News – The Black and White

Whitman, Pyle strive to increase the number of students on the arts track

January 13, 2020

Pyle principal Christopher Nardi and Whitman art department head Kristi McAleese met at the start of the new school year to look for ways to encourage eighth graders to pursue an arts track at Whitman. McAleese said that, right now, Pyle counselors are encouraging rising freshmen to take physical ...

MCPS releases calendar for 2020-2021 school year

By Ethan Wagner

January 11, 2020

The MCPS Board of Education released the 2020-2021 school year calendar Dec. 3. The BOE voted for classes to begin before Labor Day and end June 16, 2021, among other changes. The final schedule includes 182 instructional days and a 10 day spring break. New changes also include professional days ...

Administrators host first of several community conversations on race & equity

By Celina Fratzscher

January 3, 2020

In order to address recent racial concerns, Whitman’s Race, Equity, and Wellness Coalition's Parent Engagement committee held the first of several parent conversations on race and equity Dec. 17 in the media center. The event educated parents on how to address and discuss racism. Principal Robert Dodd...

Community mourns after death of Bradley Hills Elementary School student

By Emily London

December 20, 2019

Members of the community are grieving after a fourth-grader at Bradley Hills Elementary School student passed away Dec. 12 when her school bus hit her. She was a beloved student at her school. “Her teachers and other students just loved her,” Bradley Hills parent Rochelle Fink said. “She was ...

Maryland expands Holocaust curriculum

By Ben Waldman

December 13, 2019

To increase awareness about anti-semitism, Maryland state officials announced plans to increase the amount of Holocaust related instruction in the state’s public school system Oct. 24. The change will include mutiple additions to curricula, including the creation of a Holocaust unit in 4th and 5...

Montgomery County bans discrimination of natural hair

By Anna Kulbashny

December 12, 2019

Workplaces in Montgomery County can now face a fine of $5,000 if they discriminate against employees based on hair type, including afros, twists, curls and braids. The Montgomery County Council passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act or “CROWN,” Nov. 5th, becoming the f...

Community torn over Harvard affirmative action ruling

By Bella Learn

December 11, 2019

The U.S. District Court of Massachusetts rejected claims that Harvard University discriminates against Asian Americans in its admissions process Oct. 2, ruling that the institution met the constitutional standard for considering race in admissions. Students for Fair Admissions, a non-profit group led by conserva...

New NCAA policy opens up opportunities for athletes, fans

By Ben Baisinger-Rosen

December 10, 2019

Major companies can now compensate college athletes for endorsement deals. The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced Oct. 29 that college athletes are now able to profit off of playing their sport, meaning that companies can pay athletes for things like endorsements or selling their own jerseys. ...

Whitman students advocate against AP exams on Muslim holiday

By Jack McGuire

December 6, 2019

The College Board will now administer all Advanced Placement exams planned for May 13, 2021 again on May 18, 2021 to accommodate Muslim students celebrating the holiday Eid al-Fitr, which falls on May 13. The new testing dates will allow Muslim students to celebrate the holiday and have clarity regard...

Montgomery County sues Juul in latest effort to end vaping epidemic

By Sammy Heberlee

November 28, 2019

As part of Montgomery County’s ongoing efforts to curb teen use of electronic cigarettes and vaping, the Montgomery County Council authorized a lawsuit Oct. 16 against Juul Labs and Altria Group, a company that owns a 35% stake in Juul. The lawsuit claims that the e-cigarette manufacturers and distri...

MCPS to phase in seat belt equipped buses

By Ben Waldman

November 23, 2019

MCPS will phase in new school buses with seat belts over the next 12 years in hopes of improving student safety by 2031. “School travel research continues to indicate that school buses are the safest way to get to and from school,” an Aug. 27 MCPS press release stated. “Introducing school buses equi...

Fog machine triggers fire alarm, interrupts Hunchback’s opening night

By Jack McGuire and Gabe Schaner

November 21, 2019

At around 8:10 p.m., before the end of the first act of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Whitman’s fall musical, synthetic smoke machines triggered the fire alarms in the auditorium. Following initial confusion, members of the cast, tech crew, pit orchestra and audience evacuated the building into the ...