Reply to Another racial incident at Churchill HS

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Here's a thought,  has anyone asked the student body as to why they think these "hate crimes" are happening? Are they truly acts of  hate or is it ignorance and teenage rebellion?

In our house,  we have had discussions about the power of language and symbols. However, as a parent I often feel that words that would have been considered repulsive for my generation has gathered acceptance via music and pop culture.  Kids are not ostracized by their peers as they use them in social settings. [b]Instead kids are accepted and viewed as cool by their peers for pushing that envelope against the adult rules[/b].[/quote]

That is not a recent phenomenon.[/quote]

So then why does Mrs. Heckert think that calling the acts hate crimes that rise to the level of police involvement will stop the behavior? Is there a better way to create change and understanding of the historic power of what the words and symbols represent?

Case in point, history teaches us that the N word represents a derogatory term meant to segregate and oppress a race because of skin color. A KKK clan robe, a noose, a burning cross, and swastika all represent murder. Not pleasant or funny things when you see them up close or are an actual target in a life threatening way. Students in an affluent suburbia would benefit from the up close and personal experiences that come from the museum exhibits that they are not getting in the classroom. They need an interactive experience to understand the power of the words and symbols they throw around so lightly and with little thought. [/quote]

Teens want to attract attention. They need to have a clear message sent to them that the negative consequences of racist behavior outweigh the positives. Also, they need to be educated about why these behaviors cause so much pain for populations which have a history of being victims of oppression.

Parents have the obligation to teach their children values, and parental values may contribute to these attitudes sometimes. MCPS needs to educate the children, and the school leadership needs to create an environment of respect for diversity and sensitivity to others.  There have been other incidents at Churchill for years. They have increased under Mrs. Heckert. Instead of showing leadership in teaching understanding and values, she sidesteps the issue by calling the police.

The teens' actions were grossly inappropriate and insensitive and deserve discipline under MCPS policies. They aren't hate crimes or any crime from what we have heard.  By calling in the police, who probably told Mrs. Heckert there wasn't a crime and closed the case, the teens see it as if there wasn't anything wrong with what they did.

The administration's response to these incidents has been emails, meetings, and calls to the police.  Things will get better when Churchill gets a principal creates a culture of respect and responds appropriately to incidents when they do occur.

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