An Interview with Chase O’Malley Casey He: Please introduce yourself for those who don’t know you. Chase O’Malley: My name is Chase O’Malley, and I am a senior here at Severn School. I am very interested in science, and I plan to study chemical engineering and entrepreneurship in college. Outside of class, I am a…
Is it Time to Rethink Affirmative Action? Severn Faculty Chimes In
On January 24th, the Supreme Court announced it will hear Students for Fair Admission (SFFA) v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, the newest challenge to affirmative action in college admission. For some, the outcome of the cases seems grim, but the Supreme Court’s announcement brings affirmative action back…
How Would America Change Without Roe v. Wade?
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health in the following months. If the majority of justices agree to overturn Roe v. Wade or seriously curtail its capacity, 26 states will certainly or very likely ban abortion. These states contain half of America’s population of women of childbearing age.
Three Men Found Guilty of Murdering Ahmaud Arbery
On Wednesday, November 24, a jury found three men, Travis McMichael, his father Gregory, and their neighbor William Bryan guilty of multiple murder charges for killing Ahmaud Arbery, a high-profile case that attracted much attention and spurred nationwide protest for racial equality last year.
Biden Signs $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill
On Monday, President Biden signed the long-anticipated infrastructure bill into law, the culmination of his promise to improve America’s physical infrastructures and a victory of bipartisan cooperation.
China’s Communist Party Rewrites its History to Reinforce a Cult of Personality
On Friday, November 14, the sixth plenary session of China Communist Party’s Central Committee formally closed. According to an official summary of the meeting, the Committee approved a decision to rewrite the party’s history in order to elevate the status of its leader, Xi Jinping, and pave the way for his third consecutive term as general secretary.
Supreme Court Hears Two Challenges to Texas Abortion Law
On Monday, the Supreme Court heard two oral arguments to the Texas Heartbeat Act, one from abortion providers and the other from the federal government. The hearing seems to reflect a shift in opinion. Two of the conservative Justices, Kavanaugh and Barrett, who both voted against an injunction of the Heartbeat Act two months prior, hinted that they might allow challenges to the law.
Three Counties Propose Plan of Secession from Maryland
More than 150 years after the Civil War, the unity of Maryland is once again put to the test. On October 22, The New York Times reported that six Republican lawmakers from the three counties had written a letter to West Virginian legislative leaders, seeking advice on how to proceed with a plan of seceding from Maryland to join West Virginia.
New York City Council Votes to Remove Statue of Jefferson
On Monday, the Public Design Commission of the New York City Council voted unanimously to remove a statue of Thomas Jefferson from the Council’s legislative chamber. The City Council plans to relocate the statue to the New-York Historical Society, but the decision for the relocation has been delayed.
Whistleblower Testifies Before Congress, Compounding Facebook’s Trouble
On Tuesday, Frances Haugen, the secret source who had been leaking Facebook internal files to the press, testified before the Senate Commerce Committee. With her knowledge as a company insider, Haugen explained to the lawmakers the danger Facebook is breeding and gave insights into how the federal government can make social media safer.