In the past month, the name “Willow” has not been unfamiliar to many across the United States. From thousands of TikToks with the trending hashtag #Stop Willow to a social media petition that raised...
Macklemore may have to update the lyrics to his 2012 hit single “Thrift Shop” soon because as we head into a new era of thrift stores, the line “But it was 99 cents (bag it)” now reads like a cruel...
All too often, your favorite artist is in the news for all the wrong reasons. Whether it is alternative/indie artist Rex Orange County being charged with six counts of sexual assault or hip-hop and rap...
In August 2022, as part of a new law that banned "sexually explicit" content in schools, nearly 300 books were pulled off the shelves in Missouri. Across the nation, schools and districts everywhere went...
In 1983, students in a Journalism II class at Hazelwood East High School wrote stories about teen pregnancy and divorce for their school newspaper, The Spectrum. But when their principal reviewed the issue,...
For many students, seeing people of color misrepresented through photography is disheartening. However, the effects also bleed into students’ daily lives. While occasional unflattering photos may be inevitable, some students of color have found that their skin tone has looked inaccurate or improperly exposed in their photos. These photos are put in the yearbook for everyone to see and look back on.
The Missouri House of Representatives recently updated its dress code in a 105-51 decision, requiring female legislators to cover their arms with a jacket, cardigan or knit blazer. Mainstream media quickly...
In 2022, 424 Parkway West students took 801 Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, meaning that most took two or more tests, and over a third of the student population enrolled in an AP class. Because course...
Content warning: This article mentions gun violence, school shootings and death.
Just 20 miles away from Parkway West, teacher Jean Kuczka and 15-year-old Alexzandria Bell were killed in the...
Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
• January 4, 2023
The camera pans across a bathroom wall as musical artist Taylor Swift looks down as she stands on the scale. Zooming in, we discover that the scale reads “FAT.” Fans and critics collectively booed...
![The Biden administration’s approval of the Willow Project to begin production in Alaska has sparked an uproar of protest on social media within the past month. The green light for such a massive oil drilling project leaves many questioning whether environmental activism is being prioritized at the governmental level. “The Willow Project being approved puts a lot of uncertainty about [the] types of politicians we can trust,” sophomore Amelia Geistler said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-900x675.jpg)
![For the first time in fashion history, thrift stores have become as essential to the middle class as they are to the impoverished communities they were designed to serve. The potential effects on lower-class communities are worrying. As thrift stores increase prices to meet resellers’ upcharges, the longtime, poorer buyers will be left feeling the effects: thrift store merchandise will not be as accessible or affordable to them. “It’s just going to separate the lower class from [the resources] they [need], and it will separate [the] middle and higher classes. It will make things a lot more difficult,” junior Kristen Skordos said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/OVERCOMSUMPTION-10.png)
![The battle of ingratiating Black history into the mainstream has been arduous, especially with the media’s capitalization on villainizing Black history. Underneath this vilification lies a history that is abundant in culture and has impacted America more than it is typically credited with. “Representation is [a] really big [deal], and people want to do things that they can see themselves being represented in. I think that a lot of African Americans — and a lot of students in general — don’t know how rich the history of Black [people] is in America,” senior and Black Student Union president Lauren McLeod said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/vilificationofblackhistoryfeatured.png)
![Lawmakers in Missouri voted to update the dress code exclusively for women Jan. 11. The new bill requires women’s arms to be covered by a blazer, cardigan or knit blazer. “There’s a lot of cost to purchasing new clothes. If you must wear a long-sleeved blazer or something over a short-sleeved outfit, that is a huge cost to be considered; It requires women to change what’s already [in their wardrobe]. This bill requires female members to take an extra step because not all business-casual clothing for women is made in long sleeves,” social studies teacher Rachel Money said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC_0015.png)
![Although society is reaching an all-time high for mental health awareness, celebrities are still facing heavy scrutiny about what they depict in their art, particularly surrounding mental health. Musical artist Taylor Swift received backlash for her display of body dysmorphia in her “Anti-Hero” music video. “There’s a difference between saying being fat is bad and saying you have [an] eating disorder that you’re constantly battling,” Swift fan @expiredthrills said on Twitter.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Taylor-Swift-Body-Dysmorphia-.jpg)