Ferguson Events Spark Reactions Across Campus
This year, racial tensions across the country reemerged and ran at levels not seen since the days of the Civil Rights Movement, after an unarmed black man in Ferguson, MO was shot by a white police officer. Beginning with the case of Michael Brown in late summer and continuing to the recent case of Freddie Gray, there has been a national focus on the growing number of unarmed black men being killed by law enforcement officers. In 2015 alone, more than 300 unarmed black men were gunned down by police.
Amidst discussion, protests and demonstrations, people from all walks and races across the country are calling for justice, and Exeter is no exception. Many members of the Academy community have made their voices heard and hope to bring about change and discussions of the institutionalized racism that many believe the school structurally possesses. Action on campus has taken form in a die-in, moments of silence, demonstrations, discussions and assemblies, all in an effort to increase awareness of the problem that people believe plagues not only Exeter, but also the nation.
“It was to show solidarity with other protesters in America, but also to show students that, although Exeter is a safe place theoretically and ideally, your classmates are worried that they will be those names in the news.”
Religion instructor and former Dean of Multicultural Affairs Russell Weatherspoon said that this school year stood out, and he has seen “a full range of emotion while all these things are going on, and that is a good thing.” Weatherspoon said that Exeter is not isolated from the complex and problematic racial activity that is occurring within the nation. In his opinion, the Academy is thus not exempt from the need to address the issues, though he hoped that they could be discussed without many more “national events that sometimes bring with them violence and destruction.” However, Weatherspoon said that he understood that such anger and violence stemmed from frustration with the systemic oppression minority groups continue to face.
Brown’s death in the late summer months forced the nation to confront the serious issue of racism, one which many students feel has been out of the spotlight for years. This realization that the nation is not, in many ways, a post-racial one, was a shock to some. Lower Kelechi Nwankwoala remembers a time when he himself did not regularly consider the issues and “didn’t know what institutionalized racism was, what the difference between equity and equality [was].” Nwankwoala added that circumstances like his own are why he feels the diversity training suggested by many groups on campus needs to be implemented. He feels that the training could be very effective, even for those who are already learned on these issues. He and others have worked diligently to have their diversity training proposal heard and voted on in faculty meetings, but have not yet been allotted a meeting time.
Nwankwoala stressed the fact that everyone, no matter their background, has more to learn. “There’s no limit to how much you can learn about this,” Nwankwoala said. He and others also explained that race is not by any means the sole issue of social justice the Academy and America needs to face. “[I]t isn’t just about race, but gender and sexuality too,” he added. Nwankwoala has been involved in several organizations on campus that have made efforts to bring about change. He participated in the Die-in and a march to bring light to the hundreds of missing schoolgirls in Nigeria that was organized by the Nigerian Culture Club. “I feel like students are going to have to generate the change we want to see on campus,” Nwankwoala said. “I’d hope that part of what is happening is that [the] faculty is beginning to focus on how race affects us. I hope people do not stay silent.”
English instructor Matt Miller said that he didn’t feel he had done enough to address these issues, and that he was surprised to see that the administration took no real stand on the matter. “It surprised me that we haven’t been talking about it more in classes and more administratively,” Miller said. “There’s so much we’re trying to do here, but this does feel like it should be a priority.”
Dean of Multicultural Affairs Rosanna Salcedo agreed with Miller and stated that as a community, “we’re not good at stopping what we’re doing to reflect on something that is happening elsewhere.” Salcedo explained that there was a severe lack of acknowledgement of the events in Ferguson due to the intense Exonian lifestyle. “We’re generally absorbed with our respective jobs, that paper we’re writing, the test we need to study for,” Salcedo said. She nevertheless acknowledged that there were many individuals on campus who were making an effort to increase awareness of these issues. However, she also issued a call for the school to make public its stance on some of the major issues in our society. “The school should make explicit statements about what things are not acceptable in this community,” Salcedo said. “Racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, religious and other types of intolerance based on any aspect of a person’s identity are not acceptable, and micro aggressions should be recognized and dealt with when they occur.”
Miller agreed with Salcedo, and said that diversity training would be of good use to both students and faculty. “When there’s controversial language in the text we are reading, we need to be able to talk about that, whether it pertains to race or gender or class," Miller said.
Die-in organizer, previous ALES Vice President and senior Katie Casado explained the motivation behind the Die-in, and her hopes for the school going forward. “It was to show solidarity with other protesters in America, but also to show students that, although Exeter is a safe place theoretically and ideally, your classmates are worried that they will be those names in the news,” she said. Casado added that while she has seen “so much student activism,” of which she is proud, she hoped that their would be administrative authentication from either the deans or Principal Tom Hassan. “It would be really validating for the Principal to make a statement or encourage a statement or a conversation on campus,” she said.
Casado echoed Nwankwoala and Miller’s wish for more diversity education and awareness on campus.
“I think more support institutionally for students of color is necessary,” Casado said. “We need to be able to have open conversations about sexuality and gender. U.S. history teachers must talk for more than a day on slavery and the marginalization and racism this country has had such a big role in.” Casado added that these proposed changes would have a positive impact on both the school and the community that is absolutely necessary. She said that the diversity at the school is not at the level needed for a community that claims to bring together “youth from every quarter.” She added that “[i]f we become a school that actively brings social issues to light, more people would want to come here. There’s no point in talking about youth from every quarter when you mean 15 youth from the inner city and that’s the extent of your affirmative action.”
Upper Tierra McClain said that this year has signified a shift in the role of ALES as a club from one that “simply meets every week to talk” and one that is “really active.” McClain said that because there is continued grief, frustration and confusion, it is absolutely necessary that the a sense of urgency remains in the club about current events, and it is vital that they “find mediums to express that frustration and grief.” She said that trying to push boundaries and press for change will continue to be necessary. “Even as we’re here, really important things are going on around the world and the country,” McClain said.
Discussion on campus, however, has been halted somewhat due to apprehensive students who do not wish to offend others. McClain explained the importance of discussion in facilitating change. “Discussions about race can be so difficult because it’s understandable that no one wants to be the bad guy or say the wrong thing,” McClain said. “But it’s so dangerous when nothing is said. That spark or courage to say anything is so important.”
While many of the events that aimed to bring light to racism in the community and the country more broadly have been regarded as successful, some members of the Academy community have turned them into opportunities for humor, disregarding the purpose and sincerity of such events. History instructor Erik Wade said that he hopes that students who joked about the demonstrations “have enough courage someday to have serious conversations about the issues of the day.”
Wade added that while he was pleased with the amount of racial awareness on campus this year, he is not convinced that the same fire will return next year.
“These responses have been a good start to what’s obviously an ongoing conversation about violence and inequality on a variety of levels in the US since its inception, and not simply limited to issues tied to race,” Wade said. “I’m optimistic about the vibe on campus, yet I’m curious to see if it sustains itself moving into next year.”
Salcedo shares Wade’s optimism and hopes that students remain cognizant of the commitment necessary to bring about concrete change.
“Social consciousness is not something you develop in one day,” Salcedo said. “It requires a life-long commitment to critical inquiry, self-reflection, and engagement with others—with difference. My hope is that individually, collectively and institutionally, we will want to continue to develop our consciousness.”