Opinion

Socratic seminar taking place as the teacher observes.

Socratic seminars: A place for rich discussions when  used sparingly, with intentionality

English and history classes have long been places of discussion, debate, and disagreement. Conversations can quickly become rich, nuanced, and even heated.

Person in front of school with attention drawing towards them.

Demonstrated interest creates inequality in college process

Many factors contribute to which students colleges accept and which they reject. Demonstrated interest, which measures students’ interest based on how much they interact with the college, is one of these factors at certain colleges.

Students require resources to build stress-relieving and coping skills

From uncomfortable interactions with sworn enemies to lectures from authority figures, Students are often put into situations they’d rather not be in.

‘Nepo babies’ carry the responsibility to credit their privilege

“Nepo baby” is a modern term used to describe people who owe their success more to nepotism, which is family or personal connections, than to skill or merit.

CTE pathways: key to equity at BHS

In this day and age, one does not have to go to college to be successful. One of the ways that California is trying to make jobs more accessible to high school graduates is through Career  Technical Education or CTE Pathways.

California serves as model for free lunch programs

Free school lunch at Berkeley High School is utilized and appreciated by a wide array of its students. Its permanent free price tag plays a crucial role in terms of accessibility of meals.

An image of 2 puzzle pieces, one with a shield, and one with various social media icons.

Youth social media usage must be overseen by parents for safety

“I’m sorry for everything you’ve all gone through,” said Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, to parents attending the Online Child Safety Hearing on Jan.

The Downtown Berkeley Starbucks doesn

Adopting student discounts aids local stores and all students

Getting lunch in Downtown Berkeley is expensive, occasionally costing students upwards of $15. Berkeley is getting more and more expensive by the day, which has led to the inflation of Berkeley’s food costs.

Members of the BHS Jewish Student Union pass out snacks.

Ally members of affinity groups take away from the overall cause

Berkeley High School prides itself on the spaces it provides for students from marginalized communities to come together. Many of these spaces have become a place for students to celebrate the cultures of different groups while talking about important issues that each community faces.

Blue person on toilet with the stall door ripped off.

BHS bathrooms require a cultural shift

As a student in the Jan. 31 bulletin said, “I go to Berkeley High. Of course, there’s no paper towels or soap in the bathroom.” At BHS, bathrooms are infamous for being messy and missing necessary components.

Service workers often rely on tips for fair wages.

The U.S. tipping system must be revised

When buying something, you might assume that the labeled cost of the product is the amount you’ll pay. However, it’s become more and more common for the person working the register to flip around the iPad and ask how much you’d like to tip, with tips like 15 percent, 20 percent, and even 25 percent

Gisela Cediel works at her print shop internship.

Internships: Valuable, but they must stem from real interest

In today’s fast-paced academic world, it is difficult for students to incorporate what they learn into their daily lives. School can be a place of theory with little focus on practical and applied knowledge.

Cheating in school: A nuanced issue?

Yes: Sabine Rosen EDITORS NOTE:  Neither Sabine Rosen nor the Jacket condone cheating.  In a survey of over 70,000 students, more than 95 percent of students admitted to cheating in school in some capacity.

Drawing of a person of color.

Consent education needs to include diverse representation

“For many Black survivors, feeling that they won’t be believed is a major barrier to reporting sexual violence,” reported RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.

Two dimensional view of a house and a tree and a person sitting under the tree.

New People's Park plans aid community

East of Telegraph Avenue and surrounded by Haste Street, Bowditch Street, and Dwight Way, People’s Park is the center point of much controversy due to its unhoused residents and historical significance, as well as the long-established building plans that led to the park’s recent closing.

African American woman going through a lab.

NSBE helps foster Black passion for STEM

As of 2021, careers in STEM continue to be white-dominated. White men alone comprise 49 percent of  STEM professionals in the United States, while Black individuals, of all genders, make up only 9 percent of the workforce.

Social media driven overconsumption harms BHS youth

Due in large part to social media, consumer culture is on the rise. Nowadays, many social media users feel like they have to participate in every trend that emerges, caused by a fear of missing out.

The person in red is miserable having to fill out 108 questions for the FAFSA and the person in green is happier with the reduction in the number of questions for the FAFSA, now only having to answer 46.

New changes to FAFSA bring much-needed improvements

Every year, the United States Department of Education gives away around $112 billion in free federal student aid. All students are required to do in order to receive this aid is fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, otherwise known as FAFSA.