factors that led to his death. By continuing to idolize these celebrities, fans reinforce industry standards that oppress them. 
   Constant exposure to celebrities makes comparing them to yourself inevitable. The public often fantasizes and gravitates toward celebrities who seem more humble and funny, like a “regular” person, without realizing that the normalcy of these people is completely fabricated, which creates unachievable standards. The rise of social media has heightened this phenomenon by allowing internet users to be more exposed to celebrities, thus causing teens to have lower self-confidence when they inevitably compare themselves to seemingly perfect influencers. 
   Social media additionally offers a larger platform for celebrities to live more public lives, making them greater topics of obsession. Overexposure to one’s day-to-day experiences are available to anyone, ultimately making it easier to create parasocial connections, which are essentially one-sided relationships. For example, by openly sharing vlogs online or having a very exposed media presence, fans feel more connected and involved in their idols’ lives. Seemingly minor actions can also contribute to this curiosity — the use of second-person voice in vlogs, insider information on the “backstage” events, and even photos taken by celebrities themselves are all personal and inviting. This blurs the line between being a spectator or a friend, resulting in social media users feeling rejected and lonely upon realizing they don’t know their icons as well as they thought.
   Teenagers in general are disproportionately affected by these emotional repercussions of social media. According to a 2018 study by Pew Research, 97 percent of teens have a presence on some social media platform and 45 percent of teens are online constantly, thereby boosting their exposure to celebrities. Because of their large presence on social media, teens more than any other age group are affected by parasocial relationships with celebrities, especially since adolescents in general are always searching for role models. This highlights the larger problem of exposure to social media in children and teens: The importance of online safety is often not thoroughly communicated. The lack of education dedicated towards online safety leaves teens especially vulnerable to the many emotional consequences social media widely causes. Realizing the dangers that can result from carefree exploration of social media is a necessary step in protecting oneself from those consequences, which is why it is imperative to recognize the emotional and physical dangers social media present. To protect ourselves from the adverse affects of social media, we must recognize and caution ourselves against the peril that festers even from behind the screen.


Behind the screen: the problem with idolization in K-pop

During their time in school, students spend time with numerous teachers, all of whom influence their education in various ways. Every teacher presents themself differently, with some being close confidants for their students and others steering away from personal connections to maintain professionalism at all times. But is there a perfect balance between the two extremes? Can teachers find a way to be a support system for their students, while also ensuring that as an instructor, they do not cross any boundaries? At PHS, we want to ensure that both students and staff feel comfortable at all times, but it’s also important to acknowledge the benefits that personal connections between students and teachers can have at our school. 
On one hand, it is important for teachers to maintain their professionalism, whether in regard to whole class discussions, office hours, or emails. A teacher’s job is to inform and educate, as well as to cultivate a greater understanding and curiosity among their students; all things that cannot be done if a teacher does not take their job seriously. Maintaining professionalism doesn’t inherently mean that educators must wear a suit and tie to school everyday, but it does mean that students and teachers should, at the most basic level, keep their relationships educational. On the teacher’s part, this entails establishing respect for the students, clarifying the rules and expectations for the the course, and ensuring that the students feel comfortable in class. For the students, maintaining an educational relationship can mean following the teacher’s instructions and staying on task; speaking to the teacher as an educator, not a friend; and reciprocating the same respect that teachers show to students. To put it simply, a teacher shouldn’t become a student’s close friend; it would permanently alter the classroom environment and change the teacher’s treatment of both that student and other students in the class. A close relationship could cause preference or favoritism within the class, harming other students. Such a connection between a teacher and their student can also raise reasonable concerns regarding safety. Teachers nationwide have abused their position of power by reaching out to students as a friend and then proceeding to distort and manipulate their relationship. 
Yet, not every teacher is like that. It’s also important to acknowledge how positive such a connection can be. Often when a student has a teacher that they feel comfortable talking to, they go to that teacher for advice. For example, LGBTQ+ students who don’t feel comfortable talking with their parents can use teachers as a source of guidance. In that case, a teacher can be a great person for that student to reach out to. Although on the whole, Princeton is a more accepting environment than many other places in the United States, it is still necessary to understand that many LGBTQ+ students at PHS do not have a supportive family; for these students, having a teacher they can go to for advice or simply act as a listening ear may increase their feeling of self-worth and general happiness. Additionally, if a student has enough trust in their teacher, the student could speak to them about bullying or harassment; teachers can help students out when they have nowhere else to go.
So where does the boundary really lie, and how can both students and teachers find a way to balance out the two ends of this spectrum in a responsible manner? Different methods work for different teachers and schools. Some build a strict appearance in class and then deconstruct said appearance outside of it. Others incorporate both intensity and compassion into their curriculums. Overall, if a student has a teacher they view as a mentor, they know they can trust that person and listen to their advice, but still respect them; this type of relationship allows for both professionalism and a personal connection to coexist. For the people that this type of connection does work for, the balancing act of teacher and confidant is imperative, and the title mentor seems to fit perfectly in between. Although this type of student-teacher relationship might not be ideal in every case, it serves as a midpoint between the two potential extremes, taking advantages from both. At PHS, we should aim to create the most beneficial student-teacher relationships throughout the duration of a student’s high school career, for both parties involved.   


Forming the ideal student-teacher relationship

The recent indictment of former President Donald Trump has sent shockwaves through the political world. While it remains to be seen whether or not he will be found guilty, the mere fact that a former president has been indicted is a significant development. Trump has pleaded not guilty to over 30 counts of hush-money payments in a recent court case that discusses Trump’s felonies starting from the 2016 presidential election. It is simply unfit for a person of that much status to have such a prominent role in a substantial scandal, and still have political power after the fact. Although we like to think that our political leaders have similar lifestyles to our own, due to their fabrication of a common-man life, we simultaneously hold them on a pedestal, assuming that their language and actions would reflect the high political power that they were able to earn. Ethical leadership must be a subject of discussion when such criminal offenses rise to the surface. The way that this redefines who is suitable for political power extends far beyond the political realm and has the potential to impact leadership across all sectors of society, including schools. 
One of the most significant ways in which Trump’s indictment could change leadership in the future is by setting a new precedent for accountability. For too long, leaders in various industries have been able to act with impunity, knowing that they are unlikely to face any serious consequences for their actions. Trump’s indictment signals that even those at the highest levels of power are not immune to accountability. This message has the potential to trickle down to other sectors, including schools, where administrators and educators may feel emboldened to take a stronger stance on issues of ethics.
However, if Trump is able to get out of the indictment, this scandal could send a different message about leadership in our country. It could suggest that powerful individuals are able to use their influence to avoid facing consequences for their actions. This would be a discouraging message for those who are invested in promoting ethical leadership, particularly in schools.
As PHS continues to undergo leadership transitions, the importance of ethical and accountable leadership has become increasingly clear. It has become exceedingly important that we can rely on the people who are in power to be accountable and reliable, as well as transparent. Just as Trump’s indictment signals the need for accountability at the highest levels of power, our school must work to ensure that their leaders are held accountable for their actions. This includes implementing strong ethical codes of conduct, fostering a culture of transparency and honesty, and ensuring that those who violate ethical standards face appropriate consequences.
Ultimately, the impact of Trump’s indictment on leadership in the future will depend on the outcome of the case. However, regardless of the outcome, this event has already sent a powerful message about the importance of ethical and accountable leadership. As PHS continues to navigate leadership transitions, we must take note of this message and work to ensure that our leaders uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity.


The indictment ripple effect and the need for ethical leadership

When it comes to celebrities, fans’ grasp of social conventions seems to slip away, as oftentimes by claiming that they understand their idols, they dehumanize them. We tend to think of respected figures or famous celebrities as being so far removed from real life that it’s impossible to connect with them in a typical person-to-person friendship. Idolizing celebrities is typical for adolescents — after all, just about everyone has a high-profile person they look up to or support. But with the rise of the internet and social media, these seemingly harmless relationships can turn into more nefarious ones.
   The obsessions caused by the idolization of celebrities sometimes develops into full-fledged stalking. In South Korea, the stalking of K-pop celebrities is so common that a term was coined in Korean to describe them: sasaeng fans. Sasaeng fans predominantly consist of teens or young adults encouraged by a heightened exposure to the media. One example of a sasaeng fan is Josh1994, a German fan documented to have harassed and stalked various members of the K-pop group Twice. After publicizing information about her and eventually being rejected, he began to send her death threats. Fortunately, this incident didn’t lead to further violence, but in some cases, it does. In one case, the look-alike of Rosé, a singer from the K-pop group BLACKPINK, was stabbed at an airport by a sasaeng fan for not returning their sentiments. 
   By supporting the tightly-regulated image of celebrities, the public essentially reinforces the false persona that controlling labels have placed on celebrities. In K-pop industries, celebrities are often subjected to unrealistic expectations pertaining to weight and body shape.   Moonbin of the K-pop group ASTRO died allegedly by suicide on April 19, 2023. It is presumed that the industry’s expectations of him combined with the demands of the “Korea wave” were the major factors that led to his death. By continuing to idolize these celebrities, fans reinforce industry standards that oppress them. 
   Constant exposure to celebrities makes comparing them to yourself inevitable. The public often fantasizes and gravitates toward celebrities who seem more humble and funny, like a “regular” person, without realizing that the normalcy of these people is completely fabricated, which creates unachievable standards. The rise of social media has heightened this phenomenon by allowing internet users to be more exposed to celebrities, thus causing teens to have lower self-confidence when they inevitably compare themselves to seemingly perfect influencers. 
   Social media additionally offers a larger platform for celebrities to live more public lives, making them greater topics of obsession. Overexposure to one’s day-to-day experiences are available to anyone, ultimately making it easier to create parasocial connections, which are essentially one-sided relationships. For example, by openly sharing vlogs online or having a very exposed media presence, fans feel more connected and involved in their idols’ lives. Seemingly minor actions can also contribute to this curiosity — the use of second-person voice in vlogs, insider information on the “backstage” events, and even photos taken by celebrities themselves are all personal and inviting. This blurs the line between being a spectator or a friend, resulting in social media users feeling rejected and lonely upon realizing they don’t know their icons as well as they thought.
   Teenagers in general are disproportionately affected by these emotional repercussions of social media. According to a 2018 study by Pew Research, 97 percent of teens have a presence on some social media platform and 45 percent of teens are online constantly, thereby boosting their exposure to celebrities. Because of their large presence on social media, teens more than any other age group are affected by parasocial relationships with celebrities, especially since adolescents in general are always searching for role models. This highlights the larger problem of exposure to social media in children and teens: The importance of online safety is often not thoroughly communicated. The lack of education dedicated towards online safety leaves teens especially vulnerable to the many emotional consequences social media widely causes. Realizing the dangers that can result from carefree exploration of social media is a necessary step in protecting oneself from those consequences, which is why it is imperative to recognize the emotional and physical dangers social media present. To protect ourselves from the adverse affects of social media, we must recognize and caution ourselves against the peril that festers even from behind the screen.


On Friday, March 17, at 5:30 p.m—just an hour and a half before former Principal Frank Chmiel’s scheduled appearance at the annual Asian Fest—an email from Dr. Carol Kelley and the Board of Education vaguely declared Chmiel’s departure from PPS. With no forewarning on the sudden announcement and no information on the rationale for his termination, frenzy ensued among PPS students and parents. An hour after the email, Ashley Chen ’23 and other C.A.R.E leaders created a petition, named “Chmiel Has Been Fired. We demand transparency and that the Board rescind his termination.”  Within 24 hours of the announcement, the petition had garnered over 1,000 signatures.

From the start, students never knew if demands for more transparency and a repeal of his termination would be met. Despite the uncertainty, students created petitions, demonstrated peacefully, and made statements to the BOE with passion and power, catching the attention of local and state news. Activism may not produce an obvious outcome, but that should not stop people from voicing their concerns: the indirect effects of an action may drive the most important changes.

When the PPS administration dismissed Chmiel, we could have laid low and complied with the difficult decision. Instead, students voiced that Valley Road seemed to be oblivious to our visions of PHS — and how much of it Chmiel brought to life — prior to the dismissal. The vision of PHS that students have is an environment where students could unite under school spirit and where they could feel represented, safe, and taken seriously. Before Chmiel, there was no principal who was as engaged with the students nor took student input as seriously. He instilled an enjoyable and entertaining spirit that balanced our traditional rigorous academic routine. With the first Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month assemblies, students felt their culture and identity was more respected than ever. 

Although Chmiel’s dismissal is unlikely to be overturned, this situation has empowered the student body to request that the Board of Education take our voices into consideration. When the Board makes decisions regarding our education and our school environment, we must be permitted to stand up against them. It’s been made abundantly clear that no matter what decisions the PPS administration will take in the future, the students and parents in our district will not be afraid to challenge these resolutions. Our district has already seen improvements made thanks to our activism. The Board of Education held a meeting on March 21st as well as the 28th, in which the board members addressed student and parent comments and concerns.

Most often when people think of student activism, they imagine students protesting against their college administrations for campus issues. On the rare occasions that high schools have protests or speak out about issues in their educational facility, they tend to be based around very threatening issues such as gun control in schools, inclusion of LGBTQ+ youth, or issues regarding mistreatment or abuse of students by teachers. Considering that Principal Chmiel’s termination amassed a peaceful protest, petitions and student outcries for transparency from the BOE, it is clear how seriously students are taking this issue. Student activism is an important tool which we must use in order to voice our opinions regarding decisions made in our very own school hallways.

The Tower calls on the Board of Education to consider the student body vision of PHS’s future when making future decisions and appointing our next principal. Only then can we close this perceived disconnect between administration and students. 

Demanding acknowledgment for our vision of PHS

“Live to learn, learn to live” is the motto that Princeton Public Schools strives to achieve  every day, and being ranked within the top four percent of school systems in the country, PPS has had undeniable success in doing so. In recent years, there’s been an increase in awareness and education on Black History, LGBTQ+ rights, and Latinx heritage, all of which are steps in the right direction to produce a more informed and understanding student body. However, with around 17 percent of the PPS student body needing an individualized education plan (IEP) or learning accommodations, according to the PPS Comprehensive Special Education Review in 2021, awareness and education about disabilities rarely seem to be a topic of discussion within PPS. 
According to the CDC, 26 percent of the total U.S. population currently lives with at least one disability — a physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or actions. Disability awareness is important for understanding the inequities that these individuals face in all facets of society and how to break down the barriers that are caused by an inherently ableist society. 
In the PPS elementary schools, students, for the most part, learn side by side with their peers who have disabilities. While learning with peers with disabilities can help young students recognize what disabilities look like, students should be explicitly taught about what disabilities are and why people with disabilities should be treated with respect. This education can come in the form of assemblies or a “Disabilities Awareness Week” dedicated to disability awareness. Other districts around Princeton have already implemented these types of activities successfully. For example, at Brunswick Acres Elementary School in South Brunswick, there is an annual “Autism Awareness Month,” where the students learn about what it means to have autism, as well as the importance of treating students with disabilities the same as they would with other students despite the treatment that those students receive from the administration. Furthermore, there is an annual “Disabilities Awareness Week” where students can learn about the struggles of having a disability from special education educators as well as how to respectfully speak about the disabilities of others. This education helps students to not only be respectful peers, but also informed and understanding citizens of the world.
Teaching inclusion in elementary schools is only the first step in raising awareness about disabilities, though. When students advance through the grades, the focus on advanced classes and intense extracurriculars increasingly isolates students with disabilities who might not be able to thrive in those environments. As a result of this, students with disabilities may find their class options to be limited and struggle to fit in with others. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. For example, students could be provided with the option to take a musical appreciation course. Instead of focusing solely on perfection and excellence in music, the subject would be taught in a more inclusive and less competitive way. Not only would this allow students with disabilities to have a similar educational experience to students without disabilities, but it would also help students with disabilities to combat the isolation that can come with age.
Moreover, at PHS, ableist slurs such as the R-slur are so integrated into everyday speech that students don’t even seem to understand the implicated ableist undertones. If there is increased education and emphasis on the harmful effects of using such language, our school will be a much more inclusive environment for students with disabilities. 
By initiating programs and activities to promote disability awareness, PPS can create a student body that respects students with disabilities and understands the harmful implications of ableist language. It’s clear that our academic achievements at PHS show that we “live to learn” every day, but by educating students about disabilities, we can be one step closer to “learning to live” in a more equitable world.


The importance of educating students on disabilities

Princeton High School offers a rigorous STEM curriculum to any student who takes advantage of the opportunity, including advanced courses, research opportunities, and various extracurriculars and clubs. The school has made a large effort to help STEM-inclined students excel, but is less attentive to the needs of students interested in subjects like English and History. The result is that PHS students prioritize math and science courses and push their humanities courses to the side. However, both fields are needed and should be treated with the same importance. It’s time that our community recognizes the adverse effects of these STEM-exclusive policies and creates more academic opportunities for the humanities and social sciences.

Students are often concerned about the risks, especially with regard to employment opportunities, of pursuing their interests in the humanities and social sciences in high school, and later, college. But the “soft” skills that the humanities provide are not only beneficial but necessary. STEM majors are required to take English classes for a reason: these skills are essential for communication in the real world. When students focus on the financial opportunities that STEM fields can provide, they lose sight of the academic and social value that the humanities offer.

PHS currently offers several class advancement programs over the summer: Geometry I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Python, and Accelerated Chemistry. These summer programs allow students to skip taking a required class in school by cramming a year’s curriculum into about six weeks. The existence of STEM-exculsive advancement courses encourages students to skip to high-commitment STEM classes that leave little time for the humanities. Students can also submit a portfolio of projects to advance in computer science over the summer, an opportunity which doesn’t exist in any humanities field. Similarly, there are not as many course offerings in the social sciences and humanities as in STEM fields. In terms of accelerated and advanced courses, the humanities are mostly limited to English and history: most humanities courses lack an accelerated or AP counterpart. In contrast, PHS offers Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra, as well as a variety of advanced science classes ranging from AP Physics C to AP Computer Science. By offering a wider range of advanced courses in the humanities, PHS can support the interests of a wider range of students, ensuring that everyone can pursue their passions at a high level.

Another example of the prioritization of STEM classes is the PHS Research Program. This three-year program teaches students about research methods and provides them with the resources to undertake projects of their own. These projects are submitted to different journals, symposiums, and science fairs. Although students can undertake independent study periods in the humanities with the end goal of producing a large project or paper, these are not as well-supported by PHS and lack the prestige of the research program. PHS should provide equivalent opportunities for the humanities. For example, PHS could offer a workshop where students write a small book or novella with the guidance of a faculty member and submit it to a competition at the end of the semester.

If a student has exhausted classes in a certain field, Princeton High School allows them to take classes at Princeton University. Though the institution has made it exceedingly difficult to take these courses in recent years, a few students still earn their position in the prized classes each year. That said, the most popular courses for PHS students to take at the university are almost entirely math and science classes. Although language and music theory classes are available, the majority of students in the university classes are those who have exhausted the science and math curricula. There are no options for exceptional history students or standout writers. This seems strange, considering the extensive math and science options the school already offers – much broader than the humanities courses.

PHS can remedy its STEM-focused curricula by offering more classes in the humanities and further supporting students already interested in topics of the arts. The PHS Debate Team, Ethics Bowl, Prince Yearbook, and band programs excel in their respective areas, demonstrating the potential of PHS students in the humanities. If humanities students received as much support as STEM students do, PHS would be one step closer to becoming an truly equitable school.

Our STEM obsession

As you walked through the halls this February, you may have noticed trophy cases filled with historical artifacts, students wearing Black Lives Matter attire, and streamers in black, yellow, green, and red, all to celebrate Black History Month. However, as February draws to an end, you might pick up on some subtle changes. On the evening news, features on black businesses, black inventors, and other mentions of black success slowly fade from public discourse. In school, decorations are taken down, students stop wearing their BLM T-shirts, and Black history is once again only a side note in both lessons and conversations. It will be 11 months before you’ll hear Black history and culture being mentioned frequently again. During that time, PHS tends to only think about “standard” American history — in other words, white history.

At the core of this phenomenon lies the assumption that the history of Black Americans is somehow separable from the history of the United States. Every year, during February, many teachers opt to take a few classes to teach Black history, which at first seems to be a good thing. It’s PHS’s responsibility to celebrate different cultures and heritages. Yet, all too often, the actions taken during the month of February, some performative, some meaningful, are used as a convenient excuse to forget about Black history for the rest of the year. For those who haven’t experienced the consequences of ignorance firsthand, the importance of Black history can be hard to comprehend. This leads to rhetoric like “we’ve done enough.” Yet, in the face of shortcomings in our Black history education and festivities, that statement becomes clearly false.

Instead of sidelining Black history to the shortest month of the year, we should be constantly committing to diversifying our school curriculum, especially by requiring teaching a side of history that often goes forgotten. One example is the 1921 Black Wall Street massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma: an act of racially-motivated violence that burned down 35 square blocks of a Black neighborhood. It’s possible that you have not even heard of this event before in school. If you have, it’s unlikely that you’ve been taught its true scale and tragedy. In the official report by the Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Statistics, 39 people were confirmed dead. But, historians estimate there were anywhere from 80 to 300 dead, and close to 800 people were admitted to hospitals. It is estimated that 6,000 more Black Americans were held hostage by the rioters. Too often, monumental and tragic events in Black history are brushed over or inaccurately portrayed in our classes. Discussions about these topics need to be held to a higher standard. Black history deserves a more prominent place in all of our classes, especially in the required two years of US history at PHS.

Indeed, our student body has already come up with various demands. Under Superintendent Dr. Carol Keley’s leadership, students attended the 2021 National Youth Liberation Symposium. Here, students increased activism to address Princeton High School students’ demands like greater racial literacy, more diverse staff members, and having minorities better incorporated in the curriculum. These demands must apply not just to Black History Month, but to all months that celebrate cultures and heritages, such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Pride Month. Princeton High School must acknowledge the voices of students and fulfill their demands. Acceptance can’t be achieved using occasional performances and attire changes. We must go further, incorporating the ideals of inclusivity and remembrance into our classes and everyday lives.

We need more Black History

A few months ago when the novel coronavirus first hit in Wuhan, China, most PHS students never thought that we would experience what was happening overseas. But as the outbreak moved closer and closer to Princeton, panic began to spread as the reality of its presence started to hit. Schools across the U.S. have shut their doors and sent students home. In the face of this crisis, Princeton High School’s faculty has worked hard to prepare for a shift to remote learning. Despite the efforts of teachers across the nation, this unprecedented and ever-evolving outbreak has exposed the fatal flaws in America’s prized education system as well as the federal government’s severely inadequate response, drastically undermining their efforts. In moments like these where the federal government does not provide the necessary oversight to effectively combat an outbreak, both local communities and individuals need to be vigilant in the face of a global crisis.
Put simply, America’s national education system has failed to keep up with the needs of its students, teachers, and staff in a time of crisis. In times like these when there is little to no universal plan or organization on a national level, local communities like Princeton need to act on their own by taking their own measures to curb the spread of the pandemic. 
The most common defense across the country has been to opt for online schooling instead of brick and mortar institutions. Princeton Public Schools have been no exception. While there were many successes, it is a reach to say that PHS’s transition to online learning had no shortcomings. Such downfalls were largely as a result of a lack of guidance. It seems as if the government is making demands without giving us any solution or aid. For the past two weeks of remote learning, most PHS students have seen PowerSchool Learning’s “kitten detangling units'' more than their actual assignments. On multiple occasions, slowdowns and even crashes in the district’s Powerschool Learning system have kept students and teachers alike out of their classes. Short notice about the switch also left teachers scrambling to readjust lesson plans and find ways to meet virtually with students. Worse, teachers lack a direct channel of communication with their students. An unreliable Powerschool Learning network paired with an email system rarely used by students has left teachers without an efficient means of communicating with their students. Because there has been little to no government-level response for this, local communities must do this work. The district needs to revamp its digital infrastructure to provide a sufficient platform for students, parents, and teachers. That means better communication within classes, a more reliable learning platform, and more accessible support. Instead of pursuing a school-wide email system that has proven to be ineffective, the district should take student’s personal emails to streamline communication. Even with some efforts, Princeton remained woefully unprepared in the face of a growing crisis. The severe shortage of readiness beforehand has all led to the district’s dire position now. This lack of adequate digital infrastructure to support schools in the district has left students stressed, teachers worried, and staff overworked. 
Making the switch from in-person to at-home learning not only complicates assigning work and teaching lessons, but also how to continue providing the care needed by low-income families within the district. While many food banks are remaining open, their biggest concerns relate to the health of warehouse workers. For the Food Bank of New Jersey, the question that remains up in the air is, “Not being able to be near each other, how do we protect the staff, how do we protect the people that we serve?” During a time where social distancing is critical for “flatten[ing] the curve” of coronavirus cases and the government fails to take responsibility, the well-being of many depends on community volunteers. 
Because America’s education system lacks the means to tackle such an issue in crises like this, local districts must take action on their own. “Nearly 500 students … rely on [Princeton Public Schools] for breakfast and lunch.” said Superintendent Steve Cochrane in a statement made on March 16. Closing the school would mean the loss of a food source for these students for an indefinite amount of time. Luckily, before the shut down of the school on March 12, PHS’s students and teachers came together to box over 500 meals to go home to families at PHS who receive subsidized meals. Additionally, 15 school buses with district-provided meals were set up for families as well. While the number of students who depend on free or reduced lunch in Princeton is relatively low and manageable, the National Center for Education Statistics finds that nationwide, 51.8 percent of all students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. This astounding number only exemplifies the government’s failure in addressing income inequality, poverty gaps, and alleviating household burdens. Such faults shine through in moments of crisis like now. Millions of students should not have to depend on their schools for meals. When their schools become inaccessible like now, students in lower socioeconomic brackets are left in the dust. America needs to step it up before it’s too late. 
But combatting this outbreak not only means that the federal government needs to do its part, but the whole community as well. We must remain vigilant in social distancing, avoiding large groups, and only going outside when necessary. When no cure is readily available, Princeton as a town needs to be responsible for protecting itself.
The COVID-19 outbreak has betrayed the American education system’s inadequacy in protecting schools when they need it most. In a time when the nation’s education system cannot keep up with the needs of students, faculty, and parents, the district and community must do their share in mitigating the crisis.

When a guide is not provided, it’s up to us to navigate

The global pandemic of COVID-19 is a crisis of such sweeping scope and magnitude that Americans are now having to deal with a reality that was unimaginable five weeks ago. Students across the country, including students at PHS, have been forced to adopt online learning so that we can finish this year’s curriculum and graduate on time. This new system of online learning is not ideal, but it is the situation that we now have to adapt to. 
Online school does not mean an indefinite vacation; on the contrary, it is a new responsibility for students. This new system of learning is founded on trust and the idea that students, especially high schoolers, can take our education into our own hands, and complete the tasks assigned without teachers constantly looming over us. For most students, this is the first time in our lives that we are largely responsible for our own education, and we need to step up and complete the tasks that are set out for us. For the time being, teachers can’t spoon feed us information and coax us into doing our work — we must do it ourselves. Don’t view these circumstances as a curse, but as a blessing. After high school, when we’re in the real world, we will have to manage our own time and think independently, and the current situation helps give us experience in a controlled space where we can learn without any major repercussions. 
	Even though we’re at home and this feels like a vacation, school is still in session and the work that our teachers are assigning us is there for a reason. Our teachers don’t want to just assign busy work. The state has mandated certain expectations so that these days count towards the 180-day requirement. On top of that, many of our teachers are also giving us the information we need for an AP exam whose contents are still up in the air. Furthermore, our teachers are also in the dark about so many things like finals, the way AP exams will work, and if we will actually return to physical schooling this year. Through all of this uncertainty, they are continuing to work hard to ensure that their students can receive all the information and guidance they need.
	That is not to say that online schooling is easy. Not only does the workload largely resemble that of a normal school day, but our homes present us with endless distractions, many of which we had not encountered while sitting at our desks at school. It becomes difficult to focus on the tasks at hand and stay up to date with the daily assignments from our teachers when we have siblings, technology, and snacks to distract us. However, if we allow ourselves to get caught up in these newfound distractions, we will find ourselves behind in schoolwork, and utterly unprepared for any of the tests that we will be taking in the spring, such as APs or standardized tests. Therefore, choose to spend your time in quarantine wisely — preferably, by refining your time management skills. 
	Furthermore, this is a prime time to explore areas that you haven’t had time to study before. Now that most extracurriculars have been canceled, there is ample time to read a book about some interesting subject and gain a new perspective. There are so many interesting subjects that we can study from the comfort of our homes and we should be using the free time we have gained to do so. Pick up a book, listen to a podcast, pick up a new language, or simply talk to your family about their experiences growing up. The choices are endless.
Another important part of our responsibilities during this crisis is staying at home to help protect older people who could fall seriously ill under COVID-19. As students and young adults that are not at serious risk for the severe consequences of COVID-19, we can not discount the effects of the virus on our families. Choosing to hang out with friends instead of canceling plans and staying at home could prove fatal for older members of your family or the families of other people in our community. 
There are very few times in American history where we are asked to unite and take this sort of collective action that our community direly needs. As Americans, we are used to an incredibly individualistic society and the idea of collective action or responsibility is generally met with skepticism or contempt. However, the current crisis requires every person’s cooperation and demands sacrifices from all. If young people like us decide to ignore warnings and continue to go out and have fun, we condemn our society to this never-ending cycle of meaningless death and economic destruction. The quicker we decide to stay home and practice social distancing, the quicker this nightmare ends. Choosing to stay home for three or more weeks could save our country and globe from months of economic and social havoc. 
At the end of the day, don’t view this time at home as a waste or a bear on your plans. View it as a time for introspection, an opportunity to discover new things, and most of all, view it as a service to your community.

times of crises require personal responsibility

The teacher has just asked a question and the answer that was so clear in your mind is now clouded by questions: What if it’s wrong? What if everyone laughs at me? What if I trip up my words and embarrass myself? The hand that you were about to raise goes back to your lap. To a teacher, this lowered hand could automatically lead to a lower grade, an assumption that you didn’t do the assignment, or an overall sour feeling about you. Very quickly those questions about your participation become questions about your grade leading to a new anxious spiral from a want to participate to the fear holding you back. 

Quiet people are often perceived as uninterested, unopinionated, or even disrespectful as they tend not to engage in large groups. Although we have this assumption in schools that quieter students can be coaxed out of their shells, the participation grade incentive that schools use to get students to open up does not work. This incentive leads to greater anxiety as the desire to bring up this grade is overshadowed by the anxiety that comes along with raising it. In general, participation grades are an inaccurate representation of students’ academic performances that ought to be replaced with a more inclusive analysis of students’ understanding of the material.

The desire to remain quiet comes from natural parts of peoples’ personalities such as shyness or introversion. While both traits can coexist, it is critical to make the distinction between the two. Shyness is fear of social judgment. Everyone has shyness to some extent and that is how the initial fear of raising your hand comes out in the first place. Introversion concerns how individuals respond to stimuli. Extroverts typically need more stimuli, while introverts thrive best in low-key environments. Our society tends to idealize extroverts as outspoken people who are often those with the greatest power or influence. PHS is guilty of this idealization as well. This is reflected in our participation grades, who we elect to student government, and even the people that we view as the smartest in our grades. We wouldn’t be placing our more extroverted peers on a pedestal if they didn’t make us believe that they deserved to be there through their outspoken tendencies. However, this idealization of more talkative students completely minimizes the work that quieter students do to maintain their grades, their positions in extracurricular activities, and their efforts to create a social presence at PHS. 

Having established the difference between shyness and introversion, we can dive into why shyness is impacting students’ participation tendencies in the first place. Researchers at Northwestern University theorized that “kids face a social stigma for publicly making an effort to excel”. This stems from a school’s overall academic based culture. We would like to assume that given the pressure to take AP courses, apply to top colleges and fill our plates full of extracurriculars, PHS would fall into the “cool-to-be-smart” category of schools, however this is not the case. It is always incredibly awkward to be the student who breaks the silence in class when it seems that no one knows the answer. In that situation, it is far easier to keep your hand lowered rather than draw attention to yourself for being the know-it-all or the dumb one if you get the answer wrong. Although the chances of that actually happening are incredibly low, human’s inherent shyness creates that narrative within our minds which makes it easier for us to follow the masses. Rather than penalizing people for their inherent shyness, shouldn’t our teachers be understanding of that fear and encourage participation rather than enforce it?

Modern-day teaching needs to embrace all types of learning, listening, and communication styles. In an inclusive learning community like PHS, we should encourage introverts and quiet students to reach their academic potential using a multitude of ways to demonstrate mastery of learning material. A more equitable participation grading technique could help to make it easier for quieter students to demonstrate what they know. The canvas discussion boards can be an effective way for students to interact virtually with a way to edit what they say to feel the most confident about their responses while also maintaining conversations with other students. This would eliminate the overwhelming stimuli of in-class discussions that can be daunting for many students. Regardless of the volume of their voice, every student has one, and it’s time we learn to listen.

Hands down — quiet people, speak up

“It almost looks,” wrote Sigmund Freud in “Analysis Terminable and Interminable,” his dark, sobering final paper, “as if analysis were the third of those impossible professions in which one can be sure beforehand of achieving unsatisfying results. The other two, which have been known much longer, are education and government.” It’s a strange claim for the man credited with founding psychoanalysis — a field which defines what Freud called “neuroses” as results of unchecked unconscious desires — to make: imagine a teacher ending the school year with a lecture about how their class had been predestined to disappoint. And yet the impossibility of fully satisfying the psychoanalytic patient was at the center of Freud’s theories. To understand why — and to understand whether Freud’s ideas, and the discipline that arose from them, matter at PHS — we have to talk about transference.

Don’t let its academic aura fool you: the theory of transference is, quite simply, a theory of love. In his “Observations on a Transference-Love,” Freud proposed that the “layman’s” conceptualization of love as a pure, quasi-spiritual force was shortsighted. This conclusion, characteristically, comes from a deep personal failure: in the early days of his practice, Freud pushed away a string of patients (most notably the pseudonymous Dora) who had become inexplicably attracted to him. His attempt to understand the roots of the pattern, despite being tainted by sexist misconceptions and unscientific assumptions, ended up producing t h e seminally important idea of transference: Freud posited that we bring the emotional expectations and desires of our childhood with us wherever we go — including, of course, to the analyst’s couch.

Today, analysts agree almost unanimously (a rare thing, in the fraught world of psychoanalytic institutes) that doctors can allow nothing to arise from a patient’s love. But this is not because the patient’s love isn’t real — it has the same transferential roots as any other of their romantic attractions. The rule exists simply because an analyst’s office is an inappropriate and manipulative context for genuine romantic intimacy.

Perhaps I’ve failed to explain how lonely and terrifying Freud’s theory is. Janet Malcolm, in “The Impossible Profession,” does it more justice: “even… romantic love is fundamentally solitary, and has at its core a profound impersonality. The concept of transference… destroys faith in personal relations.” Or, more succinctly: “we cannot know each other.” And yet the idea is vital to the psychoanalytic encounter, in which the analyst is often tasked with “knowing” their patient. As it turns out, only by recognizing and “harnessing” countertransference — feelings from the doctor towards the patient which arise from what Malcolm calls “early blueprints” — can an analyst ensure that their patient’s unconscious urges (and the analyst’s own) don’t destroy the possibility for a productive and genuinely helpful process. Some psychoanalysts would object to my language here. Thankfully, I’m not a psychoanalyst, and I have no institutional reputation to uphold. What I am is a high schooler — one who thinks that the classroom, too, should be productive and genuinely helpful, and that student teacher relationships form (of course) an inappropriate context for romance.

Don’t get me wrong: focusing on the erotics of a high school classroom is unhelpful and weird. And Freud — sexist, self-centered, pseudoscientific Freud — hardly seems like a figure you’d want helping teachers at PHS to relate with their students. But a general understanding of transference, as I see it, should help rectify (or at least explain) some of the expectations we form (consciously or otherwise) of the classroom.

As the analyst Leo Stone explained in 1967, rather than casting teachers as lovers, we recognize in them the “caretaking functions of the original parents.” Deadlines at school and curfews at home are subject to the same set of tangled emotional push-backs. But the same time, students crave the teacher’s parental love: we want to be cared for. Of course, openly addressing transference in the classroom would be, as Merve Emre puts it in “Are you my Mother?,” “its own variety of pedagogical failure.” Classes have neither the time nor the moral obligation to become therapy sessions. Still, students would do well to remember that a teacher is not obligated to love them — or even care about them on an individual level — in the same way a parent might. Often, instead of wanting to be taught, we yearn for the teacher to seek out our own knowledge: in a class with 30 other students, though, an educator failing to do so is a practical choice rather than a personal slight.

I’ve also come to believe (with significantly less authority, never having been a teacher myself) that PHS teachers can learn from the way an analyst deals with the urge to reciprocate their patient’s “transference love.” Caring for students is, of course, important, but replacing constructive rigor and challenge with either a doting, carefree environment or one where the teacher feels as though they must make the class wildly, unhelpfully difficult in order to reaffirm their own authority, is harmful for everybody involved. It’s hard, as someone who finds a perhaps embarrassing amount of joy in the classes I take here at PHS, to agree with Freud that education is an impossible profession. But it seems that students who want to please or defy their educators at all costs and teachers who seek to become surrogate parents or all-knowing kings each fall prey to the same misguided assumption: that the high school classroom could ever be truly satisfying.

Teachers and transference: does Freud matter in high schools?

   On October 7, 2023, Hamas, the Muslim authority of the Gaza Strip, invaded the state of Israel. In response, the Israeli cabinet vowed “to wipe… Hamas off the face of the Earth.” In the following weeks, the world watched the attack become the bloodiest war in Israel’s history. According to the New York Times, as of November 7, there have been over 1,400 Israeli and 10,000 Palestinian civilian and militant casualties, as well as 422 Israeli hostages and 1.5 million internally displaced Gazans. 

  The war has also come with inflammatory speech and calls for violent protest. The Anti-Defamation League has recorded a 388 percent rise in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. between October 7 and October 25, compared to the same period last year. Similarly, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, reports of Islamophobia were up 182 percent in the U.S. between October 7 and October 24, compared to the average 16-day period last year. Educational institutions have been particularly rife with confrontation. For instance, at UMass Amherst, a student was recently arrested for assaulting a fellow Jewish student at a vigil. Stanford has also been investigating possible hate crimes committed against a Muslim student. And at Harvard, a group of pro-Palestinian students received widespread condemnation after “holding the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all ongoing violence.” 

   Other, less extreme responses have also contributed to the deafening noise. One such reaction is performative activism on social media, and the rush to take sides; this is often caused by the widespread lack of empathy for others and a general lack of understanding of this nuanced situation. You have probably seen it online; a binary stance, or lack thereof, becomes a part of one’s character. This pressures people to hop on social media to share a quick something about the war and get it over with. A global conflict becomes a box they can check off, a guilty feeling they think they can dispose of with a simple click. This leads to a common sentiment — when people lack compassion and time and space for reflection, the results are horrendous. In October 2022, AP News conducted a poll that found that around 75 percent of adults in the U.S. agree that misinformation leads to violent views and behaviors.

   Incorrect, radical, and often conflicting messaging related to the Israel-Hamas war can make it difficult to discern the truth and process our reaction to it. However, instead of trying to easily address the situation with a simplistic perspective or opinion, the most effective solution is to take time to develop a complete understanding and keep empathy at the center of thought.

   While not all responses to the war have been peaceful, we are fortunate that at PHS, we have had thoughtful and constructive opportunities for reflection. On October 17, PHS invited Rabbi Merow from The Jewish Center to help students process their reactions. On October 20, PHS hosted a Gathering for Peace and Hope, in which the Muslim Student Union, the Jewish Club, and the Middle Eastern Students Association came together to recite Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb.” 

   Rather than making rash and violent decisions or participating in performative acts without a true understanding of the issue at hand, we should continue to encourage each other, and ourselves, to take time in making decisions and keep an open mind. It’s not an easy topic. That’s not to say that one may not have an opinion on the subject; individual opinions are encouraged and valued, but it is essential to maintain an anti-violent and open-minded approach when developing them. This war, and our reactions to it, are anything but a justification for hatred. If we want true unity, true resolution, and true peace, the best reaction is a thoughtful and empathetic one. 

Embracing empathy amidst the conflict in Israel and Palestine

  In the past, celebrities were shining stars: singers, dancers and politicians only seen by fans on the black screens of television. Now, in the age of unrestrained usage of social media, the distance between celebrities and fans is stripped. From convincing fans to purchase a product they endorse to imposing their views on important world events and issues, celebrities and public figures now hold the power to influence an impressionable audience with the click of a button. 

  After the senseless killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement saw a massive influx of attention on various media. From trending Twitter “blacklivesmatter” hashtags to the 28 million Instagram users who participated in “Blackout Tuesday,” publicly proclaiming support on social media for BLM was deemed the right thing to do, and keeping silent was perceived as immoral and almost racist. Brands and celebrities rode on this social media wave, blacking out their social media profile pictures and professing their support to the movement in posts. While these popular gestures were intended to show solidarity with the movement, it set a larger precedent that activism simply meant announcing one’s alignment with a cause without the intention of further support. 

  Mass distribution of misguided statements is the central cause for the spread of misinformation, an all too common consequence of celebrity “activism.” A study conducted by researchers at Reuters Institution in 2022 found that 20 percent of posts containing misinformation about COVID-19 were created by influencer profiles. Even more damaging, because of their large monopoly on social media, celebrity posts on important issues often overshadow expert opinions and helpful resources posted by lesser known accounts, devaluing the function of professional journalism. The often performative nature of celebrity activism becomes clear upon nuanced situations such as the Israeli-Palestinian war, which saw much less celebrity engagement. Given the extreme nuance of the conflict, there was no longer a clear-cut, “politically-correct” side to side with or to jump on the bandwagon for. Many fans blasted their idols upon observing their “silence,” questioning why they weren’t using their platform to weigh in on the situation. However, celebrities shouldn’t be pressured to “speak up” on political issues that they have no background in when expert opinions hold more importance in informing the public. 

   The influence celebrities have on impressionable fans regarding social issues often unfolds on an emotional level rather than from factual evidence, resulting in unacceptable behaviors by hot-tempered fans that attack individuals who speak out against the misguided ideologies spread by biased public figures. For example, in April 2020, the actor Woody Harrelson shared his claim regarding the 5G network being the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic to his two million followers on Instagram. The time frame of his claims correlated with at least 20 cell tower polls being burned to the ground in the UK. Telecom employees were also harassed on the streets while attempting to set up 5G fiber optic cables. Kanye West, also known for his anti-vaccination stance, told Forbes that he believed COVID-19 vaccinations would “put chips inside of us” during the pandemic. This proven-false conspiracy theory snowballed and soon became a popular statement spread by anti-vaccine groups. Furthermore, the misinformed statements of celebrities are often regurgitated in popular media in order to generate more clicks, consequently exacerbating the spread of their falsified claims.

   As teenagers, the demographic most susceptible to celebrity influence, PHS students should be mindful of avoiding valuing their favorite celebrities' opinions over expert opinions in order to make informed decisions. In a time where rampant false information is spread online, it’s important to realize that the power of reliable research to uncover truths is longstanding and undeniable. 


Stop relying on celebrity activism

First dreaming about becoming a history teacher in the first grade, this fall marks Social Studies Teacher Elizabeth Taylor’s 13th year teaching at PHS. Growing up in Wichita, Kansas, Taylor debated between journalism and teaching history in high school, but the difficulty of attending a journalism college and the lack of a newspaper at her high school compelled her to choose education as a more secure option. 
After receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Boston University, Taylor taught United States and World History at Westford Academy in Massachusetts for nine years before she and her husband moved to South Jersey, where it was closer to family. Budget cuts caused by the 2008 Recession led to fewer available teaching positions, with the only one being PHS at the time. She took the offer to work at PHS knowing the challenge and reputation of the district.

“I chose education over journalism [because] I thought that I had a more secure job as a teacher. I shadowed a reporter at a local newspaper for a day during my senior year and remember them telling me that to get a job as a reporter, … you had to have worked on your high school newspaper. My school didn’t even have a newspaper, so I figured I didn’t really have a chance,” said Taylor. “I liked history; I was good at it, and I had several great history teachers. My mom was also a teacher, as was an aunt and a cousin, so I could easily picture myself as a teacher.”

Taylor strives to create a learning environment that is both intellectually engaging and inspires students to consider different perspectives. In order to keep students engaged, as well as make each year different for herself, Taylor adjusts her curriculum each year to incorporate current events and new resources that fit the needs of the new class. 

“Current events definitely help to make each year unique; this has especially been true over the last several years. Also, getting a new group of students, with their own interests and personalities; realizing that students in one period aren’t as engaged by a topic as students in an earlier period were, and moving on more quickly,” Taylor said.

In addition to social studies, Taylor also teaches Sociology Accelerated at PHS. Because of her limited knowledge on sociology and the time she had to allocate to her baby at home, Taylor was initially reluctant to adopt the new course. However, after five weeks of teaching the subject, Taylor fell in love with the creativity it allowed as well its applicability to students’ lives.

“Professionally, it is the best thing that has happened to me. … I love that it’s a rigorous course without the pressure of an AP exam,” Taylor said.

Having been regarded as a tough but fair teacher by previous and current students, Taylor finds that both of her courses teach students study skills and time management habits, which they can continue to apply in high school and throughout college.

“‘Tough but fair’ sounds about right. I hope to create an environment that is intellectually engaging and where students feel supported as they try new things and perspectives,” Taylor said.

Through her teaching, Taylor hopes to develop students’ desires to keep up with current events and become active members of society. Emma Liu ’26, a student in Taylor’s AP U.S. History class, appreciates her commitment to helping her students.

“She provides a lot of support for her students and really tries to help them succeed whether [that’s] in the classroom or for the AP Exam,” Liu said.

Outside of the classroom, Taylor strives to find a balance between work obligations and spending time with family.

“The demands on teachers are simply too great, and it definitely got much harder once I had kids,” said Taylor. “The best I have done is to ignore anything PHS-related during the summer, and to instead focus on the rest of my life as much as possible, … but during the school year, teaching takes up the majority of my time and attention.”

In her limited free time, Taylor enjoys gardening, dancing, and reading. Having been a dancer her whole life, she finds that her weekly tap dance classes give her the opportunity to unwind from the stresses of teaching.
“I take an adult tap class now that is probably the best hour of the week for me, because I’m just focusing on something that I need and not what my students need, or my kids need, or my husband needs,” Taylor said.
As her two children grow up, Taylor notes how she’s been able to relate much more to her students and their ambitious high school classes and extracurriculars as she learns to deal with her own children’s ambitions.
“I see high school students who are just trying to do it all. … They want to take five AP classes, be president of this club, etc. … and as a teacher, there’s just not enough hours in the day to do all of this, right?” Taylor said. “Now as a parent, I’m struggling to make those same types of decisions because it’s not like we’re pushing them into these things … and it’s really hard as a parent to say no when it’s something that they’re passionate about, because you want to encourage their passions, but you also don’t want them to burn out. … So, I definitely have more sympathy for my students as I watch my children navigate this themselves.”
For incoming and current APUSH students, Taylor hopes that they recognize that the class is much more than just learning history. She stresses how all of the challenges that come with taking APUSH are what makes a student’s journey in her class so special.

“A lot of it is about the journey that they go through over the course of the year. APUSH is a really hard class, but at the end of the year, students overwhelmingly tell me how worth it it was and how they learned so much more than just US history, and even more than just how to be a historian,” said Taylor. “I like seeing the journey from how they first approach the class, and what they think their goals are, what they think they’re going to get out of it, and then seeing at the end of the year, how much that has evolved.”

PHS Profile: Elizabeth Taylor

   This year, Princeton High School welcomed the first cohort of Princeton Middle School students who took part in the Community Park Elementary School’s Dual Language Immersion program. Having been recognized as a model program for Spanish Dual Language Immersion by the New Jersey Department of Education, CP’s full DLI program engages students in the Spanish culture and language from a young age with half of the core instruction taught in English and the other half taught in Spanish. While this program has gained much praise since its inception in 2015, it has also been met with some criticism, as it provokes the more general issue of overcrowding in the other elementary schools in the school district.
   With over 1,000 new housing units projected to be completed in Princeton by 2026 resulting in consistent growth in enrollment, expansion has always been a discussed topic in the community. In recent years, concerns have been raised by many parents, especially those whose children must be rerouted around the unfilled CP elementary school that is currently exclusively for students in the DLI program. 
   “DLI has become an issue [as] … it's not popular enough to consistently fill a whole school. If you don't want to do DLI, you have to go to another school. So we’re busing kids all over the place. kids that would walk to CP, we're busing them to Johnson Park,” Bouldin said.
   Sharing the same view as Bouldin is District Supervisor of World Languages Priscilla Russell, who explains that while CP is indeed experiencing a lack of students in the DLI program, the district’s other elementary schools are not overcrowded, but full. 
   “We need to be careful — [the other schools] are full, but they're not overcrowded,” said Russell. “[CP] does have some empty classrooms … but our goal had always been to create a dual language immersion school, which we were doing pretty well until the pandemic hit and changed just a whole lot of things.”
   CP Principal Dineen Gruchacz further describes the hindering factors brought by the pandemic, detailing how they have contributed to a lower-than-expected number of students in the DLI program.
   “[During the pandemic], lots of people shied away from anything different than a very basic education program,” said Gruchacz. “The recovery time to build back the numbers in the [classrooms] … is definitely something that needs to be addressed.”
   A DLI program at CP was first proposed in 2013 with the hopes of strengthening bilingual and multicultural learning in the district by taking advantage of Princeton’s extensive diversity. Rather than supplementing English classes with a single world language class, the DLI’s aim was to create a more holistic approach to language and culture, immersing students by teaching half of their subjects in Spanish instead of English. 
   DLI programs have become increasingly popular across the country in recent years due to the cognitive benefits associated with learning more than one language from a younger age and in response to the undervaluation of foreign languages in English-speaking countries. In fact, according to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the universality of English is one of the main reasons why English is the most commonly taught language worldwide by a factor of 20, a discrepancy that DLI programs hope to address.
   “Princeton is not a huge town, but it's a town [made up] of really diverse community members and perspectives … [and] a large international community,” said Kimberley Tew, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. “We want to make sure that we're honoring that being bilingual and biliterate is a superpower … in an increasingly globalized world. [That] is the goal of the program, not just to develop [linguistic] skills, but to develop cultural competency.”
   Along with welcoming DLI program alums at PHS for the first time, the district has extended the DLI program past the elementary and middle school levels by introducing a new horticulture class tailored to teach basic biology principles in Spanish, taught by science and research teacher Mark Eastburn. Eastburn, who is fluent in both Spanish and English, reflects on the tremendous positive impacts that learning a new language can have on a child’s cognitive abilities and consequently believes that many more people should be signing up for the program.
   “I remember, many years ago, the evidence being overwhelmingly strong that dual language immersion programs are a way of supercharging childrens’ brains,” said Eastburn. “The evidence has only gotten better over time, and why we can’t get more people to sign up in a community which truly cares about education is baffling to me.”
   While the district does offer Spanish classes in the traditional route in all the other elementary schools, many parents believe that language education in the traditional method of language learning is not sufficient for students to gain fluency, leading them to choose DLI. Nicole Pezold, a current CP parent, believes that foreign language education is not prioritized in the traditional curriculum. 
   “I think it’s kind of an American approach to learning foreign languages to just not prioritize them at all. And I think that our schools in Princeton are trying to prioritize it way more than schools elsewhere in the nation, but we still are approaching it from an old perspective of language learning. I think immersion is the future, or one potential road for the future of language learning for people who really think that that's an important part of a rounded education,” Pezold said.
   Some parents who compare the immersive education of their children to their own experiences with the traditional method point out the effectiveness of DLI over the traditional method. Georgette Stern, who currently has three kids enrolled in the DLI program, shares her satisfaction with her kids’ improvement in the language. 
   “My husband and I both took Spanish throughout middle and high school, but you don't get the same level. I often speak to [my kids] in broken Spanish and … it’s great to see the level of comprehension,” said Stern. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to have your kids hear another language for half of their day, and also get core instruction in those languages.”
   In addition to offering enhanced opportunities for students who may not speak a second language at home to become bilingual, the DLI program intends to aid the large Spanish-speaking population in Princeton by helping them strengthen their bilingual skills and learn about their heritage more deeply.
   “One of the original goals of the program was to close the opportunity gap,” said Tew. “A lot of times when students move to the school district or move to America, they lose some of the foundational skills and pieces in their heritage languages … so we [are] targeting our [Spanish speaking] multilingual learners so that they can strengthen their knowledge base in both languages.”
   Olu Ogunyankin, a CP parent and a native of Guatemala, shared that the main reason her family chose to move to Princeton from South Brunswick was for the DLI program.
   “[Before starting at CP], even though we speak Spanish at home, [my son] would reply in English because he was in a Pre-K where they just spoke English. And [although] it’s been two months since the classes started in kindergarten, I see a huge difference in the amount of Spanish that he uses at home. He’s giving me sentences in Spanish, he’s replying in Spanish, and soon he’s gonna write in that language too,” Ogunyankin said.
The program is intended to help both native Spanish speakers and the already multicultural and multilingual families in Princeton who may not speak Spanish but want their children to continue learning in different languages.
   “We're targeting any family or child who believes in multiculturalism, biliteracy, and bilingualism. We have a lot of families who don't speak Spanish at home, but they might already be a trilingual or bilingual family, and they want their child to have that experience in school as well,” Tew said.
   PHS freshmen who took part in the first cohort of the DLI program highly recommend it for incoming elementary students at CP, finding that in addition to learning a new language from a younger age, the cultural immersion provided by the program has given them a different perspective of the world around them.
   “I feel like you're connected to a different culture. You're more immersed [and] you have a better ability to understand things around the world because you get to know people who were specifically part of that culture,” said Charles Baglio ’27, a member of the first DLI cohort. “[CP] did it really well … and it'’ an experience that you’ll take with you for the rest of your life.”
   For the parents who aren’t considering the DLI program, Milania Kapoor ’27, another freshman who participated in the DLI program, recommends that parents try the program for their children before they make a decision, expressing that the program will provide profound benefits.
   “I would say try it because you can always switch out of it … and ask to go to a different school,” said Kapoor. “It was an incredible experience for me. Not only are you learning a language but it's just a different experience … because you learn math in Spanish, you learn science in Spanish, … and you [become] so smart as a young kid.”
   With a growing Spanish-speaking population in the United States and an increasingly globalized world, learning a second language will become an important skill for future generations. How Princeton schools will balance an immersion program and potential overcrowding issues, however, may require compromise. 
   “It's a matter of everyone getting along and understanding each other better, and then building those bridges to actually move everyone forward as a society, which Princeton has the opportunity to do,” said Eastburn. “We really need to hammer that home to the public, because [an immersion program is] such a unique and important thing that we can offer as a district.”

Eight years on, PPS’s DLI program continues to bridge language gaps

   On November 16, Princeton Public Schools’ English Language Learner and Title 1 families gathered in Princeton Middle School for the third annual Parent Community Night. The Night included Interactive workshops on family financial planning, technology assistance, and K-12 academic support that hoped to provide a way for attendees to connect and learn about available resources.

   “[Trinidad] Rodriguez and I decided to create this event after noticing many of our ESL families requesting outreach to help understand and know of all the offerings within the school system in the United States,” said Vanessa Bernal, a co-organizer of PPS’s Parent Community Night along with Rodriguez. “Both of us [grew] up with families who immigrated from other countries, [so we] felt this was so important and necessary to do.” 

   At the event, student volunteer translators from PHS were available to assist non-English speaking parents in registering their children for school athletics, the Dual Language Immersion program, and specific school counseling. Several local Princeton organizations — including the Princeton Public Library, Community House, YMCA, the Princeton Health Department, HiTOPS, and Corner House — were also invited to share out-of-school resources with attendees. From providing free academic tutoring for low-income students to helping attendees schedule flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, the variety of community offerings all work towards ensuring that families can have their needs addressed. 

   As an effort to build a sense of community among families, a free shared dinner was hosted at the event with the help of a $1000 Princeton Regional Educational Support Staff Association grant. Following the meal, attendees listened to a keynote speaker, Levi Geurrero, share tips on how to support their childrens’ education, as well as his experience in K-12 and higher education as an immigrant student. 

   “I [want] to be a voice for people that don’t have a voice,” said Guerrero. “I feel like if [people] see someone that looks like them, speaks their language, and comes from the same background, [then] they can relate to them. It’s great to have families engaged in [their] kids’ educational future.”

  Growing up speaking English as a second language in PPS, Guerrero understands the importance of creating a school environment that fosters cultural inclusion and enrichment. As a multicultural school district, PPS’s English Language Learners Program plays an integral role in bridging connections between students who are learning English and their peers. Having at least one ESL teacher in each school, the growing program develops student English proficiency in four fundamental skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. 
	
   “[School] districts are required to provide programs taught by ESL certificated teachers if there are ten or more [ESL] students,” said Priscilla Russel, the District Supervisor of World Languages, ESL/Bilingual, and Dual Immersion Programs since 2004. “Our ESL students contribute to the demographic and cultural diversity that characterizes our schools.”

   Individualized classes for ESL students are based on their English screening performances, a language proficiency assessment required for non-native English speakers upon registration in the school district. At PHS, students with limited English proficiency can enroll in Welcome Center I, II, or III, ESL English, History, Science, or Math, where they develop English vocabulary through specialized instruction.

   With the goal of eventually integrating ESL students into mainstream classes, students are taught and expected to complete grade-level history, science, literature, and math assignments in English, allowing them to strengthen their English proficiency while progressing alongside the school curriculum. While classes are primarily taught in English, ESL instructors put emphasis on creating an environment that promotes bilingualism and respects linguistic diversity. 

   “We always emphasize the importance of home languages,” said Ted Holsten, an ESL teacher at Littlebrook Elementary School. “All studies show that students who continue speaking and learning in their home languages have an easier time learning English.”

    At PPS’s elementary schools, ESL lessons combine grade school activities with formal English instruction, with students playing games, singing songs, and writing Halloween stories. 
 
  “I like to let students shape their learning when possible. Some beginners want to start trying to speak right away; some are quieter and are not comfortable trying to speak,” said Holsten. “I try to be sensitive to each student’s personality and interests. I enjoy seeing the way that students are motivated by wanting to communicate with each other and help each other.”

   Opportunities for enrolling in adult ESL classes, or English Conversation Groups, at Princeton Public Library were also offered at the Parent Community Night. 

   “What helps the families the most this evening is just being able to connect, to see themselves in the speaker and the teachers, and to see their children be in the school building and connecting with other students,” said Bernal. “That sense of community is really important.”

Families gather for annual ELL Parent Community Night

On October 22, the PHS community received an email from the Board of Education stating that Dr. Carol Kelley would be resigning from her role as PPS Superintendent following a nine-month leave of absence. In a later email to parents and guardians, Kelley offered her own words of explanation.

“This week, after much consideration, I made the difficult decision to resign as Superintendent of Princeton Public Schools. For personal and professional reasons, I must take some time to reset and recenter myself so I can later return to public education and continue to positively impact students,” Kelley wrote in an email.

Following Kelley’s announcement, Rebecca Gold stepped in to serve as Acting Superintendent and Dr. Kathleen Foster was appointed as Interim Superintendent ten days later.

Gold and Foster are both long-time administrators, in Princeton and elsewhere. Gold served for more than 25 years in Lawrence Township, serving in various leadership positions, such as the Director of Personnel. She currently serves as the Interim Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in PPS. The temporary role of Acting Superintendent added to her current responsibilities.

When asked to describe the role of Gold and the Interim Superintendent, Dafna Kendal, President of the Board of Education, said that it was important to have someone to “sign the checks,” or in other words, act as a formal authority in the district decisions made by the administrative team.

“The board wants someone in charge; even though we have a really strong administrative team, we just want that one person,” Kendal said.

Deeply familiar with Princeton’s educational landscape, Foster most recently served as the Interim Principal for Princeton High School following the dismissal of Frank Chmiel. Prior to that, she held a longstanding administrative position in Robbinsville before joining the PPS district in December 2021 as the Interim Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. On November 13, the board approved her appointment as Interim Superintendent, which is expected to last for the rest of Kelley’s contractual term. 

According to Foster’s contract, the Board wants to “enhance administrative stability, financial security, and continuity within the schools while the Superintendent is on a leave of absence.”

Rashone Johnson, the assistant principal at PHS, believes that PHS is used to these types of changes and can adapt well to them.

“[The] high school administration is still going to do everything in our power to make sure that things still run smoothly for all of our students and staff,” Johnson said.

As PPS changes administrators, students and staff have found ways to continue to achieve the goals of the district, namely quality education. Kendal agreed that students and staff are at the core of the district.

“I think what makes our district great is our teaching staff. And, I know there have been a lot of administrative changes … [but] our teachers just continue doing their jobs and focus on teaching and learning. So while I think it’s important who we have as a leader of the district, I think we’re led by … [what is happening] in our buildings,” Kendal said.

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