No matter how far a distance or for what purpose, family separation is always devastating. Family members rely on each other for physical, emotional and financial support; More than that, people look to their families to be there for them. Starting a family in another place, or uprooting a family and moving to a new place tears families away from their support and from those who give them comfort. Living in a new country brings up a new set of complications for family communication, as well as major cultural barriers that can be difficult to navigate especially without the loved ones for support. 
   In the U.S., a major struggle of the first and second generation immigrant experience is familial separation and cultural detachment. In our own home state of New Jersey, almost a quarter of the population was born in another country, according to a 2018 study by the American Immigration Council, making this a prominent issue that people face in our own community. Along with this separation come communication issues: not being able to see family members face to face inhibits opportunities to speak with one another and engage. As such, first-generation immigrant families can feel a sense of disconnect from their family and culture. 
   This feeling of detachment pertains to people’s personal lives as well as to students and faculty at PHS. Many people come from diverse upbringings, and many go through the similar pattern of feeling like they don’t belong in either one of their cultures. I’ve seen it happen first hand with my mother. Our family is from Pakistan, and my mom worries daily for her parents, so she makes plans twice a year to visit them. But this doesn’t solve the problem, because now she has to worry about her kids, who are still in the U.S. The issue with having family so far away is that often a person is forced to choose between their family back home and their family in the U.S. My mother feels as if she’ll miss out on important aspects of my life when she’s gone, but while she’s in the U.S., she misses extended family dinners, weddings, and other important events.
   So many families that live far apart from each other go through this: having to make the hardest decisions, having to choose, at every point in time, between being with one family or the other. Dividing our time between our family in the U.S. and our extended family back in our home country is mentally exhausting, but we keep on doing it to maintain these relationships. Traveling back to visit this extended family is great if it's feasible, but if it isn’t, there are still other ways in which families can nurture their relationships. This can be done through regularly scheduled weekly FaceTime calls, letter-writing, birthday parties on Zoom, and even indulgence in online games. Although these methods of communication may not be ideal, they still help to keep relationships alive and thriving.
   Many kids at PHS are first-generation or second-generation immigrants, and the often-hidden struggle we feel needs to be further illuminated. Students at PHS that feel disconnected from their families might need support, which is why it’s important to create a school community that everyone feels bonded to. To ensure that our school has a safe place for students in these situations, it’s important that PHS makes sure to cultivate appreciation for the different backgrounds that students have, in order to give students an opportunity to feel connected to their culture. For example, Asian Fest is a great way in which the school is actively involving many different Asian cultures in the lives of PHS students. Additionally, cultural clubs at PHS such as the Muslim Student Union club, the French club, and the Japanese club can make students feel more connected to their religion and background. Although this might not solve the prominent issue of familial separation, it may create a connective bridge between a student and their family’s culture. Although chosen families do not completely make up for loved ones who are far away, by providing support for friends, more students feel closer to their peers as a substitute for the family members that they miss.

The struggle of familial separation and cultural detachment

Every day, the death toll in Ukraine rises as Vladamir Putin bombs innocent civilans in hopes of frightening the country into submission. For more than a month, citizens around the world have been anxiously watching the confrontation, grimacing at each sign that the conflict might erupt into a global war. Yet, here at PHS, there has been a disquieting silence among both teachers and students when it comes to the conflict. Unfortunately, this pattern of ignoring current events extends beyond the current war. Largely due to the demands of PHS’s curriculum, many aspects of the past few tumultuous years have been brushed over in classrooms. But current events should not be ignored. These events impact PHS students more directly than obscure historical details that we obsessively study in AP United States History, and yet they rarely ever get taught. This trend needs to end. Teachers and administrators in our school must make sure that students are educated on current events.

The war in Ukraine has real consequences for students at PHS. Most obviously, the conflict puts everyone, regardless of age or nationality, in danger. A nuclear conflict would result in the total destruction of schools, homes, and cities. Of course, at this very moment, some PHS students are already feeling the effects of the conflict. Students who have family in Ukraine go to bed at night not knowing if their relatives will be alive the next day.

Everyone is afraid, not just those who have loved ones near the conflict. Part of this fear is undoubtedly created by confusion surrounding current events. With the increase in sensationalism and fear-mongering across social media and the web, it’s easy for those who lack the proper knowledge to buy into headlines like “WWIII is here!” The further inclusion of current events in our curricula could teach students to be skeptical of yellow journalism. The best thing that PHS could do is to tell students exactly what is going on. Our school can ease some of the students’ fears by encouraging an open discussion of the topic in classrooms. In doing so, PHS would be helping to erase feelings of helplessness, and developing the skepticism necessary for students to stay objective while reading the news.

Furthermore, PHS students can use current events to garner the research skills necessary to form their own informed opinions. Those who don’t know the history and context behind a current event are much more susceptible to misinformation and bias. Students who enter the real world lacking the essential skills of researching and fleshing out an opinion will pose a danger to our community and nation. To properly participate in democracy, students will need to be informed on local, national, and global happenings, and know how to make sense of those events. Through the engaging lens of current events, students would learn how to contextualize and analyze current events, and then form opinions on them. If we are to grow up and become useful members of our communities, we need to make sure that we have these skills.

Moreover, many students rely on their parents and close friends for their opinions because they may not have the time nor the knowledge to form their own. The school should not avoid discussing topics simply because they are controversial — in a classroom setting where a diverse range of opinions is expressed, we have a chance to help students break away from their parents’ and friends’ mold.

PHS should encourage students to express their opinions and tell them how to act on those opinions. Take the Ukraine crisis. Where can students donate? How can they raise awareness? Although there is little PHS can actually do to bring the war to a halt, it can help to provide relief to those caught in the conflict and to give students more peace of mind. In order for the school to give students a voice, it first has to tell them how to use that voice to create real change.

PHS is always working towards creating a safe environment for students to express their identities and opinions. Integrating current events into the curriculum would bring us closer to that goal, while also increasing student engagement and nurturing essential life skills. We can start by taking a few class periods to talk over the war in Ukraine, but there are so many other global catastrophes and controversies to be discussed and debated. If PHS wants to help students find their voices and speak out for their beliefs, it needs to teach current events.

Hayah Mian's Work