News

Lia Dunakin

Staff Writer

The Met Gala is an annual event held as a fundraiser for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s various costume exhibits. It has a reputation for being both extremely exclusive and glamorous, but from its beginnings in 1948, the Gala has not always been like this. 

The gala supports the annual costume exhibit, which is the only one in the museum that has to attain its own funding. As a result, this benefit is held every year for the purpose of raising money. In its early years, New York’s rich elites and socialites received the invites — the locals who had a direct connection to the museum — instead of the celebrities that attend now. 

The new focus on who the gala invites instead of what the invitees are wearing defeats the purpose of The Met Gala. Fashion lovers from all around the world can go the Metropolitan Museum of Art and admire the preserved historical clothing in each exhibit. 

Along with the higher profile in guests came the tradition of dressing in honor of the exhibit’s annual theme. This year, the exhibit’s focus is “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” with clothing from  the famous time in the United States, ‘The Gilded Age.’ Usually, designers stick to the ever changing  theme picked every year by the committee — but with liberal interpretation. 

When I first heard that Kim Kardashian was going to be wearing Marilyn Monroe’s famous dress, the one that she wore in 1962 to sing happy birthday to President Kennedy, the only problem I could think of was not sticking to the theme. After further investigation, I realized the bigger issues involved.

Many fashion historians have always been frustrated with their line of work not being taken seriously, and this is one of those times. These professionals believe that this dress is an important piece from American history, and should therefore be carefully preserved in a museum just like any other historic garment.

As Bob Mackie, the designer for the original dress said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “I thought it was a big mistake, [Marily] was a goddess… And it was done for her. It was designed for her. Nobody else should be seen in that dress.” 

This dress is actually owned by Ripley’s Believe it or Not, which is not a real museum, and by allowing Kim Kardashian to wear the dress, has broken rules from the museum code of conduct. I believe this was a strategic advertisement to let the public know where this dress is being shown. 

Lots of things could and did go wrong. Just Kim Kardashian walking around in it, even for a few minutes, ruined the integrity of the material. Other ways that the dress could have been partially ruined was by it being touched with improper gloves or even bare handed. Mackey also stated in his interview with Entertainment Weekly, that wearing the gown “ was undoubtedly damaging to its preservation and structural integrity.”

I agree with fashion historians that recognize the unethical side of this situation. I don’t think that anyone else other than Marilyn Monroe should have worn this dress. I also don’t agree with an illegitimate museum like Ripley’s Believe it or not owning an extremely expensive and valued part of history like this dress. It should be in a proper museum handled by experts that know what they’re doing.

Oskar Glahn & Marcus Diemer

Staff Writer

Dr. Tony B. Watlington Sr. has accepted the position of Philadelphia School District Superintendent by the School Board. He will assume his new role on June 16, 2022. 

Watlington has some big shoes to fill. The District’s current superintendent, Dr. William Hite, has held the role for over ten years, which is very rare for school district superintendents to hold the office for that long. 

“It’s a hard job, and he did it for ten years,” said Principal Lehmann. “His ten years as superintendent was the longest of anybody’s since Constance Clayton back in the 80’s, so that’s an incredible run.” 

Since June 2012, Dr. Hite has worked hard to create equity and achieve goals of innovation and equality. In his past ten years, Dr. Hite has effectively worked through the district’s obstacles, opened new quality high schools, and conjoined schools with the communities around them. Dr. Hite has been a huge help to Philadelphia’s struggling public schools, and a personable role model for teachers and students within the district. His leadership has a very positive impact on the community.

Dr. Watlington seemed like a very obvious choice to replace Dr. Hite. “It was very clear with these three candidates that Dr. Waltington was the choice of the community. You saw a lot of support for his candidacy,” said Lehmann.  He is an experienced educator and understands the school system. He started out as a history teacher in North Carolina, and made his way up to principal and eventually Superintendent of the  Rowan-Salisbury school district, also in North Carolina. That school district is nowhere near as big as Philadelphia’s, but very few school districts are. 

To gain this position, Dr. Waltington had to contend with many other candidates including John Davis, who was chief of schools in Baltimore, and Krish Mohip, who was on the Illinois State Board of Education who were the two closest contenders. 

Although most teachers and faculty are aware of this change, many students are not. 

“I ain’t even know that we got a new guy [superintendent],” remarked senior Jacob Farrell. Students have not received any information about this change, and most of them don’t really seem to care. “I feel like more people should know about this,” said senior Colin Clapper.

Even though some people are unaware of this new change, we have hopes that Watlington will continue Dr. Hite’s legacy of leadership, and make some positive change. We are looking forward to what comes next. 

Sean Hogan

Staff Writer

Since February 24th if this year ], the world has had its eyes on the war that Russia has waged in Ukraine. The conflict has displaced at least 10 million people and resulted in sanctions and businesses pulling out of Russia. The concern about the oil supply has caused massive price hikes for gasoline, and politically the tensions are reminiscent of the cold war.

How has the SLA community been impacted by the conflict? SLAMedia spoke with students about their connections to and opinions about the conflict

Sophmore Biran Mahmoud told me about his family in Syria, another nation where Russia has been having a military intervention since 2015.

“My famly lives in the small towns/villages so they aren’t targeted by Russian artillery,” Mahmoud explained. “They do experience issues with smaller groups but don’t really come under fire.”

As for the conflict in Ukraine, Mahmoud is clear: “There is no point in this war, no one really wants this. It’s just an old man’s war.”

Mahmoud also recognizes the complicated nature of the conflict: “They (NATO) are already pretty involved in supplying Ukraine with weapons, ammo, and supplies. But they should instate a No-Fly Zone but that could start WW3 with them shooting down Russian planes. It’s a tricky situation with Russia threatening nuclear war.”

“It’s very unpredictable,” he said. “I hear the Russians are losing, but god only knows how this war will end.”

Senior Eric Casalena reported that he doesn’t “know every single detail” about the war, but enough to have formed some opinions.. ”

“I feel like no one deserves this and the only person who wants this war is Putin because even his soldiers don’t want this war.” He was also asked if NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) should step in and assist Ukraine directly, He said that NATO should Intervene but then asked me if Putin was threatening nuclear escalation.

When asked if he thinks Russian forces committed war crimes, he said “100%”

As for how the conflict might end, Casalena provided three scenarios.Number one is that Vladimir Putin and President Zelenskyy sit down and resolve this conflict peacefully, the second one is that Vladimir Putin gets assassinated, and lastly that Ukraine surrenders to Russia.

Senior Philip Lee said that his take on the conflict

Is “generally the same as most folks. Trying to take over a country like that isn’t too moral.”

SHould NATO intervene? “As of now? Probably not since I’ve heard their (Ukraine) doing a pretty good job at defending themselves to the point where Russian troops are refusing to go and would rather face consequences from higher-ups.”

He also stated he does not know if Russia has committed war crimes. As for how it will all end, “Ukraine will likely keep its independence and the violence will end though I don’t see Russia halting other strategies like media manipulation, data collection, spies, political interference, etc.”

While we may not know how this horrible war will end, we can only keep aware of the situation, Donate to charities and support the refugees of wars like the one happening in Ukraine.