ALES 50 YEARS: Approximate Timeline of ALES Events: 2012-2017
2012:
March
• Gisella Zuñiga, Sara Young, and Paul C. Gorski for EdChange submit “Equity and Diversity Climate Assessment Report for Phillips Exeter Academy.” To quote the evaluation: “The evaluators were charged with conducting an equity and diversity assessment based on a variety of data sources . . . These findings represent a snapshot of equity and diversity concerns at Exeter at a specific time in its history.” The report details the current climate of Exeter and also provides suggestions for its improvement. While some statistics paint a positive picture of Exeter, there are some startling statistics regarding race, class, gender, and sexuality.
2015:
May
• A group of people in History Instructor Clinton Williams’ “Black Experience in White America Class” get together with the Council of Equity and Social Justice to put together a proposal.
• A group consisting of some members of the original group and some interested students meet with faculty including then-Principal Tom Hassan, then-Dean of Faculty Ethan Shapiro, Dean of Students Melissa Mischke, and the strategic planning committee, among others. The proposal is presented to these faculty, who seem well meaning and assure the group the proposal will be passed on to Principal MacFarlane.
2016:
February
• John Snow, an anonymous account, posts to a popular Facebook forum a submission stating, “I am a black girl and I feel like I will never get a boyfriend at this school because of my race.” The post receives extensive backlash. As a result of the post, a student creates an anonymous survey about race and dating preferences. The survey reveals that 44.1 percent of the participants find the black race to be the least attractive. Though it’s not a scientifically conducted survey by any means, it provides insight into racial bias in dating at Exeter.
May
• A screening of a student made film, “For Colored Girls,” is hosted on campus. It details the experiences of black women on campus and includes results of the survey conducted in February. It can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qCnMFGbRFc¨
December
• The 49th Board of the Afro Latino Exonian Society finishes revising the original 2015 proposal.
2017:
January
• An Op-Ed written by the 49th Board of ALES is published in The Exonian, titled “On Equity and Inclusion.”
• Two meetings are scheduled: one on February 3, with the 49th Board and Principal MacFarlane, and one on February 10, with the ALES club and Principal MacFarlane
February
• The two aforementioned meetings are held. While the 49th Board meets with Principal MacFarlane, a separate meeting is conducted with the members of ALES. Narratives detailing racial injustice on campus are collected to be presented to Principal MacFarlane at the subsequent meeting.
• At the second meeting, Principal MacFarlane reads two of the narratives aloud. The other two are read to her. These four narratives are the same that appear in a later video.
May
• The morning of May 25, a video created by students in the ALES Arts Committee is published. It consists of video footage of places on campus. Its audio is four different students reading the same four narratives that were presented to Principal MacFarlane on February 10. The same morning, a petition (the link of which is written below) requesting cultural competency training for all employees of the Academy is published. (https://www.change.org/p/phillips-exeter-academy-cultural-competency-training-for-all-employees-of-phillips-exeter-academy).
• ALES holds a meeting to discuss faculty of color hiring and retention, at which Principal MacFarlane and then-incoming Dean of Faculty Ellen Wolff are present. At the meeting, they declare that there will be some kind of cultural competency training for faculty in the fall of 2017.
June
• ALES is invited to present the aforementioned video in a faculty meeting. Students speak to give a timeline of events and then to explain the significance of the video. They leave after their presentation. The following faculty meeting runs long, and a required assembly is called for that same morning.
• 10:45 a.m.: In the assembly, Principal MacFarlane addresses the community and then calls on Reverend Heidi Heath to pray. Assembly is then dismissed. Many had thought that the video would be shown in the assembly, but students of the 50th ALES Board are told both that the video will not be shown and that they will not be given an opportunity to speak.
• Approximately 11 a.m.: A group of displeased students gather briefly in Dr. Atif’s classroom and then shortly decide to go to Principal MacFarlane’s office.
• 11:15 a.m.: A daylong sit-in is held in Principal MacFarlane’s office. Dean of Faculty Ethan Shapiro calls Principal MacFarlane, who returns to the office to speak with the students.
• Students voice their displeasure with the administration’s inaction, with their address, and with their refusal to show the aforementioned video to the whole student body. Students request several action items. In an email to Principal MacFarlane, the 50th Board of ALES writes: “To reiterate what we discussed, we want a clear apology today. We want follow up reminders of your commitment to these issues throughout the summer, a statement on the Exeter website about your commitment to cultural competency and the wellness of all students, distribution of the video, and a clear action plan for implementing the proposal. Please bring these suggestions to the faculty of color and let us know what your expected timeline is.”
• 11:08 p.m.: An apology is sent via email by Principal MacFarlane.