Category Archives: Editorials/Student Voice

Editor’s Note: The Plaid Line publishes editorials that contain opinions that are those of the student authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the the Plaid Line, HPSH, or its staff.

Editorials/Student Voice, Fashion/Make-Up

Fast fashion

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By: Mira Kaufman

You’re looking for a homecoming dress and Shein pops up on your screen with your perfectly trendy, cheap dress and you can’t resist the urge to put it in your cart. Pause, stop, and know what you are supporting by buying this dress. It’s cheap and easy, but unfortunately it’s just not that simple.

According to Oxford Languages, fast fashion is defined as “inexpensive clothing, produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.” Although this system sounds great, there is more to it than what we can see with the plane eye. That dress that you buy will eventually end up in the landfill, polluting our earth, and taking up to 1,000 years to degrade. This we can avoid.

Fast fashion has lasting impacts on our world. Their use of water for instance shows us how un-environmental fashion industries are. According to Nature, every year fashion industries consume anywhere from 20 trillion to 200 trillion liters every year. After we buy clothing, commonly made from polyester, we wash it, releasing plastic fibers which make up 20-35% of the micro plastics killing our oceans. The cotton that many of these clothes are made with are also farmed using pesticides which join runoff and chemicalize our oceans.

Fast fashion is not only killing our earth, but the workers too. Fast fashion companies purposely move and take advantage of countries such as Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh because they can get away with horrible working conditions due to those countries’ lack of oversight in textile production.

Brands like these are known for using sweatshops, giving people life threatening working conditions. According to Emma Ross on GW, over 75 million workers are employed and it is estimated that less than 2 percent of these workers make a living wage. This means that 98% of these workers are held below the poverty line, leading the term of these conditions to be “slave labor.” Many of these workers spend 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, and many of these textile factories exploit children into their workforce at very young ages.

Health conditions for these workers are a worry of their own. Workers are exposed to numerous chemicals, many life threatening, leading to cancers and death. These factories also admit numerous types of waste. Their emissions pollute our air, many empty their liquid waste into streams and rivers resulting in flooding poor towns with chemical waters, making children and families ill.

Fast fashion factories have the goal in mind of making as much money as possible. This not only includes giving their workers close to nothing but how their factories and facilities are built. According to Emma Ross, in 2013 1,100 were killed with more than 2,500 people injured due to the Rana Plaza Factory collapsing. This building had already been marked as expired and even so they ordered workers to continue working there and it led to this tragedy. One of many like it.

So many brands we all see online are not as incredible as they look. Many brands that do not use sweatshops still do not meet fair standards for the environment and the workers, so we must be careful to whom we grant our money and support. Common brands such as: Shein, Mango, H&M, Boohoo, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Primark, Zara, Victoria’s Secret, Romwe, and more are all fast fashion and follow extremely unfair standards for our environment and workers.

If you have come to understand the truth of fast fashion brands, then let’s make the transition to sustainable clothes easier for you. Common brands such as: Pact, Yes Friends, Etsy, Patagonia, All Birds, Eco Vibe, and so many more are amazing options for sustainable shopping.

Next time you click on that dress, check the brand, what they support, and make the right decision by supporting sustainability for our earth and working people.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

Why college should be free

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By: Chloe Rocha

There are many reasons as to why I think college should be free. Education is something that everyone deserves to have the opportunity to do. However, if you are someone that was born into poverty you automatically have less of a chance to have the same opportunities as someone who was born into money.

College costs thousands of dollars and that is money that some people don’t have. If you look into the future, the people that are now going to college are the future workers of our world. There are so many brilliant minds out there that won’t be able to reach their full potential for the sole reason being that they don’t have enough money to pay for the full price of college.

Even with the fact that if you are born into poverty you are automatically born with less opportunities, some do make it; it usually comes with debt though. If college was free student debt would no longer exist or crush the younger generations. In America, if you graduate with less than $10,000 in student loan debt you are considered lucky. However, the average college debt is around $37,700 according to an article by CollegeRaptor.

If you were to graduate college without debt then students would be more likely to be able to buy houses, cars and much more sooner in their life rather than later. It isn’t just cars and houses that would benefit from college being free, but also physical and mental health too. For your mental health it would benefit because with less debt comes less stress generally. For your physical health it would be beneficial because with the money that you would have used to pay for college, you would be able to afford healthier food options and live a better life.

Editorials/Student Voice, Getting To Know/History

“JewBelong”

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By: Mira Kaufman

Antisemitism is a reality in the world and has been progressively getting worse in the United States. Antisemitism is defined as prejudice against Jews, and according to Vanessa Romo, on NPR news, antisemitic incidents in the US worsened by 26% in 2022 alone. This article revealed that in 2022, there were 3,697 acts of harassment, vandalism, and/or assault to Jews and Jewish communities in the US which has been the highest recorded number since they started in 1997.

Targeted shootings, bomb threats, and vandalism have become far too regular leading to synagogues and Jewish communities being forced into hiring police officers for events in order to increase safety.

Antisemitism may be very present today but it is not new. The Holocaust is the most well known and largest act of antisemitism. It took place in the 1930s into the 40s with the result of over 6 million Jews murdered.

Not only is antisemitism a physical act but can also be shown through Jewish stereotypes and “nicknames”. Many Jewish people are working to fight these stereotypes and to educate society on Judaism and the wrongs that are being consciously and unconsciously committed.

An evolving nonprofit organization called “JewBelong” is stepping up to fight antisemitism, to open American society’s eyes, and to help Jewish people in their everyday lives. The leaders of JewBelong are a group of Jewish people who originally started and became registered in Montclair, New Jersey, during the year of 2017. They have since spread across the US. Their current fight is to place vibrant pink billboards around the US with short sayings intending to make one stop, think, and feel. Their boards speak of harsh, true subjects. One says, “Can a billboard end antisemitism? No. But you’re not a billboard.” Another says, “We’re just 78 years since the gas chambers. So no, a billboard calling out Jew hate isn’t an overreaction.” These are just two examples out of many more.

JewBelong has recently come to the Twin Cities too. On University Avenue, the pink billboard has made an appearance. This one states, “Judaism: Come for the girlfriend. Stay for the lack of Hell.” This billboard is extremely hard to miss with that exact goal in mind.

JewBelong’s website: https://www.jewbelong.com/ has the same intentions. It’s pink, vibrant, and uses words going straight to the point. Their website offers guidance on how to celebrate Jewish holidays, weddings, Bris’s, and B’nai Mitzvah. They have links to news articles on their billboards, an educational page, a team page, and so much more. On their team page, they use pictures of themselves, but as children, again with the purpose of making the viewer feel.

JewBelong has the goal of educating people about antisemitism and to ensure that no act is forgotten, including the Holocaust. It is very common for people to forget the worries of the past, but the murder of over 6 million Jews is not something to forget. JewBelong fights to never let this history repeat itself again. So, if you see the vibrant pink billboard, take a look. Pause, think, feel, and educate yourself on the message being shown to you.

For more information, please visit:

Editorials/Student Voice, Tech/Games

Opinions on the use of AI

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By: Cleo Newton

Image created with Wonder

AI has been developing over time and has recently started to become more prominent. With more people becoming more aware of AI and its use, they’ve started to use it for things such as image generation, writing tools, and for other personal uses.

Many people have different opinions on it. From the Pew Research Center, 18% of Americans view AI as a benefit while 37% view it as something to be concerned about. The other 45% are somewhere in between. Those who are worried are mostly concerned about the possibility of job loss, and their privacy. Some people think AI can allow work to be easier and more efficient.

Self driving cars have always been something people have dreamt of, and now that AI has improved, it’s a thing companies have been testing. Most Americans see this as risky and dangerous as people could get killed or injured. There are other people who think that self driving cars could be convenient because it would make getting around less stressful. Then again, those who make deliveries in cars or any other vehicle have the chance of losing their job.

AI generated art has been something many people and artists have been talking about recently. An article from IDS News says that because the AI cannot feel like humans can, it can’t really incorporate emotions into art the way humans can. While AI can be useful for making quick art, If people were to use AI to generate images more often, artists may not be able to make enough money to support a stable home life.

All in all, it seems like people have mixed feelings about the use of AI. It can take on tasks that some people wouldn’t want to do or would find inconvenient. Despite the fact it can be helpful, for some people, it can be a problem. I think that people’s biggest concerns around the use of AI are about privacy and job loss. I think that while AI can be helpful for some things, it can be a problem if people abuse it.

Editorials/Student Voice

Why summer is the best season

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By: Alex Martinez Martinez

Summer picture

Why is summer the best season? There’s many reasons why summer is the best season. The warm weather is great to go outdoors, longer days, and you can enjoy a lot of things. It’s nice to get a refreshing cold drink or an ice cream to cool you off in the summer heat. You get to do a lot of things like go swimming, have a BBQ, play sports, go for a walk, and a lot more fun outdoor activities.

Another thing that’s great about summer is that there’s no school, you get to spend more time with your family, and hang out with friends in those 3 months of summer.

I personally really like summer because I get to do the one thing I love to do the most which is play soccer. I also go biking with friends every once in awhile and it’s really fun because I get to be with my friends and bond a little more with them outside of school. The views of places we find are amazing, the picture above is something I took during summer.

Something I really like is that towards the end of summer is when the soccer season starts and I get to watch all my favorite teams play and win.

The State Fair is another fun place to go, you get to go on a bunch of rides, eat all sorts of food and it is just a great place to go with your friends or family over the summer.

Similar to the State Fair, Valley Fair is also another cool and fun place to go with all sorts of rides and carnival games. Valley Fair has an aquatic park too so if it ever gets too hot you can always take a dip in the pool to cool yourself off during the summer heat.

So, you see, there’re many reasons why summer is the best season: from the 3 month summer break to all the outdoor activities. None of these things can be done or enjoyed as much as they are enjoyed in summer. During winter it gets too cold to eat cold snacks such as ice cream and popsicles. Same with drinks, it’s too cold to drink anything cold or with ice in it. After winter, in spring, it gets too muddy to go biking, play soccer, go on a walk and more. During fall, the temperature starts getting weird and random with random days of heat, cold and rain. These are the many reasons why summer is the best season.

Editorials/Student Voice

Why fall is the best season

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By: Aliana Baumgardner-Romo

Photo of a fall display

Throughout the year we experience different seasons of the weather. Each one has its ups and downs and a variety of things about them, although fall can easily be called the best.

Fall is the best season because the weather is just right, not too cold and not too hot. It has a crisp morning air and breeze which is just perfect to wear a sweater. It’s a good break after the long summer and the sun, to cool down. It’s also the period before winter, which becomes drastic and long after a while. The leaves begin to change colors where the trees display different shades of red, orange and yellow. It’s one of the prettiest things about fall and it’s perfect to be outside during this time.

One of the most special things about fall is to be able to enjoy some activities. Some of the most popular activities are hiking, apple picking, going to a local pumpkin patch or fall festival and corn maze. These activities are especially fun during the fall because you can get together with family and friends. Nothing is better than going to a pumpkin patch and coming home to carve the pumpkins.

Pumpkin is also centered a lot around fall. Pumpkin scented candles and pumpkin decorations are used all throughout fall. Many coffee shops release their fall menus, one of the most well known is the Starbucks pumpkin drinks. Usatoday.com says “The smells that are in a pumpkin spice latte are in lots of other things that are associated with this time of year very strongly — with positive memories like family Thanksgiving, or rustling fall leaves and going back to school.”

For students the fall also signifies the beginning of school and being able to rejoin a schedule. Along with being able to get back into the normal feel of things and regroup with friends. During the summer schedules are overturned and people become distant. Although during the fall students get back into school and parents are able to create their own schedules again. It’s a fresh start and a new school year; many people are excited to go back. Along with that fall sports and school activities make it significantly more fun. An example of this is football games and homecoming, which are some of the highlights towards going back to school.

The most major event towards fall is the holidays: Halloween and Thanksgiving. Halloween and spooky season has a huge impact on people today and the feeling it has around it is like no other. For kids, going trick or treating is a yearly highlight. Nothing beats dressing up and eating a lot of candy with friends, although there are many other things about halloween that makes it one of the funnest holidays, like haunted houses, decorations, haunted hayride, pumpkin carving, movies and much more. Overall, the spooky season has a huge impact on fall and how it’s celebrated.

On Thanksgiving it’s a perfect time to get together with family and friends to enjoy a meal. Thanksgiving allows us a day to relax and to be grateful with family.

Overall, fall is one of the funnest seasons for people and the feeling around it is like no other. Cozy weather, beautiful colors and festivities makes it extra special.

Editorials/Student Voice, Tech/Games

Why social media is bad for teenagers

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By: Lauren Kottke & Ella Sutherland

Image created with Wonder

*Note: This article was written at the end of the 2022/23 school year.

Social media has been consuming the lives and minds of teenagers and young adults. All of our friends have some type of social media platform and account. We use this as a way to see what each other is up to, keep in touch with distant friends, but mostly we get bored and we just scroll. Many times people we know, including us, have felt really down and our solution to these problems is to start scrolling on social media apps. This creates unhealthy habits and there are many problems with doing this.

In order to prevent social media from consuming teenagers the creators of social media platforms should restrict the amount of time teenagers can spend on social media.

The rise in mental illness within teenagers has skyrocketed since the rise in popularity of social media. COVID and the pandemic affected how often people used social media and the amount of time people went on these platforms and apps per day.

We were inside all day and we couldn’t go out and hang out with friends or go out to eat. We relied heavily on social media to keep us occupied and we resorted back to that when we were bored. Because we had access to this at the tap of a finger, we became lazy and we stopped doing creative things like crafts and projects, or even simple things like reading a book or journaling.

According to Statistica.com, a survey conducted between July and October 2020 revealed that 61 percent of Generation Z and Millennials were watching more videos on social media apps during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People spend too much time on social media per week which can lead to many negative things. There are many studies that show that being chronically online can affect your mental health and you can develop mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Social media can also affect teenagers self esteem. When you see your friends posting together you might end up feeling very left out wondering why you weren’t invited.

Social media also sets very unrealistic beauty standards for teenagers, and when you see them and feel like you don’t look as pretty as the people that post edited photos, you start to feel terrible about how you feel.

“Those who find themselves in this category often make toxic comparisons between themselves and those they follow online, and they come face-to-face with society’s perceptions of perfectionism, which is never truly obtainable.” – Selecthealth.org

Social media can be dangerous. On social media when you post things for the public you can become a target for bullies, stalkers, or unsolicited pictures. There are many instances where people have felt uncomfortable online whether that be from creepy messages or pictures of yourself getting exposed, or even receiving inappropriate photos that were not wanted. This can make it very scary for teenagers, especially young girls online.

Onlinedegrees.unr.edu reported, “The Pew Research Center’s 2018 survey of U.S. teens determined that one in six teenagers have experienced at least one of six different forms of abusive behavior online:

  • Name-calling (42%)
  • Spreading false rumors (32%)
  • Receiving unsolicited explicit images (25%)
  • Having their activities and whereabouts tracked by someone other than a parent (21%)
  • Someone making physical threats (16%)
  • Having explicit images of them shared without their consent (7%)”

The creators of social media apps need to restrict and limit the amount of time that teenagers are allowed to spend on social media. The consequences of social media outweigh the rewards greatly and in the end, is not worth it for anyone. It is unsafe, it is mentally draining, and it is how we spend too much of our time.

Editorials/Student Voice

Scientology in St. Paul

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By: Mae Skold

Editor’s Note: The Plaid Line publishes editorials that contain opinions that are those of the student authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the the Plaid Line, HPSH, or its staff.

Image created with Wonder

Scientology has a bigger presence in St. Paul, Minnesota than you may notice in other cities. They own a big beautiful building in downtown St. Paul that you’d never expect would have a cult behind closed doors. Through the friendly behavior and appeal of the grand building, Scientologists you may find in downtown St. Paul and in general may easily deceive you.

When entering the large building a greeter or receptionist will be there ready to welcome you and educate you on themselves and the building. The building has a nice cafe, library, work spaces, and more that add to the deceiving appeal. Though it may not seem like it, while you are talking they will gather any information about you to further try and lure you into the cult. Things like first and last names, addresses, occupations and more can just add to your trace where they will try to find you to put in further efforts to convert you.

Now why is their cult something to stay away from with all of these nice people and things? The cult uses brainwashing and criticism on its members to try and make them live their way of life. By degrading people they can convince them of needing repentance and salvation just further bringing them into the cult. The members are forbidden from using the internet, reading magazines, outside books, and more to keep them further secluded from the real world.

The Scientologists in St. Paul certainly use their big building as a luring strategy as it brings in curious people. They make sure to make people feel as though they are a part of something and have this initial sense of pure bliss before the vicious cycle of brainwashing begins. When in St. Paul make sure you admire this beautiful building from afar and spare yourself the Scientology rabbit hole.

Editorials/Student Voice, Getting To Know/History

Paganism vs Satanism

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By: Ren K. and Violet H.

Image created with Wonder

Right off the bat, we want to say that these two are not the same. In the past, ANYTHING other than Christianity was labeled as satanic or evil. Today however, we’re able to differentiate between the two with an open mind.

Now, most people associate the pentagram or pentacle (it goes by a couple names) with the devil and the occult. But if one were to look into its past, they’d discover that it has an entirely different meaning: it symbolizes a deeper connection between spiritual levels of oneself and/ or with nature. Satan’s cross is actually entirely different (it’s also not just an upside-down cross; the movies lied to you). Look it up once and there’s definitely a difference.

Looking more specifically at paganism, the practice has evolved over time, although its base values remain the same: it is a practice rooted in nature and the natural world. In the past, it was more commonly practiced as Wicca. The two separated a little more over the years, with Wicca now recognized as an official religion. It’s a practice that is heavily influenced by nature and especially apothecary, whereas paganism is more about the mind and finding yourself.

Moving back to the idea of satanism’s relationship to paganism, there is none.

Yes, paganism can involve “witchcraft”, but not always. That stereotype is what links the practice to satanism, and it’s entirely unfair. Many pagans do practice some version of the craft, but it is primarily about finding yourself and achieving a higher state of being.

And the thing about paganism is that it’s so moldeable. You can believe in whichever gods you want to (as well as however many you want to), or you can not believe in any gods. Many people believe in mother nature as a force of guidance, and some believe in the universe as a conscious entity. Some believe both. Others don’t believe in either. It’s a practice that you can truly personalize to fit your needs and beliefs, and overall is just another way of finding yourself.

Even then, satanism is less of worshiping Satan over the Christian God, but more of a symbolization of individualism.

The biggest problem we have today as a society of free religion, is that some practices have become trendy or considered cool and fashionable. Some treat them simply as aesthetics and publicly present only the superficial information they consider interesting. This leads to a lot of misconceptions and misinterpretations of religions that many people practice seriously. It can also disrespect religions and surround them with new stigmas or stereotypes, which help no one at all.

Satanism is the renegade Christian’s acceptance of the religion’s duality of good and evil. They choose to worship the anti-God, representing evil in the world, but still take on Christian worldviews.

Neo-paganism is the modern version and revival of the past pagan practices, which don’t exactly see the world in black and white, or as good and evil. The religion is more centered on the sacredness of all living thing as well as nature, as was mentioned previously.

Another branch off of paganism and related practices is Shamanism, commonly known as witch doctors or simply witches and warlocks. They’re similar to Wiccan practices as they focus their energies on learning to heal themselves and others through the powers of nature, herbal medicine, midwifery, spell casting, etc. They were most often (although not exclusively) women, leading to the portrayal of witches as old hags.

The way people were “proven” guilty of witchcraft back during England’s witch hunts was frankly very unfair and somewhat paradoxical. Aka: you couldn’t survive either way.

When someone (almost always a woman) was accused of witchcraft and worshiping the Devil, they would be bound at the wrists and ankles and tossed into a deep body of water. If they sank (which inevitably they would. Most women of the time were in fact incapable of swimming while tied up), then they were innocent. But then they’d drown, so it was never of any use to them. If they somehow managed to stay afloat (perhaps by holding their breath), then they were proclaimed a witch and burned at the stake.

The point of this information is to help others realize you can’t just accept the dominant narrative of any religion (or any other aspect of life) without having some part left out. Do your research, and learn to question everything around you.

For more information, check out these websites:
– https://dailyiowan.com/2017/07/19/coltrain-satanism-and-paganism-are-not-the-same-thing/
– https://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos574.htm

Editorials/Student Voice, Music/Concerts

‘Currents’ album review

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By: Caden Kipfmueller

On July 17th, 2015, an Australian musician going by the stage name Tame Impala released his third studio album, ‘Currents’.  Tame Impala, or Kevin Parker, had been rising steadily in popularity since the release of his last album nearly three years prior, but ‘Currents’ was undoubtedly his big break.

Two years after its release, I would listen to this album for the first time, while sitting in my middle school English class during silent work time, browsing YouTube and idly looking for something to help me focus while I studied in the thirty minutes I had left in class. I remember the day well, I think because of how important it would be to me one day.

The album cover caught my eye, with its wavy lines that looked like optical illusions and an overwhelming amount of purple. A friend of mine once told me it looked like a physics textbook from the nineties, and I’m inclined to agree. Something about it was so…enticing to me. I knew what I was doing for the next thirty minutes.

From my very first listen I was hooked. ‘Currents’ was nothing like I’d ever heard before, a unique blend of 80s inspired synths with a modern twist. It was catchy. Intoxicating, even.

Tame Impala has this innate ability to masterfully craft dense soundscapes in this album, with a variety of trippy synths as well as a handful of percussion instruments, guitars, smooth bass and smoother vocals all coming together to make the most utterly jaw dropping music I’ve ever heard to this day. Parker’s voice, an airy falsetto, is the cherry-on-top in every song, somehow grounding tracks despite its ethereal nature.

Listening to this album makes me feel like I am floating in a sensory deprivation tank. I was shocked to learn that the entire album was mixed, written, and recorded by him and him alone because it seems otherworldly, and far more complex than could be imagined by one creative artist. In my mind, it’s so far beyond what anyone is capable of creating, much less one man who describes himself as “Just some guy”.

The album’s opening track, “Let it Happen”, was a seven minute masterpiece that left me so floored the first time I heard it that I had to play it again. And again. And again. Before I knew it, English was over and I hadn’t even gotten past the first song. The rest of the album was similar, filled with moments that made me do a double take and play over and over again. I think it took me three days to listen to the whole thing start to finish when all was said and done simply because I couldn’t stop going back and listening to my favorite moments one more time.

Lyrically, ‘Currents’ is surprisingly nuanced. It may be hard to notice because his vocals are so frequently distorted and hard to pinpoint exactly, but Kevin Parker weaves intricate stories into his songs. You may not pick them up on the first listen but they are always there. Stories about loneliness and loss and growth, and the agonizing process of slowly losing contact with loved ones. Some songs you can relate to. Some songs you can’t. I find his songs especially poignant as a teenager growing up in the twenty-first century, but I feel like the overall themes would have held up over any time period.

“Yes I’m Changing” holds specific emotional significance to me as I prepare myself for college and the next stages of my life. Sometimes I look back on the person I used to be with deep longing. I frequently wish I could go back to before I was stressed out about grades and friends and, well…growing up. Listening to “Yes I’m Changing” is always a deeply personal experience for me, as it grounds me and reassures me that growing up is going to be ok.

I never really listened to music much when I was younger. Some homes are occupied by music-philes, where music is constantly on in the background, others not so much. Mine? Not so much. Sure, my mom would turn on the radio in the car, or my dad would play songs on his iPod for me, but the music I was hearing regularly never really resonated with me. I didn’t hate it, per-se, but I never really connected with it. I just didn’t know how powerful music could be. When I listened to ‘Currents’, I discovered that power. Finally, I understood what it was that made music so important to so many people. For the first time in my life, I understood the emotional potential of music.

This album has sparked a long lasting passion for music inside of me. I don’t know if that passion was always there and just waiting to emerge or if it came out of nowhere, but frankly I don’t care. It doesn’t really matter to me. What matters to me is that music is now an integral part of who I am. It makes me a more well-rounded person, and it’s given me the chance to connect with those that share my love for this album, forging deep connections over our common love for this music. This album’s role in my willingness to branch out and seek out new types of music across all genres will never be understated. It is only now that I am coming to realize that music can be a vehicle of relaxation, protest, awareness, diversity, escape, or sympathy beyond simply serving as background noise on a long car trip.

‘Currents’ marked the start of a lifelong love for music. Without it, I don’t think I’d look at music, or even art more generally, the same way. The album has fundamentally changed my perspective on life more broadly, setting a standard for myself when I create things of my own.