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The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

Illustrations | Anika Bhandarkar and Asha Wojciechowski

The birds and the bees

El Estoque's Opinion section explores the stereotypes and issues MVHS observes within sex
Having discussions with your kids about sex and health is important as it prepares children to be well informed before going into the world and having to make decisions for themselves.

The talk that never came: Immigrant parents feed into the stigma around sex

MVHS students face sexual stigmatization due to a lack of communication with trusted adults
Ananya Chaudhary and Asha Wojciechowski
February 2, 2025
Special education students should be integrated into general education classes at an early age to foster inclusivity and collaboration. Photo | Niveda Hari

Integrating special education students is necessary for equitable education

FUHSD should continue to take steps to provide opportunities for all students to learn together
Niveda Hari and Suhana Mahabal
February 2, 2025
Indian women are offended by the media's perception of their beauty.

“The Great Shift” is a great joke: Why the TikTok trend is insulting to Indian women

The MVHS Indian community discusses how the trend undermines Indian women and their beauty
Meghna Dixit and Aletheia Ju
February 2, 2025
As Artificial Intelligence becomes more prevalent in society we need to find a balance that allows students to retain core traits while being knowledgeable on new advancements.

Staff Editorial: AI is here. Get used to it.

FUHSD must weave artificial intelligence literacy into our district’s curriculum
Editorial Board
February 2, 2025
Books that are part of the up and coming "smut" genre are often misleadingly presented to its audience Illustration | Anika Bhandarkar and Asha Wojciechowski

Content Warning: the rise in misleading marketing of books with adult content towards children

The marketing of young adult books falsely advertises explicit content
Niveda Hari and Asha Wojciechowski
February 1, 2025
Pornography reinforces gender hegemony through its decentralization of female pleasure, which ultimately affects how we approach our relationships. Illustration | Anika Bhandarkar

Porn literacy education must address gender hegemonies perpetuated by pornography

Students must recognize harmful portrayals of sex, consent and gender norms within pornography
Anika Bhandarkar and Suhana Mahabal
February 1, 2025
Interminority racism is often a result of racism from majority groups that gets caught in a cycle of oppression.

Minority groups are capable and sometimes perpetuate discrimination towards other minorities

Students and staff explore the implications behind interminority racism
Megha Mummaneni and Zaid Naqvi
January 31, 2025
Illustrations | Erin Liu
Photos Courtesy of Pragti Gupta and Zoey Liu | Used with Permission

Breaking down the breaks

MVHS students and staff discuss how the school calendar could be structured to accommodate a diverse set of holidays
Yixuan (Joyce) Li and Erin Liu
January 31, 2025
Dark romance novels romanticize violence and abuse and portray toxic behaviors to be romantic. Illustration | Asha Wojciechowski

Dark romance novels promote and romanticize abuse, illegal activity and a lack of consent

The novels have real-world implications and should not be dismissed just because they are fiction.
Niveda Hari and Vaishnavi Katukam
January 31, 2025
A stack of completed puran poli. Photo courtesy of Pratima Gogineni | Used with permission

Preserving and adapting cultural traditions are not mutually exclusive

My family’s quest to find the perfect puran poli recipe taught me that adapting cultural traditions do not make them less authentic
Anika Bhandarkar
January 31, 2025
Although affectionate gestures are often seen as romantic, the distinction between romantic and platonic relationships varies wildly from person to person. Illustration | Jillian Ju

So, does this mean we’re in love?

Learning to love the gray area between platonic and romantic
Jillian Ju
January 29, 2025
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