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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

City

Make ride-share drivers employees

Make ride-share drivers employees

Last week, a Lyft driver was viciously attacked by two passengers while carrying out a ride in Queens. The persistent cases of violence against ride-hailing drivers highlights a larger issue of contractor-based business models.
Emily Dai, Opinion Editor March 23, 2021

On March 16, Lyft driver Ashish Sapkota was attacked by two passengers in Queens. What began as an ordinary ride quickly derailed when the passengers began fighting in the backseat....

Keep New York City's streets open

Keep New York City’s streets open

New York City did the right thing by opening the streets to pedestrians during the pandemic. The streets should stay open after the pandemic.
Kevin Kurian, Deputy Opinion Editor March 17, 2021

One of the only good things to come out of the pandemic was the opening of New York’s streets.  The Open Streets initiative benefited New York’s small businesses when they...

De Blasio's police reform is hollow and insufficient

De Blasio’s police reform is hollow and insufficient

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s new police reform plan is full of abstract ideals and does not take the concrete, radical action necessary to transform the current reality of a violent NYPD.
Asha Ramachandran, Deputy Opinion Editor March 16, 2021

After a summer swept by protests for racial justice and demonstrations demanding the New York Police Department be defunded and held accountable for its violent racism, Mayor Bill...

Vaccine entitlement is unacceptable

Vaccine entitlement is unacceptable

Cutting in line for the COVID-19 vaccine threatens marginalized communities and undermines public trust in our healthcare system.
Lucy Yama, Contributing Writer March 11, 2021

As New York City accelerates COVID-19 vaccine distribution, the threat of vaccine entitlement jeopardizes the lives of the city’s most vulnerable populations. Vaccine entitlement...

We Should Be Able to Recall Cuomo

We Should Be Able to Recall Cuomo

Cuomo has betrayed the public's trust by harassing women and covering up the pandemic’s true toll on New York’s nursing homes. Voters should have the ability to recall the governor.
Kevin Kurian, Deputy Opinion Editor March 9, 2021

The past several weeks have shown the nation that a miscreant occupies the New York governor’s mansion. From being accused of sexual misconduct by five women to lying to the...

Police Can’t Be Trusted With Public Health

Police Can’t Be Trusted With Public Health

The NYPD has been entrusted with public health and safety during the pandemic but their racist, violent and reckless track record only puts New Yorkers in more danger.
Asha Ramachandran, Deputy Opinion Editor September 24, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented public health crisis that is only getting worse in some parts of the country. Some state and local governments have mobilized...

Homeless Students Deserve More From NYC's Education Department

Homeless Students Deserve More From NYC’s Education Department

While the DOE has taken steps to help the city’s homeless students get online for remote learning, homeless communities in the city still need more support to ensure that they can continue to attend school during the pandemic.
Helen Wajda, Opinion Editor September 20, 2020

At a homeless shelter in Manhattan, Christlie Jean-Baptiste struggles to get her children online for remote learning due to the shelter’s lack of Wi-Fi and cell service. While...

NYPD, Stay Out Of Our Restaurants

NYPD, Stay Out Of Our Restaurants

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent plan to reopen indoor dining and use the New York Police Department to enforce social distancing will only place Black and indigenous people of color in more danger. Instead, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene should shut down noncompliant restaurants.
Kevin Kurian, Deputy Opinion Editor September 7, 2020

As the pandemic rages on, city and state government officials are brainstorming plans to reopen indoor dining in New York City. While restaurants outside of the five boroughs have...

NYC Public Schools Are Failing English Language Learners

NYC Public Schools Are Failing English Language Learners

As the New York City public school system has transitioned completely to remote learning, they have abandoned struggling English language learning students and immigrant families who lack digital literacy.
Asha Ramachandran, Deputy Opinion Editor April 23, 2020

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, New York City public schools have transitioned to remote learning for the duration of the school year. For many students who are immigrants...

Survivors of Abuse Are Not Safe in Quarantine

Survivors of Abuse Are Not Safe in Quarantine

As New York has issued stay-at-home orders, it has simultaneously endangered survivors of domestic violence, trapping them at home with no means of escape. The government needs to take urgent action to protect survivors, not subject them to more trauma.
Asha Ramachandran, Deputy Opinion Editor April 9, 2020

Content warning: this article contains mentions of domestic violence. The coronavirus pandemic and government-imposed lockdowns have made surviving increasingly difficult and...

The Urgency of Housing Justice During the Pandemic

The Urgency of Housing Justice During the Pandemic

New York has done little to address the grave concerns of renters and homeowners as COVID-19 ravages the state. There is an urgent need for the government to protect New Yorkers by instituting immediate rent, mortgage and utility payment suspension.
Asha Ramachandran, Deputy Opinion Editor March 26, 2020

As New York has become the epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic — accounting for 5% of global cases — Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been grossly overselling his own efforts...

The Exploitation of Prisoners During Crisis

The Exploitation of Prisoners During Crisis

As the coronavirus spreads across the state, New York is shifting the responsibility of combating the outbreak onto incarcerated people and is paying them around 60 cents an hour to do it.
Asha Ramachandran, Deputy Opinion Editor March 12, 2020

New York State is in the middle of a grave public health crisis, with the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country. The way that Governor Andrew Cuomo’s...