Worthy Politics
Disclaimer: This article may contain the personal views and opinions of the author.
Believe it or not, in the year 2023, schools around the U.S. are openly engaging in segregation by promoting various exclusionary groups.
Recently, Prager U put out a video with a vision for a speech that every high school principal should give to their students.
In the speech, the principal would emphasize that the school would not honor race or ethnicity. All students would be recognized as individuals based on their character, scholarship, and humanity.
The school would recognize students as Americans only and not authorize clubs that divide students concerning race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other category.
That type of attitude would unite students rather than divide them!
Quite the opposite is happening at Centennial Elementary School in Olympia, Washington. The school has a club for black, indigenous, or people of color only.
A white student went home from school and told his mother that he can’t join the club with his friends because he doesn’t have the right skin color.
An elementary-aged child doesn’t care about the color of his friends’ skin! He just wants to be with his friends.
The mom involved in the story said, “I feel like it’s promoting segregation at our schools, and we’ve moved away from that.”
Mom, Jessica Juergens told KOMO News, “My son came home and said that they came into the classes, and they were promoting this and talked it up to the students, but then he found out that since he was white, he wasn’t able to participate.”
“They have their friends that they want to play with at lunch, and a fourth or fifth grader can’t understand why they can’t play with their friends.”
Another parent, who wanted to remain anonymous, shared an email exchange with the principal of the school with KOMO News. The emails clarify that the club is limited to BIPOC students only.
The email reads, “The student BIPOC group is focused on providing a safe space for students of color who have historically been excluded or marginalized. This group is aligned with the equity work of the District.”
“Our district continues to be committed to providing opportunities of support to our BIPOC students. Programs like this were first launched across the district last year.”
A school district spokesperson confirmed that the email exchange was legitimate and added, “the purpose of the districtwide OSD Mentor Program is to provide leadership and mentoring opportunities for students with an emphasis on historically underrepresented populations including students of color and those impacted by poverty. … The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mentor Group at Centennial Elementary School, and some other schools, is an outgrowth of this districtwide effort.
“It serves students by providing opportunities for peer interaction and a space for social, emotional and academic support. This space allows for more honest and open conversations about differences and identity and how it impacts one’s experiences in school. It is designed to be a student-led group facilitated by an adviser to plan for leadership opportunities.”
The district officials then acknowledged that school groups cannot exclude students based on race or other factors. They said, “Moving forward, we will ensure that school leadership and staff are specific about the purpose of these groups, while simultaneously removing any exclusions to participation.”
The state’s superintendent’s office went on to clarify that any student who felt they were being discriminated against because of their race should file a complaint and they would assist schools in recognizing that they cannot exclude students who wish to participate.
Trying to right the wrongs of the past by reversing the roles in new segregation policies is a dangerous game.
