It seems like it was just yesterday—because it was—that we
talked about the students at Belfast High School in Belfast, Maine, rallying
together to get their Pride festival started again after two years of a COVID shutdown.
I thought they were the future, and then I read these two stories, and realize these
students are, sadly, the future, too.
Students at Colerain High School in Cincinnati thought it
might be cool to tape “Blacks only" and "Whites only" signs over
water fountains and then sharing the pictures across social media because …
racism is funny?
The Northwest Local School District announced after the
incident was aired by a local news station earlier this month that they would
start an investigation.
The learned that the signs over the water fountains were
posted for about 30 seconds, while the students responsible took photos, then took
the signs down, and posted photos of their handiwork online.
Oh, so it was just a short burst of racism by a bunch of ignorant
children, who then blasted their ignorance around the world on the internet.
The district released a statement:
"Those who participated in this tasteless and hurtful
act have been issued significant disciplinary actions. Any student, including
those who are found to have taken part in sharing the post online will also be
subject to disciplinary action. The actions that were displayed do not reflect
the values and culture of Colerain High School or the Northwest Local School
District."
I don’t know if I’d call it “tasteless” and “hurtful,”
because what it’s actually Hate Speech.
Meanwhile in Florida, the Martin County School District has launched their own investigation
after a photo showing
six middle school students spelling out the N-word was posted on social media.
The photo was arranged, photographed, and posted to social media by students at Hidden Oaks
Middle School in Palm City.
Each
student in the photo is holding a letter spelling out a common racial slur
aimed at the Black community which the students made in an art class.
In
class? Where was the teacher? Did that person know what was planned and do
nothing?
The school
board was scheduled to hold its regular meetings that day, just hours after the
photo was posted and while the photo was not set as a topic that night people
still packed the room to voice their opinions to the board.
“It’s
racism.”
“I
am appalled.” said another woman.
“What
is happening is not OK.”
Jimmy
Smith, president of the Martin County chapter of the NAACP, was at the meeting:
“I
was very heartbroken. We all have made mistakes, but when you get to that
degree and that depth to come up with an idea like that, there’s something else
going on.”
Many
people at the board meeting also noted that it was just a small step from
posting that picture racially motivated shooting that killed 10 people in
Buffalo over the weekend.
District
officials said there is no question the students in the photo will be punished
but said the exact punishment would be determined by the outcome of their
investigation.
How
about kicking them out of school? Or better yet, since this was Florida where
the governor doesn’t want white kids feeling bad about racism and slavery and
the way this country has treated people of color for hundreds of years, maybe
the school should start teaching history … slavery … Jim Crow … lynchings …
Civil Rights … and then maybe these dumbass kids won’t think they’re so cute.
And
then their parents should gather together and vote out of office every single Republican
from the fascist in charge on down out of office, because this is laid directly
at the feet of Ron DeSantis.
He doesn’t
want white people being made to feel bad by our racist past but he has said nothing
about Black people continuing to be hurt by it.
NBC
News: Colerain High School
WPBF:
Hidden Oaks Middle School |
Hate is ever present. The important thing is not to let haters get their hands on any political power because then they'll persecute and kill.
ReplyDeleteRacism and hate spread by those that feel that way. We need to shine a light on all the racists and haters out there, and keep shining it until they simply close their mouths. I say close their mouths because I doubt their minds can be changed.
DeleteIs it me or is not DeSantis slightly non-white? It's not that I normally go around wondering about the colour of people's skin (unless it's orange of course) but DeSantis skin colour is decidedly NOT white so why he is so anti people of colour? We're all the same basic model under the skin. And racism is so last century.
ReplyDeleteDeSantis is a racist, no matter the skin tone. He's using fear to win an election because he has nothing else to offer.
DeleteIt's the hate they see.
ReplyDeleteThey see it at home, they see it in their gated communities, they see it on TV. They see that racism is not punished or shunned and then they go through their lives being racist without a care. That's why they want to forbid the teaching of racism and that racism is bad.
XOXO
I doubt any of the punishments will fit the crime. This is hate, and hate should never be tolerated. I say all those kids need to be removed from those schools at once. Zero-effing-tolerance.
Deletexoxo
This hatred makes me so sad. No matter how far I feel we have come, something like this shows me there has been very little progress. How long till DeSantis gets voted out?
ReplyDeleteIf he isn't then you know how all Florida feels about this BS and we should all avoid the state like the plague it is.
DeleteWhaite students raised by white parents who are terrified by the fact the evolution is rapidly replacing them. Time is working against them far faster than they can adapt to reality.
ReplyDeleteWhite kids being raised by racist parents.
DeleteKnowledge is not only power, it is enlightenment too. DeSantis and his baying mob are creating conditions in which ignorance and wickedness can thrive.
ReplyDeleteAnd sadly, no one even in his own party wants to stop it.
DeleteAstonished to this happening in this day and age.
ReplyDeleteHaving taught high schoolers they can do stupid
things but never saw this kind of behavior.
xoxo :-)
We all did stupid things as kids, but this is hate and ignorance and bigotry.
DeleteHatred is making a comeback 😔
ReplyDeleteI don't think it ever went away, but it did stay hidden for a while until Thing 45 popularized it.
DeleteI get more and more appalled and sadden day by day with the country and what is going on. I just wish I could check out and join an alien race, but even they do a double take and hit the by-pass button away from Earth.
ReplyDeletesigh...........
It'd be nice to leave all this behind, I agree.
DeleteThis Country is indeed devolving instead of evolving in a Positive direction. Hatred is passed along from Generation to Generation... very seldom do you ever see extremely Small Children displaying this Learned response, because it has to be Taught.
ReplyDeleteIt especially unnerves me to see children doing this; this is learned behavior.
DeleteUtter nonsense. Anyone wanting to serve in a public office should have to take a competency test. Period. People like DeSatanist have no place setting policies for anyone.
ReplyDeleteSadly, incompetent people run for office and feed into the fears of incompetent voters.
DeleteSince 2016, racism and hatred have been displayed proudly around the United States and not in just some pockets. With what’s going on politically, I don’t know how that will change.
ReplyDeleteIt will take We The People standing up and speaking up and shutting nit down ... but the Kardastrophes have a new show and there's a new streaming service and a new iPhone..
DeleteIncidents like this happen partly because the young people involved aren't thinking about the pain their actions cause. And they're not thinking about that because they haven't been adequately taught about the horrors of racism. As you said, the answer lies in better teaching.
ReplyDeleteThey've been taught hate and ignorance, but not how much hate and ignorance hurt, you're exactly right.
Delete