All Local High Schools to Replace Math Classes with Cooking Courses

By Y.M. Lowy

Did the title fool you? Well, you’ve been April fooled!

It turns out that math class isn’t going anywhere, and while the idea of replacing it with cooking courses might sound fun, it’s not happening just yet. But don’t feel bad! You’re in good company! Every year, millions of people around the world get tricked by headlines, fake news, and outrageous claims. April Fools’ Day is the one time of year when everyone gets in on the fun, leaving many scratching their heads and checking the calendar.

Take, for example, the famous Spaghetti Harvest of 1957. A news platform aired a segment showing Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees. Many viewers were fooled because pasta wasn’t as widely known at the time.

Then in 1996, Taco Bell ran a full-page ad claiming they’d bought the Liberty Bell and renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.” The public was outraged, only to have the prank revealed hours later.

In 1998, Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper,” claiming the burger was specially designed for left-handed people. Customers went to stores asking for it, only to realize it was a joke.

Fast forward to 2007, when Google announced Gmail Paper as a service that would send physical copies of emails. People were convinced until they found out it was a hoax.

And in 2013, Google claimed to have created Google Nose, a feature allowing users to smell anything by searching. Many tried it, only to realize they had been pranked once again.

April Fools’ Day is believed to have originated with the calendar change in 1582 when the Pope introduced a new calendar, which moved the new year from April 1 to January 1. Those who continued to celebrate the new year on April 1, out of ignorance of the change, were called “April fools.” People would play pranks on them, such as sending them on pointless errands or tricking them into believing false things.