The Spectrum

Death Penalty Does Not Achieve Intended Goals

Keaton Rannow, Staff Writer • June 2, 2021

The death penalty is certainly an issue that poses complex legal, political, and moral questions but a closer examination of the morality of capital punishment makes such a question clear. The...

CRISPR-Cas9 Sequences Spark Debate Despite Potential Positive Effects for Food Industry

Food labels proudly promote non-GMO products, however unclear definition, continual production prevails

Sage Marmet, Co-Editor-in-Chief • January 14, 2021

In an era of continual scientific advancement, we are constantly being faced with questions regarding the morality and ethicality of altering the very building blocks that comprise our lives. Clustered...

Engineering Provides Brighter Future

New technology paves way for eliminating un- curable diseases, improves quality of life

Grace Homan, Contributing Writer • January 14, 2021

In recent years, genetic engineering—alongside technology—has been steadily increasing. Dating back to the 1970s, humans genetically modified animals and plants to create genetically modified organisms,...

Human Modification Creates Risks

Abundance of unknown factors, outcomes outweigh potential benefits

Will Rosenblum, Managing Editor • January 14, 2021

Each year, more than three billion dollars is spent on genetic research. As genetic modification technology advances and that number continues to rise with genetic modification becoming a normalized topic,...

Online News Platforms Fail to Fulfill Their Advertised Mission Statements

Information distorts public sentiment

Chad Woerner, Staff Writer • November 4, 2020

Twitter's main purposes, according to their website, are to "give everyone the power to create and share ideas" and "not detract from a free and global conversation." Instagram's mission statement claims...

Preconceived Biases Influence Readership

Importance of validity rises as election looms

Keaton Rannow, Contributing Writer • November 4, 2020

Since social media's rise in the early 2000s, its most powerful tool has been the ability to disseminate information widely and rapidly. Current events that would've taken days, even weeks to reach our...

Religion As More Than a Belief System, A Community

Jason finds comfort in community

Jason Gelb, Contributing Writer • October 1, 2020

For me, Judaism is a lot more than just a religion. I don’t believe you have to be a practicing Jew to call yourself Jewish. I see it more as a community and a culture than simply a religion. I think...

Don’t Blame TikTok for Unwanted Content

For You page promotes content based off user's habits

Will Rosenblum, Opinions Editor • April 28, 2020

TikTok, a video sharing app released in 2016, has exploded onto the online-scene with over one billion users in March of 2020. But the app has been met with its fair share of flaws and criticisms by users....

Teachers Fight Legacy of Systems that Favor Certain Cultures, Learning Styles

History of schooling system is very unicultured

Will Rosenblum, Opinions Editor • March 9, 2020

Although the achievement gap mainly surrounds students, one important facet is the aspect of the teaching influence. Traditionally, the use of such strategies like straight rowed desks and bells aimed...

Redistricting Helps, Does not Solve the Root of the Gap

Long history, complicated factors of gap make progress difficult

Sage Marmet, Creative Director • March 9, 2020

Even though the achievement gap may seem like an issue far away, affecting far away people, one of the cities with the largest disparity between low and high performing students is our very own Minneapolis. This...

Redrawing Public School District Lines Creates Equality of Education

New districts help desegregate

Nora Fox, Arts & Culture Editor • March 9, 2020

A well educated public is essential to the success and prosperity of our communities at home and abroad. However, due to the achievement gap, many students arenít receiving the proper quality of education...

Private Schools Have Less Obvious Gaps, Greater Ability to Address

Students reflect on the division they feel

Anna Johns, Staff Writer • March 9, 2020

Considering Minnesota's notoriously large academic achievement gap, how might that manifest itself in a private school like Blake? Many students in affinity groups at Blake asserted that such a gap exists,...