The Panther

More Than Just a Number: School’s Attendance Policies Neglect Students’ Health

William Albury, Multimedia Photo Editor • November 17, 2023

As a student who must adhere to uncompromising attendance policies, I often have to ask myself: “Am I really sick enough to stay home?” With a strict 10-20 rule in place, I cannot afford to miss days...

A Season of Gratitude and Growth: Experiencing My Last “Childhood” Thanksgiving

Sofia Strohmeier, Online Editor-in-Chief • November 16, 2023

As November unfolds into the holiday season, I feel myself nestled in between an inescapable corner of reassuring sentimentality and a momentous transition. The bridge between childhood and adulthood continues...

College Board is a Problematic, Monopolistic Institution

Nicole Martin, Contents Editor • November 15, 2023

“You will not get into a nice college if you do not take any Advanced Placement classes,” or “You need a great SAT score if you want to reach your goals of getting into that school” are phrases...

Liquid Rebellion: The Darkside of Teen Drinking

Alexis James, Multimedia Photo Editor • November 14, 2023

In the U.S., the legal drinking age is 21 for a reason. Alcohol negatively impacts young people’s maturing brains. Therefore, this law that makes it illegal to drink under the age of 21 is necessary...

A Total Ban On Phones in School Is Ill-Conceived

Anna Levitt, Copy Editor • November 13, 2023

This school year, students at Palmetto Middle School returned with one thing drastically different: not a single phone in sight. No one was texting their friends to meet up at lunch, no one was taking...

My Paranormal Point of View

Ava Garcia, Managing Editor • November 1, 2023

I witnessed my first paranormal experience at six years old. I woke up at 3 a.m. to a wide-eyed girl sitting at the foot of my bed. It may come as a surprise to most, but I felt no fear; instead, I felt...

Cultural Sensitivity Matters: Understanding the Inappropriateness of Appropriating Cultures for Halloween Costumes

Sophia Snyder, Copy Editor • October 31, 2023

Wearing costumes that include pieces of cultures that are not your own without showing understanding or respect for them has become a trend during the Halloween season, a kind of cultural appropriation...

Pick Me, Choose Me: College Admissions Selectiveness

Jasmine Judge, Business Manager • October 25, 2023

For most high school seniors, October through January are the most dreaded months of the year. During this time, seniors labor over their computers, racing to complete their college applications in time...

Florida Social Media Laws Are an Attack on Free Speech

Justin Fechter, Staff Writer • October 23, 2023

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection in which Donald Trump supporters who believed the election was stolen stormed the capital, Trump was banned from X, previously known as Twitter. The reason for...

Teens and Vapes Should Not Coexist — And Yet, They Do

Eleanor Harris, Copy Editor • October 20, 2023

From the early age of 13, vaping and doing drugs have become more and more normalized. This trend needs to come to an end. Has the government done anything effective to stop this? The short answer...

Terrorism Far Away Hits Close to Home

Seth Clarin, Multimedia Photo Editor • October 20, 2023

As a Jewish person living in a free country, safety should not be a worry. But terrorist organizations like Hamas serve as a constant reminder that peace remains elusive and peace of mind is not always...

To U.S. Politicians, Sometimes the Best You Can Do is Retire

Emilia Haus, Senior Multimedia Editor • October 16, 2023

Around 90 years ago, the U.S. was in the midst of the Great Depression, World War II had not started and segregation was still legal. All of these and more troubling remnants of our country’s past occurred...

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