Separation of Church and State is Under Attack in Lancaster County
Cody Stonebank has a vision. A vision for “a revival happening within public schools and worship nights inside of school auditoriums leading students to encounter Jesus.” This vision violates a fundamental American principle: the separation of church and state. But that didn’t stop Stonebank and his movement, Unrestricted, from implementing it in our county. Unrestricted, a branch of the Lancaster Fellowship of Christian Athletes, has … Continue reading Separation of Church and State is Under Attack in Lancaster County
Why Do We Have So Many Rules?
A lot of rules we have to follow may seem like an annoying waste of time. Administrators in the halls can seem like they’re nitpicking or chastising students for no reason. It’s obvious that many rules exist for good for a purpose, like rules against illegal activity or hate speech in the classroom. The motive behind others however, may seem unclear. Why do we have … Continue reading Why Do We Have So Many Rules?
What Queen Elizabeth’s Death Means for Former Colonies
On September 8, 2022 all eyes were on Britain when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died. At 96, it brought an end to her seventy-year reign. Her death evoked an immediate flood of mourning for the longest reigning British monarch, one who has ruled through volatile times in our world’s history as a leader of the largest imperial empire to date. The British Empire encompassed … Continue reading What Queen Elizabeth’s Death Means for Former Colonies
Halloween and the Rainbow Fentanyl Panic
If you ask an older adult in your life, they can probably recall a time they were warned of the razor blades in Halloween candy. It’s a cyclical scare tactic. A new public enemy emerges every 5 years or so, and threatens the livelihood of children…through Halloween candy? It’s not hard to see that this seems far-fetched. According to Scientific American, no childhood deaths have … Continue reading Halloween and the Rainbow Fentanyl Panic
How Orville Peck is Reinventing Country Music
For the past three decades, country music has been a genre plagued by mediocrity. Perhaps not just mediocrity, but consistent themes of bigoted messaging and cringeworthy dogwhistles are simply the norm. Of course, this is referring strictly to the watered down, tired, and dull stereotypes of pop/bro country, as the roots of outlaw and alternative country continue to thrive, even today. The unfortunate lull that … Continue reading How Orville Peck is Reinventing Country Music
Four Years of McCaskey: A Graphic Essay
1. Freshman Year 2. Sophomore Year 3. Junior Year 4. Senior Year 5. Epilogue Continue reading Four Years of McCaskey: A Graphic Essay
Staying Productive Over Summer Break
Summer break is creeping up quickly, and it can be easy to spend all summer holed up with a video game or watching TV. But there are many ways to be productive during the summer, and make fun memories at the same time. Staying productive not only helps you to continue to grow and learn, but it also boosts your mental health if you balance … Continue reading Staying Productive Over Summer Break
Rep. Bryan Cutler and Educational Racism
Last Thursday, I attended a student Zoom meeting to discuss education policy with Speaker of the Pennsylvania State House, Bryan Cutler. Tiyya Geiger and I represented McCaskey, and two Pequea Valley students and one Solanco student were also in attendance. Representative Cutler represents the 100th Legislative District in the PA House, which encompasses part of Lancaster County. Even though his district does not include Lancaster … Continue reading Rep. Bryan Cutler and Educational Racism
Abortion, The Supreme Court, and the Electoral College
In early May, Politico leaked a draft from Justice Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, two cases that constitutionally protect the ability to get an abortion. It is the first time in history that a Supreme court draft has been leaked prior to the final decision, and has led to an outcry from pro-choice … Continue reading Abortion, The Supreme Court, and the Electoral College
Burning Glass: A Word from the Editor
Early this year, Mrs. Brumbach, Mr. Coonan, and a rag tag group of students scrambled to get a poster up for the club fair, hoping to revive an old McCaskey magazine to its full potential. With nothing more than an idea of what they wanted, they tackled the task of creating a literary and art magazine from scratch. In a few days, Fig Industries and … Continue reading Burning Glass: A Word from the Editor
Making Learning More Accessible for All Students
One of the biggest challenges I have faced in this classroom, where I am now writing this article, is having to find a way to balance my own needs with the needs of the reader. This same issue of balancing personal teaching style with the needs of students is seen in many classrooms today and has been the cause of many of the miscommunications between … Continue reading Making Learning More Accessible for All Students
3…2…1… Second Time’s the Charm!
Image Credit: Gabrielle Mappone “Listen to the scientists, climate change is real, and you can do anything when you put your mind to it.” That’s the basic gist of the 2022 McCaskey Spring Children’s play, as McCaskey senior Tacura Tobler puts it. The play, titled 3…2…1…. Second To None!, is set in the slowly converging worlds of Planet Zoe and Planet Earth in the year … Continue reading 3…2…1… Second Time’s the Charm!
Weighing Priorities: Defense Design and Homelessness in America
Defense design is a technique that creates unpleasant structures to limit crime, protect property, and order maintenance. The most commonly used form of defense design is uncomfortable benches which restrict resting spots for the homeless. It’s estimated that over half a million homeless people are in the U.S currently, with the limited number of homeless shelters in the country, and this new technique being used … Continue reading Weighing Priorities: Defense Design and Homelessness in America
Ketanji Brown Jackson Will Be First Black Woman on Supreme Court
After facing one obstacle after another, Ketanji Brown Jackson was finally confirmed as the new Supreme Court Justice. This makes her the first-ever Black woman to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson was nominated for the position by President Joe Biden on February 25, 2022. By April 7, 2022, a bipartisan group of senators confirmed the nomination. Judge Jackson has a … Continue reading Ketanji Brown Jackson Will Be First Black Woman on Supreme Court
Ismail Smith Wade-El is Getting More to Give
When national politics are so divisive, it’s easy to forget that local races have a far greater impact on our daily lives and our community. In Lancaster, the primary elections for our state representatives are coming up. While primaries simply determine who the Democratic and Republican candidates will be in the general election in November, Lancaster city is overwhelmingly Democratic, meaning the winner of the … Continue reading Ismail Smith Wade-El is Getting More to Give
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