A speaker who was "passionate on the topic of diversity" left some students at a Catholic high school feeling, well, offended:
HADDON TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Some white students at a South Jersey Catholic school walked out of classes Tuesday in protest over a speech by the New Jersey Secretary of State Regina Thomas. Tensions have been building up at Paul VI High School since Thomas' speech on racial justice last week.Many students and faculty members walked out of the speech offended. They said that she lambasted one student for not knowing his black history and that she insinuated that the students were racist. "It's, like, really crazy right now. Teachers are just standing by the doors. Kids are trying to get out. Kids are in the hallway, they won't go to class," one female student said...
Many students said the racial problems began only after the secretary's speech. "I think she just started up a bunch of stuff and basically tried to start something," a student said. "There's an issue at every school, it's no more of an issue at this school than any other school," another student countered.
Thomas issued a statement Tuesday in which she said that she is passionate about the topic of diversity and wanted to raise the level of awareness. She said that she never meant to be personal or critical of the students or the school.
If she walked into the school and said that white-on-black racism was a problem, she should be honest about that and not hide behind mushy statements of "raising awareness" and "diversity." Racist acts are behaviors. If you accuse a bunch of students of racist behaviors, or if you accuse them of allowing those behaviors to happen, then you are criticizing those students. It's perfectly appropriate for those being criticized to walk out and tell you you're full of crap for assuming they're racist. And it's perfectly appropriate for others to criticize the secretary's commitment to racial peace if all she cares about is white-on-black racism.
Allegedly there's a backlash against black students in the school now. So much for "diversity."
The secretary isn't going to let the rest of us know what she said, either:
Secretary of State Regena L. Thomas said her March 7 presentation to 600 freshmen and sophomores at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield was not meant to belittle the predominantly white audience, as some have charged. "My purpose was to raise the level of awareness and discourse of these issues, and to leave an impact," Thomas said in a statement issued Tuesday. "It was never meant to be personal or critical of the students or school."Thomas was not available to be interviewed Tuesday and a written copy of her remarks was not available, said her spokeswoman, Regina Wilder.
At least one attendee was quoted as saying that Thomas concluded her speech with the statement that she hoped she'd made some students angry. She got her wish.
Update: Far as I can tell, no transcript of the speech has been released. But I did find one website that alleges a quote from it:
I first heard about this last week, from a neighbor who's son attends SP6. Then I read the article today. And on the ride home, heard Dom Giordano talking about it. Now, from what I've heard of the tone and content of her remarks, they were out of place and out of line. Had a few things been reversed, like the skin color of the speaker, there would be calls for a head to roll. As it is, many parents have written the school expressing concern or even anger, over this speech. At least a few more, like my neighbor, are still stunned.She's amazed that her son had to listen to this rant, and the implied message that white people are racists and the a black person can't get a fair shake. This, after she and her husband work 3 jobs between themselves, so they can afford our blue collar neighborhood and send their 2 children to nice schools. And what did one of the ranking members of our state's government tell their 14 year old son? You're black. The world is against you. The boys and girls, to your right and left, are racists. I don't need to know them or meet them. You can tell too, if you just look at that white skin.
Hube describes another outrageous comment by the secretary. La Shawn Barber also had a bit to say about this:
...Thomas had no business saying or implying that these white kids were racists, and her passion for the “topic of diversity” is a poor excuse for this grown woman’s behavior.I hope more white students (Black ones, too!) get fed up with these bureaucratic “diversity” shills and stage similar walkouts. Don’t let anyone intimidate you into backing down from what you believe. Don’t sit there and swallow garbage, either. Stand up for yourself, be bold and don’t be afraid of the old “You’re a racist!” tripe.
Good for these students. I hope it happens more often.
I think the walking out is the most hopeful aspect of this whole debacle (that and the fact that the students are sticking up for themselves, and their school, in the press as well). It's appalling that Black History Month was followed by this sort of abuse and name-calling, rather than by a speech by someone who was genuinely interested in fostering education as well as racial harmony.
Posted by kswygert at March 16, 2005 03:00 PM