Empowering students to think critically and creatively since 1913 VOLUME 107 ISSUE 4 SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL JANUARY 29, 2021 1401 FREMONT AVE, SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030 Vaccine distribution brings hope, frustration STORY ZOE SCHLAAK finally I realized… there were no appointments available. It was pretty frustrating [because] my friends were getting appointments… and I couldn’t figure out what I was ILLUSTRATION ALICIA ZHANG doing wrong. So I tried the Dodger Stadium one and it took me about half a day but I PHOTOS CONTRIBUTORS was finally able to get an appointment for my husband and [myself].” ommunity members expressed relief and annoyance about vaccine distribution Health officials have urged community members to get the vaccine when they have Cas South Pasadena approaches 1,200 coronavirus cases. the opportunity to do so, regardless of the unlikely side effects. California organized the vaccine distribution into Phases 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2, and they “I hope that people will trust the science and get the vaccine when they are able to,” are being administered at pharmacy chains, hospitals, and large-scale vaccination Dr. Tina Yu, a local OB-GYN, said. “I had only injection site arm soreness. However, sites like the Forum and Dodger Stadium. The two vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, are about 10 to 15 percent of people do have significant side effects from the vaccine 12 to distributed in two doses at least 21 and 28 days apart, respectively. 36 hours after receiving the shot, due to their immune response. People just need to be aware of that and be mentally prepared for it and take over the counter analgesics/ Phase 1A, which consists of healthcare workers, is almost complete in L.A. County. fever reducers as needed.” Phase 1B, comprised of people over 65 and high-risk non-medical workers began its first tier in mid-January. Phase 1C — 50 to 64-year-olds, low-risk workers, and 16 to California currently ranks in the bottom 10 states for vaccine distribution due to a 49-year-olds with underlying health conditions — is expected to begin in the spring. combination of factors, including lack of resources and insufficient staffing. South The proposed but not approved Phase 2 is expected to begin in mid-May or early June Pasadena’s coronavirus case record at the time of publication was 1,161, a threefold and will include 16 to 49-year-olds with no high-risk medical conditions. increase over the past two months. Thus, health officials urge residents to follow coronavirus safety regulations even as people begin to get vaccinated. Even though vaccination appointments have been available to seniors for over a week, many have expressed frustration with navigating the process. “We need to continue the social distancing and health protocols,” Yu said. “It will be many months before the majority of people are vaccinated and we should do our best “When it was announced the fact that they were vaccinating people who were 65 and to minimize spread in the meantime. Even though the vaccine is 95 percent effective, over, I started hunting for a vaccine in L.A. County,” senior resident Maria Morales you never know if you are part of that last 5 percent, so it is best to still be careful.” said. “ I was using the L.A. County website, [but] when I got to the page where you can make an appointment, they wouldn’t tell you that no appointments were available; L.A. County’s vaccine supply is “extremely limited,” but appointments for those over they would just kick you back to the beginning. So I kept on trying and trying, and 65 are periodically available, with the rest of Phase 1B starting in early February. “COMING OUT” ASTROLOGY KELLY WU While an empowering Astrologically Tiger profiles figure experience for significant events set skating prodigy, many, “coming out” to occur throughout SPHS senior Kelly has evolved into a 2021 allude to what this Wu, who harnesses homophobia-rooted year might have in store her natural talent and requirement for the politically, socially, determination into self- queer experience. and personally. expression on the ice. Page 7 Page 12 Page 15 TIGERNEWSPAPER.COM TIGER 2 JANUARY 29, 2021 State restrictions postpone NEWS SPUSD TK-2 reopening L.A. County must halve its adjusted case rate for schools to reopen. The Anti-Racism STORY KATIE HOHMAN PHOTOS COURTESY OF Committee fights ABIGAIL SILVER he district has delayed its grades TK-2 return for local change Tplan indefinitely after state officials released new restrictions on Thursday, Jan. 14 that prohibit L.A. County STORY HAELEE KIM schools from reopening due to record coronavirus cases. PHOTO COURTESY OF SPUSD elementary schools had previously been approved WILL HOADLEY-BRILL to reopen in January, but must now wait until the county has been at or below 25 cases per 100,000 people per day Since its inception, the South Pasadena Anti-Racism for at least five consecutive days. Committee (ARC) has dedicated itself to dismantling racism within the city through grassroots organizing in Kindergarten students were expected to return back to government, education, public safety, and the arts. in-person school with a hybrid model on Monday, Feb. 8, followed by first and second graders on Tuesday, Feb. This past year, the ARC worked with Care First and 16. The new state restrictions superseded L.A. County’s Black Lives Matter (BLM) South Pasadena to host holiday waiver for SPUSD’s reopening, which the district initially donation drives for unhoused community members. sought with guidance from local health officials. Recent activities include the Yard Sign Project, where ARC members distributed special yard signs prior to “We know that children can transmit [COVID-19],” UCLA Inauguration Day for community members to fill in the doctor Dr. Nava Yeganeh said. “However, we do know statement, “I Stand Against Racism Because…” from other countries that many of the outbreaks are still driven by adults — an adult staff member bringing an Residents formed the ARC in June 2020 amidst national outbreak into the classroom or to other members of the and local BLM protests in order to enact anti-racist staff. So, the focus does really have to be on making sure change in South Pasadena. adults are kept safe in the school environment.” “Many of us, after the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Educators are in Phase 1B for receiving the vaccination, Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, were galvanized to confront which is expected to begin in early February. structural racism,” ARC founding member Phung Huynh said. “I’ve always known about South Pasadena’s racist During a School Board meeting before the state’s new past, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to confront restrictions, parents voiced their opinions on the it head-on.” reopening plans, with those in support of grades TK-2 returning to school sharing their concern about distance The approximately 60-member organization fights learning’s challenges for their young children. L.A. COUNTY APPROVED SPUSD’s against racism with a multi-pronged approach by dividing itself into four task forces, bringing together “We have students whose education development and TK-2 REOPENING in January after people with varied backgrounds and skills. health are suffering, despite teachers doing the best touring the three elementary schools, but they can,” parent Lawrence Wingaurd said. “Taking the new state restrictions halted that plan. “We all had different ways we wanted to attack [racism], position to not reopen until the pandemic is lessened, but we found that the best way is to do it collaboratively. eradicated, or until everyone is vaccinated is unrealistic Once the L.A. County Department of Public Health That’s the structure of the organization,” Huynh said. “It’s and unwarranted by the science. We cannot continue to (LACDPH) approved SPUSD’s waiver in December, deeply listening to our members and community and compromise our kids’ education and wellbeing.” health officials visited all three elementary schools and working together — not being monolithic about it.” authorized them for reopening. Other community members urged the Board to push In the Education Task Force, Huynh works with groups back the date, fearing that the teachers would be at risk. “[The LACDPH] had a lot of good things to say about like SPHS’ Anti-Bias Club to encourage inclusivity everything that we had in place and they thought we did training on campus. The Storytelling Task Force “Distance learning is by no means perfect, but it works,” a really thorough job,” SPUSD nurse Abigail Silver said. compiled research on South Pasadena’s racist history for Arroyo Vista pre-K teacher Julie Littlefield said. “My “The bottom line is that when we are able to reopen [the public viewing on the ARC’s website. students are present every day and have been making LACDPH] and the schools have put really great measures tremendous progress. We sing, dance, socialize, and take in place to be safe for the students and the staff.” The Political Action Task Force frequently submits public breaks whenever necessary. Going back to school and comments to the City Council, promoting transparent then having to transition back to distance learning when SPUSD elementary schools cannot reopen until L.A. dialogue about local racism such as resident Richard we don’t have enough subs to cover sick teachers or have County’s adjusted case rate drops from 48.2 to 25 per Cheney illegally driving his truck onto the sidewalk to an outbreak will result in more learning lost.” 100,000 people for at least five consecutive days. intimidate BLM protestors in October.