   Through increasing social disagreement in our country, many parents have joined together in an attempt to protect their children from ideas or courses of study that they deem harmful. In order to protect their children from these ideas — whether scientific, medical, or historical — parents lobby and protest so that their children can opt out of certain lessons. 
   It’s easy to think of opting-out of controversial content as something that happens far away from the progressive halls of PHS. However, recently, the PPS district has had its own challenges with parental demands to opt-out. In September, Project Veritas (a conservative media organization) released an undercover video of a HiTOPS (an LGBTQ+ non-profit) employee on YouTube. In the video, the employee explained that instead of educating students about LGBTQ+ issues in an opt-outable sex-ed class, the organization had been teaching about it in mandatory Pathways to Racial Literacy classes. As a result, this January, a small group of parents held a protest at Princeton Middle School against the continued inclusion of HiTOPS in the mandatory school curriculum. 
   “[PPS] has had requests in the past to opt-out of [Pathways to] Racial Literacy, [a] graduation requirement, [but] per the state guidelines it’s not opt-outable,” said Kimberly Tew, Assistant  Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.             
   Those who support opting out generally subscribe to the philosophy known as “parents’ rights.” This principle maintains that parents should have greater control of their child’s experience in public schools. In some cases, this may even mean outright changes to the entire curriculum. In 2023, the attorney general in Indiana passed the Parents’ Bill of Rights with the aim of changing the curriculum to ensure that it “accurately reflects the values of Indiana families.” 
   The justification for this is that parents know what’s good for their children better than educators. These claims should not be immediately dismissed. Parents, after all, spend a lot of time with their children and would be able to notice the emotional needs of their children. However, mental health and education are entirely different. Teachers and school administrators have spent their careers devoted to the intellectual and educational experience of young adults, whereas parents often see things only through the eyes of their own children, making teachers generally more in tune with the intellectual and social needs of students. 
   In addition to a justification for involvement in education, for opting-out to actually happen, parents must take issue with the school curriculum. Of course, parents are entitled to their own opinions about what is right. However, allowing a student to study something does not mean they will be forced to endorse it. In a school district as accommodating as Princeton’s, students who disagree with the perspective of the educator have a chance to voice their disagreement and express their reasoning. At PHS, students are likely to encounter a much more forgiving and understanding audience than if they were to wait to discuss their ideas until entering our intensely partisan society. In turn, students who had previously agreed with the position of the educator are introduced to another perspective — their world view expands, and they learn that the issue at hand is not one sided. 
   In the end, opting-out depends on a logic that is similar to censorship, as if there are certain ideas or subjects that are so dangerous that they must be deemed out of bounds entirely. But this is hardly the case; we should be exposed to all kinds of ideas — both good and bad — just like the ideas we will eventually be exposed to when we leave the safety of the classroom.     
   Parents, though, still have a crucial role to play in this process of education. Rather than protect their children from “dangerous” ideas, they should provide their children with the analytical tools to form their own interpretation. 

Opt out, or cop-out?

On May 9, approximately 50 PHS students gathered around the flagpole, where they chanted and made speeches. This student-led walkout aimed to raise awareness in the PHS community about the ongoing war in Gaza and to support Princeton University students’ calls for divestment from Israel.
“When we were at the flagpole, we led two specific chants; ‘Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest,’ calling for the boycott of Israeli ties and funds that institutes promote across the country [and] ‘Free Free Palestine,’” said student protestor Asma Qureshi ’25.
Many of the students, accompanied by Princeton police, then marched to the Princeton University campus, where they joined protestors at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment in creating art, enjoying food, and performing chants.
The PHS walkout joins a nationwide movement of student protesters demanding that their colleges divest, or break financial ties, from Israel. Many protestors also call on their universities to demand a ceasefire in Gaza, reaffirm students’ right to protest, and disclose how their endowments are invested. While some colleges have dispersed protestors’ on-campus encampments through negotiations, others, such as Columbia University and UCLA, have utilized law enforcement. Princeton University’s encampment dispersed in mid-May after the university both held negotiations and made several arrests.
The main organizers of the walkout, Qureshi and Zia Hughes ’26, spread information to fellow PHS students through word of mouth, social media, and flyers.
“When we started the walkout,” said Qureshi, “We made it very clear what our intentions were, which is, and it was written on our [flyers] as well, that we are students of peace and are students for justice.”
The PHS administration affirmed the student protestors’ rights to free expression. They noted that the student protestors largely followed school regulations, including signing out from the Main Office before leaving the campus. An email to parents from Principal Cecilia Birge and Acting Superintendent Dr. Kathie Foster described the protest as “respectful” and “orderly.” However, Birge raised several concerns, including the flyers posted in the hallway.
“The walkout on May 9 was not authorized by the school. Therefore, our responsibility was to [safeguard] students’ First Amendment rights and [ensure] compliance with school regulations,” said Birge. “In this regard, all flyers and posters in our building must receive approval from [Diana Lygas] before being displayed on hallway walls. We removed all posters that had not obtained [Lygas]’ authorization immediately after they were put up.”
Cooper Jacknow ’26 and Jacob Rotenberg ’27, members of the PHS Jewish Club, commented on a chant from protestors that they characterized as antisemitic.
“[At] the May 9 walkout, people were chanting things that I think are anti-semitic,” said Rotenberg. “I’m sure they don’t mean it … If they do, then that’s [a] problem, and we’re glad to help educate them and show why it’s wrong.” 
Jacknow and Rotenberg emphasized that the act of protest and walkout itself was an acceptable expression of freedom of speech. However, they criticized the act of chanting within the building for distracting students. The two specifically took issue with one of the student protestors’ chants: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
“When [the student protestors] say ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ they’re saying from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea … but the only thing in between the river and the sea is Israel. And Israel is the Jewish [state], so it feels very targeted when they say [it],” Rotenberg said.
The walkout’s organizers reject the idea that this chant was antisemitic. They instead view it as a call for peace in the contested region, removal of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, and nonviolent coexistence between the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.
“Before Israel was created, the land of [historic] Palestine was from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. [But]... the Israeli government prevents Palestinians from living freely throughout that land, their historic land. [The chant] in no way calls for the oppression of anyone and simply calls for the abolishment of [restrictions],” Hughes said. 
In the United States, incidents of both islamophobia and antisemitism have vastly increased after the violence of October 7. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, there was a 178 percent rise in reports of Muslim hate incidents in the months following the October 7 attacks. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 361 percent increase in antisemitic incidents compared to the year prior.
In May, the Jewish Club put up posters throughout the school both in celebration of Jewish Heritage Month and to counter rising antisemitism. Birge similarly noted the administration’s efforts to combat hate. 
“Fostering a hate-free environment within our school is about ensuring a safe and inclusive space for every student. To achieve this, we prioritize educational programs that promote intercultural understanding, diversity, and empathy,” Birge said. 
On May 3, PHS held its annual Holocaust Assembly provided by 3GNY, an organization that runs workshops designed to provide students with an opportunity for deeper dialogues in smaller environments under the guidance of teachers.
“Our goal is to introduce this workshop to our students next year,” said Birge. “We are also actively seeking opportunities to organize a forum involving Muslim leaders from the community, along with engaging in joint interfaith dialogues.”
Birge also emphasized the role of the counseling department in helping students to develop emotional resilience.
“Our counseling department plays a pivotal role in addressing sensitive subjects,” said Birge. “Some students may feel fearful or anxious when they experience [or] witness conflicts. These are natural physical responses to traumatic circumstances. Our counselors are equipped with the necessary training to assist students in navigating and processing these emotions.”
PHS Counselor Rebecca McEvoy wrote that, in addition to speaking with their guidance counselors and trusted adults within PHS, students are encouraged to seek support from religious organizations and find community through activism. McEvoy emphasized that effectively addressing the difficult situation can help strengthen the PHS community.
“Some key lessons that we can learn from this crisis are the importance of empathy and understanding, providing safe spaces for open dialogue, fostering community through inclusive practices, and continuing to educate students and faculty about the impact of bias and prejudice,” said McEvoy. “Through curriculum development, professional development, community partnerships and student leadership, many of these lessons can be addressed in our schools.”
In the classroom, history teachers Elizabeth Taylor and Katie Dineen have led lessons about the Israel-Hamas conflict in a way that allows for greater understanding. However, both are careful not to provide students with opinions on specific situations, and focus instead on presenting historical context and critical thinking skills so students can form their own conclusions.
“[In my Sociology class], my goal was to give [students] some time and space to consider what the world and the nation and the PHS community is experiencing. I asked them to apply different theories of conflict and prejudice that we had studied earlier in the year to the situation,” Taylor said.
Birge also underscored the need for dialogue to establish critical thinking as a way to promote acceptance.
“[Critical thinking] is not solely about criticizing opposing views … Instead, it is about understanding different perspectives, developing empathy, and building connections among individuals,” said Birge. “[It] guides us as we engage in civic discussions and make informed decisions.”

PHS reacts to the Israel-Hamas War

   PHS’s last publicly reported score for its harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) self-assessment is from 2022. It received a 46/78, six points short of state requirements. The assessment is reviewed annually by school administration and evaluates the school’s preventative HIB programming, implementation of NJ policy, and overall climate for reporting concerning behavior. 
   To students, though, this score may not be so surprising. In many ways, our school presents a hostile environment — hurtful rumors spread quickly and jokes with racism, sexism or homophobia are part of normal conversation. The most common type of HIB this year is physical confrontation stemming from name calling, according to Diana Lygas, the PHS Dean of Students. 
   This predicament is not normal. The truth is that our school is faced with a significantly worse environment than neighboring high schools   — presuming the accuracy of school self-assessments. The West Windsor-Plainsboro high schools scored 75/78 on their HIB self-assessment, while Montgomery High School received a 77/78. 
   PHS’s main strategy to combat bullying is by reporting instances of HIBs. The only HIB-related category that PHS gave itself full points on the self-assessment was proficiency in HIB reporting. In fact, PHS’s HIB lawyer, Alicia D’Anella, has even called our increase in HIB reports “not a bad thing” in a 2023 information session. 
   “The more we learn about [HIB] ... the more we can spot it,” said D’Anella. “So sometimes an increase in reporting is indicative that we’re doing better.” 
   But the amount of HIB reports at PHS doesn’t correlate with new reporting policies or an expansion of the definition of HIB. Instead, there are consistently high levels across many years, excluding COVID-19. There were an average of 24 HIB reports from 2014 to 2020, 26 last year, and 24 this year (so far). This points to a systemic issue. In a community dedicated to improving student life, what matters most is preventing bullying from happening in the first place. Documenting HIBs isn’t a bad thing on its own; it just doesn’t change things much. 
   There are a few explanations for why PHS’s current reliance on HIB reporting to address bullying isn’t working. For one, our reporting system is guided by a faulty principle. The NJ Department of Education mandates that the Board of Education operate on an “impact over intent” policy. This means that instances of HIB are often evaluated based on the reactions (impact) of the victim, not the intent of the perpetrator. In New Jersey, if one student harms another student, but the victim does not express a strong reaction, the perpetrator will often receive mild punishment. Naturally, the perpetrator may be left with the misconception that their actions were not harmful or even acceptable. The “impact over intent” approach also doesn’t take into account the fact that victims might feel pressured to downplay their experience for fear of retribution. Moreover, reporting and disciplining one individual might improve their behavior but will have little impact beyond that. In short, despite the long-winded and time-intensive HIB reporting protocol, the overall school climate is not being transformed. 
   Of course, many of the shortcomings of our system aren’t entirely the fault of our administrators or guidance counselors — a lot of PHS’s reporting policy is decided at a state level. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t or shouldn’t have other initiatives. Other schools, like Montgomery High School, have already recognized that given all the problems with NJ’s reporting policies, other measures are needed. In 2022, Montgomery High School scored 15/15 for their HIB related Programs and Approaches, and 6/6 for HIB Curriculum and Instruction. Meanwhile, the PHS self-assessment proves we have a long way to go; PHS received a 5/15 in the HIB Programs and Approaches category and a 3/6 in the HIB Curriculum and Instruction category. 
   John McMichael, the director of student counseling services and the district’s anti-bullying coordinator recognizes PHS’s weakness. 
   “It’s one thing to be reactive, ... to handle HIB allocations when they come up. But we do need to do a better job on being proactive, [we] have the data right there showing that,” McMichael said. 
   PHS could start to improve by increasing accessibility. Most HIB policies are hidden in large documents with a lot of jargon or in long, dry videos. Nowhere on the district’s anti-bullying page is there a clear overview of school procedure. PHS should also have recurring mandatory sessions throughout the year for students that clearly outlines what an HIB is, what to do when involved in an HIB, and how the district handles them. If students are consistently reminded of what qualifies as an HIB and what the consequences are before they are involved in an investigation, they would probably be less inclined to be involved in the first place. In this way, PHS will also send a clear message to students that bullying is morally wrong. 
   No matter what new policies are implemented, fundamentally, we need initiatives that will bring about a shift in school culture. 
   “Is it too strong to say that people forgot how to interact peacefully? I don’t know,” McMichael said, aptly highlighting this need for change.

PHS’ s HIB self-assessment

At the conclusion of the 2022-23 school year, long-standing custodian Gary Harris retired, leaving behind an enduring legacy of hard work and kindness in the PHS community. Harris was devoted to promoting recyling at PHS, a passion that began in a previous career at a paper company.
A majority of recylable waste at PHS ends up in the landfill as a result of PHS students’ general lack of environmental awareness when discarding garbage. These findings were part of an investigation by the Tower prompted by claims made by Harris about the substantial ineffectiveness in the PHS waste management system.
Throughout his tenure, Harris observed a reluctance among students and faculty to recycle; there were often recyclable pieces of trash in bins bound for the landfill and vice versa. 
PHS Custodian Jennifer Gonzalez agrees with Harris, adding that this makes her job significantly harder. 
 “When I look at the trash, it’s mixed,”  said Gonzalez. “Students don’t care and don’t recycle correctly.”
While Gonzalez and other custodians try to separate recyclable material from trash, she admits that often there isn’t enough time to sort through everything, so they are forced to throw out all the contents of the recycling bin.
Matt Bouldin, the Princeton Public Schools Business Administrator and Board Secretary, said that the most common factor that causes recycling to go to the landfill is when students improperly throw food waste in with recyclable material. 
“A container of recyclable products contaminated with as little as one food product becomes landfill waste,” Bouldin said.
PHS AP Environmental Science teacher James Smirk has been a significant figure in collecting data on PHS recycling. He and several students conducted a waste audit concerning the PHS recycling process and came to a similar conclusion. 
“Most of our recycling is contaminated with food waste. This creates a situation where recyclable material will be returned to the general waste stream. Most schools solve this by targeting cafeteria waste, but because of our break system and the number of students who eat in classes, focusing on the cafeteria has a limited impact,” Smirk said.
As a result of waste cross-contamination, very little eventually makes it to the district’s recycling processor, Republic Services Recycling Center. PHS has one recycling dumpster, compared to three landfill dumpsters. 
Given the limited impact of sustainable waste management efforts aimed at the cafeteria, PHS has turned to other solutions. Jenny Ludmer, a program manager at Sustainable Princeton, focuses on educating the PPS community regarding sustainable practices in an effort to make its recycling more efficient.
“Education and outreach for everyone in the building is key to achieve a clean recycling stream,” Ludmer said.
Clear signs specifying which waste items to put in the recycling and which to put in the bin bound for the landfill are helpful in countering food waste contamination, it is not a complete solution; students often throw waste in the larger bin that they see first, regardless of the type of waste. Ultimately direct signs combined with a school-wide recycling education program is necessary to realize true progress in sustainable waste management.
“Consistent and sustained education and outreach for everyone in the building is key to achieve a clean recycling stream,” Smirk said.
Sylven Waldman, an incoming leader of the PHS for Climate Action club for the 2024­­–­­25 school year, acknowledged the importance of further education efforts.
“I definitely think that there’s a good amount of students familiar with the recycling process at PHS, but unfortunately I just don’t think it gets out to enough people,” Waldman said.
PHS students also participate in promoting sustainability through conducting waste audits, cleaning up waste, and performing community advocacy. In particular, the PHS for Climate Action Club has led an effort for more sustainability and an effective waste management system. 
“We [have] recycled old scrap paper into new paper to make cards ... we’ve hosted bake sales, planned protests, made petitions, [and] donated to eco-friendly charities and initiatives,” Waldman said.
Several administrative developments have also been made regarding food waste. Every kitchen and cafeteria in the district is equipped with compost containers. PHS has also installed an energy efficient dishwasher. In 2021, the district began a partnership with Trenton Biogas to convert leftover food scraps into renewable energy. This school year, the partnership has collected over three tons of food waste. 
Next year, Smirk and PHS custodian Leslie Vega hope that PHS will invest in clearer signage and more recycling bins. Moreover, a new class, Environmental Systems and Design, will be introduced next year; it aims to encourage students to improve the school’s  outcomes associated with waste as part of a core project for the class. 
Thanks to such efforts, PHS is certified with the statewide program Sustainable Jersey for Schools. Other actions taken by the high school include establishment of a Green Team to oversee sustainable progress and an Energy Savings Improvement Plan to facilitate improvements in energy efficiency. As a district, PPS has made significant progress regarding sustainability.
“In the summer of 2022, the district transitioned to greener cleaning with six different cleaning products,” explains the PrincetonK12 website. “The floor cleaner, glass cleaner, degreaser, hand soap, paper towels, and toilet paper used within PPS are all certified by Green Seal, indicating that they meet the highest standard for protecting the health of students and staff and the environment.”
PHS continues to make significant efforts in accordance with the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Program. Moving into 2024, progress will continue to build a more modern, efficient, and eco-friendly high school.
 “PHS [sustainability] is renewed again at the Bronze level. Dr. Barnes Johnson [the district science supervisor]  is leading the effort to add more actions to the certification this year, with the plan for Smirk to take it on next year,” Ludmer said.

Tower investigates: Is PHS actually recycling?

At the Asian Fest, the Bollywood club offered both a cultural station and a Bollywood dance performance. 

The station offered participants, like Shoumilli Banerjee ‘27, the opportunity to receive a traditional Indian plant based tattoo art, known as henna.

“When I’m in India, I’m around my friends and my family, so I feel close to them. But when I’m here, I don’t see any of them. So [the henna station] is kind of a way to reconnect with my culture,” said Banerjee.

Later, the club performed songs from three Bollywood movies. Kailani Harrison ‘24 and Anika Hadap ‘24, the choreographers of the dances, strove to make it both accessible to the general PHS audience while still being representative of the tradition.

“A lot of times people outside Indian culture don’t understand the words that are in the songs. So, [they] choreographed it so that a lot of hand motions line up with what’s being said. It’s a cool way to learn about the culture and language, but also be able to express yourself through the dance,” said Ishaan Banerjee ‘24, Bollywood Club co-president.

Prior to the fest, the club hosted weekly dance rehearsals leading up to the performance, often outside of school. However, a usual club meeting is much more relaxed. Members make rangoli (a traditional Indian art), watch movies, listen to Bollywood songs, and share cultural foods.

“We bring samosas and we bring snacks that specifically Indian groceries sell, like chocolate crackers. We usually bring them in bulk so that anyone who comes can take some and eat as we do the activities,” said Raima Srivastava ‘25, a member of the Bollywood club.

While Bollywood club is primarily a place for Indian students to connect over their shared heritage, Mital emphasized that the club is open to everyone, not just people of Indian descent.

“We have students from all different origins who come. It’s an opportunity for kids from other cultures to learn about a different culture. That’s what I like about the Bollywood club - the diversity of different races that come together in one place.”

As one of the main fundraisers and organizers of Asian Fest, the Asian American Club brought together various Asian cultures, and helped set up the fashion show, and run the main food station.

“We had a bunch of different cultural clubs come together and we put on a fashion show. It helped showcase what different cultures in Asia wear and [their] traditional clothes,” said Ronald Aung ‘25, president of the Asian American club. “Our food station served traditional Asian foods such as vegetable lo mein, fried rice, and General Tso’s Chicken.”

Aung wants the club to be a “chill spot” where kids can learn about different cultures. A typical meeting, during break on Tuesdays, consists of eating snacks from various Asian countries and watching a movie.

“The Asian American club is basically a lunch club,” said Aung. “At our last club meeting, for example, we were watching Kung Fu Panda and we had these Japanese mochi bowls with boba inside of them.”

The club believes that the festival was important for spreading awareness about the cultural diversity within Asia. ONe of the key values of the Asian American Club is inclusivity.

“This year, we [had] two new clubs at the fest and a bunch of old ones. It’s important for clubs to come here fundraise and showcase what they have done, but [it’s] also about being inclusive of other Asian cultures. As an Asian American, I think we all tend to be grouped together under the same term, so I think that this event is just really important to highlight the differences between the individual Asian cultures and [showcase] their traditions,” Aung said.

Having brought a series of its own events to the Asian Fest, the Japanese club showcased and introduced Japanese culture to interested spectators. The events included an origami folding station, which allowed participants to fold paper cranes and other handicrafts, a food station serving handmade Japanese foods, and a performance of a series of traditional Japanese dances.

“I found their dance and the instruments [they used] really interesting; how their dancing [formation] [got] thinner as they dance and how they [held] the instrument,” said William Yao ‘24. “I also enjoyed seeing how they [could] both bring the culture to you and our school and also bring joy and fun.”

The food station that the Japanese club hosted served mochi, a Japanese dessert enjoyed during special occasions.

“Mochi is very important in Japanese culture,” said Japanese Club president Seigo Iwata ‘26. “It’s a type of rice that [is] smashed together. It’s especially important on New Year’s and other holidays. It’s also just like a part of everyday Japanese snacks.

The Japanese club also organized an origami folding station. Interested students could take a sheet of origami paper and fold it into a crane using steps provided on an instruction sheet.

“Origami is also a very important symbol of Japanese culture as it represents good fortune and longevity. We want people to be able to have hands-on experience with origami and have the same experience as a Japanese student learning to make origami,” Iwata said.

Through their performances and involvement in Asian Fest, the club aimed to not only introduce Japanese culture and lifestyle to the PHS community, but also expand upon our understanding and knowledge of Japanese culture.

“I think [Asian Fest] is important, especially because there’s such a small number of Japanese people in this school,” said Iwata. “I feel that not everyone knows in depth about Japanese culture. It’s more just anime, pop music, things like that. They don’t really know anything more. This is why we want to spread the culture and celebrate the Japanese community.

Asian Fest - Club Feature

The current online world is plagued with an epidemic of lies. There is so much misinformation in our world that the Associated Press publishes a weekly edition of “Not Real News,” a feature of fake news stories that  have  been published recently. The content varies from President Biden’s supposed plans to give all illegal immigrants $5,000 Visa gift cards to FDA efforts to start a “plandemic” with harmful medications disguised as decongestants.    
Misinformation is by no means a new concept, but the degree to which it pervades society today incredibly alarming. Despite the fact that the internet (and particularly social media) is overrun with conspiracy theories, embellished content, and dangerous misinterpretations, it has become the dominant source of information for Americans, especially for younger generations. 
 Pew Research found that  in 2022, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter were the primary news source for 66 percent of young people. At the same time, according to Gallop, a record 78 percent of Gen Z trust what they read online, compared to just 60 percent who trust reputable national organizations. 
In theory, social media can be used as a tool for exercising freedom of speech, avoiding the restriction of the distribution of information to a few powerful institutions. In practice, however, misinformation makes productive online discussions nearly impossible. In 2018, MIT researchers found that posts containing falsehoods reach 1,500 people on Twitter six times faster than truthful posts. This phenomenon, initially observed and coined in the political scene, is dubbed as “post-truth,” and was named the 2016 Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionary. The most prominent example of the damage misinformation has caused is  our own democracy. For example, CNN found that 38 percent of adults in the United States did not believe in the results of the 2020 election, and USA Today polls show that over half of Trump supporters have already decided that the 2024 election will be rigged. This January, the World Economic Forum ranked misinformation as the greatest global risk, citing its potential to “further widen societal and political divides … undermine the legitimacy of newly elected governments [and] infiltrate public discourse.”       
Improving how we process information online may not be as difficult as it seems. According to Matt Groh, a researcher at MIT’s Media Lab, when we simply pay attention to the quality of a source, we’re much better at detecting misinformation. If the legitimacy is not clear even after some research, it’s often useful to find the original evidence the author cited and come to a conclusion without the influence of a secondary source. In general, when we process information, it’s also important to apply the same levels of skepticism and thinking to all content, regardless of whether it aligns with our values or commonly accepted opinion. Without active awareness of our biases, we’re much more likely to believe falsehoods if they align with our own narrative. 
In an age where the internet and social media are everywhere in our life, it’s our responsibility to combat misinformation and to think and advocate for truth, no matter how tedious it may seem. Next time you see something shocking, remember that meaningful information and ideas usually can’t be expressed in a single tweet or Instagram post. 

Stop contributing to the echo chamber of misinformation

   At PHS, our cramped hallways and stuffy classrooms exacerbate an already stressful four years. It’s all too easy for students to go all day sitting in a room with only a window to remind them of life beyond school. Around the world, outdoor classrooms offer a credible solution to these problems, helping students to stay engaged and connected with the environment around them. In the outdoors, teens perform field studies observing ecosystems and biological interactions, use nature as inspiration in outdoor creative writing classes, and even organize outdoor-themed conversations in their foreign language classes.
   The “waldschule,” or forest school, was introduced in Germany in the early 1900s as a way to mitigate the spread of a tuberculosis epidemic. These classrooms provided fresh air and freedom from often cramped school-houses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, PHS brought some of their classes outdoors as well. These outdoor classes allowed students to engage in a more immersive environment while social distancing, which proved to be very successful in science and language classes. However, outdoor education has more value for the modern student than just preventing disease. 
   More diverse learning environments help people break free from a negative cycle of self-doubt and increase mental clarity. According to neuroscientist Dr. Elizabeth Croften, the crowded areas we encounter at school lead to an overload of environmental and social stimuli that increase the concentration of stress hormones. Worse still, these stimuli largely come in only two senses: sight and hearing. A study conducted by Dr. Loren Johnson and Robin Randall in 2017 found that outside learning diversifies the way we process information by cultivating other senses, such as smell and touch. This is extremely crucial for non-traditional learners, whose sensory needs are often not taken into consideration in indoor learning environments.            
   As the world turns increasingly indoors, outdoor education is even more important. Longer school days and a precipitous rise in screen time causes students to spend less and less time in nature, leading to a disconnection between younger generations and the environment. Unsurprisingly, we are more likely to appreciate our environment when we are spending time in it. In a representative model of American students, Dr. Kyle Knight of South Dakota Mines found in 2022 that those who frequently engage with and enjoy outdoor activities are more likely to take action against climate change. At a time when students rarely voluntarily spend time in nature, outdoor education in schools can act as a force to reintroduce a curiosity and love for the outdoors.    
   There are legitimate reasons why outdoor education isn’t the norm. One response, from students, parents, teachers and administrators alike, is that it’s simply impractical. While this may be true in places such as New York City, suburban areas, such as Princeton, have the resources and space to make an outdoor curriculum not only feasible but also practical. At PHS, we are lucky to have many courtyards, fields, and nearby wooded areas that offer a quiet environment to teach and learn. Outdoor education is also not an all-or-nothing endeavor, and even weekly interactions with nature can bring positive change.    
   Though it may be unconventional, PHS should not be afraid to experiment with outdoor education. What traditional learning settings lack,  natural learning environments can make up for, with potential for the implementations of creative class workshops that benefit students and teachers alike. 


Nature is the natural learning environment

The Business & Technology Education and Science departments have made significant changes to their respective programs of studies for the upcoming school year.
In the Science department, the Physics I Accelerated and regular Physics I class will now be available to sophomores and will fully replace AP Physics 1. Additionally, AP Physics C, previously a one year course covering two AP tests: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism (E&M), will become two separate full year courses. Lastly, the Business & Technology Education department has restricted the joint-semester AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics classes to upperclassmen.
Physics I Accelerated first debuted last year in conjunction with AP Physics 1, allowing rising juniors to choose between both classes. Next year, however, rising sophomores will only have the ability to take Physics I or Physics I Accelerated as introductory physics courses.      
Oren Levi, a physics teacher at PHS since 2015, believes that the change will increase the accessibility of the program.
“It used to be that physics was kind of capped for junior year. [This year], we’ve finally managed to convince guidance to let sophomores take physics as long as they meet some of the required math — Algebra II mostly,” said Levi.
The removal of the AP Physics 1 class, according to Levi, will help students better navigate the science curriculum.  
“AP Physics 1 was not intended to be a first-year physics course, but Physics I was never a prerequisite so you could take [AP Physics 1] without having even taken physics before.” said Levi. “So students decided to take [AP Physics 1] simply because it was an AP science with no science prerequisites; it would give [them] a boost to their GPA, which I personally don’t agree with.”
Levi said that this structure resulted in many failing scores on the AP Physics 1 exam.
“In the two AP classes that I taught, only half of each class even took the test. [A trend that] we’ve been seeing for years now is that the AP Physics 1 scores are never as good,” said Levi. “With the scores, usually you want an even distribution of all scores across the board, but in physics the distribution is much heavier [towards] one side.”
After Physics 1, students can continue their studies with AP Physics C, which has been split into two separate, full year courses — one year of AP Physics C: Mechanics and one year of AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. This change will provide students with more time to understand the material and study for the AP exams.
“With the extra time, we’re going to be able to do a lot more labs and practice that we wouldn’t have been able to do before because of how quickly we had to rush through the curriculum,” said Levi. “People will have a better chance at succeeding on their tests.”
Although completion of Physics 1 has become a prerequisite to taking AP Physics C, students with a strong background in math have the option of skipping the requirement, provided they take a math-based placement test and complete a physics summer assignment.
Andrew Rivera ’25, a student of physics teacher Peter Martens, noted that while the change may result in greater depth in the physics curriculum, it could also reduce advancement in other disciplines.
“If you were to take both years of AP Physics C, you wouldn’t be able to take two years of chemistry,” Rivera said.
With regards to the Business & Technology Education department. Instead of Algebra II and English, the joint-semester AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics courses now require Pre-Calculus and U.S. History II as prerequisites.
AP Macro/Microeconomics teacher Katelyn Wagner advocated for the change after talking with many high school economics teachers from across the country.
“We did see a pretty big correlation between how well students do in math courses versus how well they do in economics, because there is a lot of math involved [in AP Macro/Micro]. [We] swapped out the English [prerequisite] for the history [prerequisite] because there’s a big crossover between U.S. History II and what we learn in Macro/Micro,” Wagner said.
As a result of the new requirements, the course will no longer be available to sophomores, reserving it exclusively for juniors and seniors. 
“For the last few years, we’ve had an insane waitlist for the course, and a lot of times what happened is that juniors and seniors who really wanted to take it weren’t able to, because sophomores were filling the spots. I thought that it would be more fair to juniors and seniors,” Wagner said.
Wagner mentioned that there are still other opportunities for sophomores to learn economic concepts.
“We offer an introduction to economics course that you can take as a freshman or sophomore, which goes through the first two or three units of AP Macro[economics]. 
Audrey Huang ’27 feels that delaying the course  will make joining many clubs requiring knowledge of economics, such as PHS Young Investors or Euro Challenge, more difficult for underclassmen. Further, she argues that restricting one of the few AP courses available to sophomores will only make their upperclassman year course loads more stressful if they still want to to take AP Macro/Micro.
“I think economics principles are better taught earlier in high school and a lot of juniors and seniors already have a lot of course work so taking on [AP Macro/Micro] would just be even harder to manage,” Huang said.

Changes to the program of studies place restrictions on class selections

   In late 2022, following the release of Chat-GPT 3.0 and its image-based counterpart DALL-E 2.0, an AI revolution took the world by storm. In just under half a year, Open AI, GPT’s parent company, went from less than 100,000 monthly visits to nearly 2 billion. Immediately, dozens of large tech companies, like Amazon and Google, rushed to develop their own AI-powered products. 
   Now, few dispute the power of these tools in applications as diverse as medical diagnoses, autonomous vehicles, and environmental planning. For example, the Brazilian non-profit, PrevisIA, is using AI to identify parts of the Amazon rainforest at risk of deforestation by analyzing vast amounts of satellite data. However, in fields of creative expression, like the visual arts, literature, or music, the use of AI has proved controversial.
   This conflict was central in this year’s SAG-AFTRA and WGA labor strikes, where writers, artists, and actors alike feared that AI was and would continue to be used in place of their own creativity. While the strike was eventually resolved with a provision that dictated that AI could not be used to “undermine a writer’s credit” or “reduce a writer’s compensation,” it nonetheless raised an important question: what is the value of human creativity over AI “creativity”? 
   At the center of the debate is interpretation of creativity. According to influential philosopher Immanuel Kant, it is the “ability to produce works that are “new” and “exemplary.” There, a problem arises. AI, despite appearances, cannot spontaneously create original work—known as Strong Artificial Creativity. Programmer Ada Lovelace proposed that for a computer to possess Strong Artificial Creativity, it must be able to produce results that cannot be explained by its creator.                                              
   However, AI-generated results have a very simple root—the work of human artists that the system was trained on. Essentially, AI is fed millions of samples of human work (without the creator’s consent) and then regurgitates a product according to the prompt it is presented with.  Throughout this process, there is no innovation—AI cannot create truly original work, rather it relies on human ideas. The result is a mass production of art devoid of meaning or thought, which overwhelms the truly new.   
   Unfortunately, corporations seem willing to sacrifice quality in the name of profit margins. In November of 2023, Michael Whelan—an illustrator known for designing book covers for the likes of Stephen King and Brandon Sanderson—told the New York Times that while he doesn’t feel particularly threatened by AI creativity, he believes competing with machine-made art will be “really tough” for younger artists, not necessarily because AI produces stellar results, but because of the high speed and low cost that comes with it. In fact, several publishers have already admitted to using AI-generated art on book covers, and many artists are understandably frustrated over this new development. 
   The sense of pride and accomplishment you feel after standing back and observing an art piece that you created, a product of your own creative mind, is something special. Creativity is our purpose and our pride, the one thing that defines our individuality. So, the thought that this might be replaced by an emotionless machine is not only upsetting, but also terrifying. AI-generated art will never be a true replacement of human art, nor should it be. If the strikes have taught us anything, it’s that while the defense of human creativity may be difficult, it’s surely worth fighting for.

Artificial Ingenuity: Is it AI’s Time to Steal the Creative Spotlight?

From November 1 to 4, around 15 PHS student leaders and chaperones traveled to the Minority Student Achievement Network Student Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. During the four-day event, PHS students participated in thoughtful discussions on social justice issues with other students from around the country. 
	According to Bethany Siddiqu, coordinator of student and family services at PHS and one of the trip’s chaperones, the goals of the conference were twofold. 
“[In] most school districts … there may not be as many students of color, [so] it's really hard for … those students to feel comfortable in the hallways and in class, and to feel represented. So MSAN is an opportunity for not only students but also for teachers and administration … to figure out ways to make their school more inclusive and supported,” Siddiqu said.
Sheena Ash ’25, a PHS junior who joined the district’s MSAN club in 7th grade, came to a similar conclusion, noting that the conference has given her an appreciation for the importance of her work. 
 “It's really integral to building … community in our school and making all of our minority students feel closer together,” said Ash. “I think it's really good that we [get to] represent the school  as intelligent individuals who have voices and opinions on social justice initiatives.”
According to Assistant Principal Rashone Johnson, another part of the program's mission was to encourage minority students to challenge themselves academically.
“It’s about exposure,” said Johnson. “Educating students and letting them know that they are able to do the work and [they] got people that are here to help you with [it].”
One of the biggest parts of the trip was each school’s presentation on a school-specific solution that addresses social justice. In PHS’ case, it was the implementation of a platform called Tiger Talk, created to highlight the achievements of minority students. 
“We want to make sure that in any school district, no matter if it's highly marginalized or diverse, that every single student has a time where they feel seen,” Ash said.
	Another important part of the conference were lectures from minority community leaders. Ash found that MSAN was an opportunity to discuss difficult subjects, like violence and suicide. 
“We had a lot of really personal moments; like, we had a speaker come and talk to talk about … the youth rate of violence and guns and all that stuff. He was talking about his family and all these obituaries that he [was]  doing on the ground. It was a very sad moment. So we wanted to talk to make sure that we all felt … mentally OK, and that … we could still have an uplifted point of view and still focus on a social justice project, despite … hearing such discouraging things,” Ash said
Despite the challenging topics, both Siddiqu and Johnson have good memories from the trip. 
“It was awesome. … I think [the students] did a great job representing themselves and … the school. There is not a single school that left that national conference that does not know who Princeton High School is,” Johnson said. 
For Siddiqu, the best part was seeing MSAN members grow as leaders.
 “I think that's the biggest takeaway, … being excited about what's to come next — what the kids can really do here,” Siddiqu said. 

PHS delegation reflects on impactful MSAN Student Conference

   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. 

The Tower

Harry Dweck's Work

The Tower