But the Black Students Association makes it clear in its open letter they want the student who posted the racist meme and others who commit similar infractions to be punished. The student association seems especially perturbed that letters from the school’s leadership did not explicitly address the meme and condemn it as hate speech. “It is never too late to do so,” the students wrote in the letter. Abelmann referred to it as “a social media posting with racist language.”
Ella Beiser, news editor for the student website, said when a student who is insensitive can just return to school she understands that black students feel it sends a message they don’t matter as much. But she said other students feel like kicking out a student won’t teach them anything.
Beiser said she published the Black Students’ Association letter because she thinks the school needs to discuss the issues it highlights.
In the letter, its members also ask that the curriculum and texts at the school be reviewed and reconsidered. Too often, they say, they feel like people of color and their stories are depicted as tragic.
They implore the school to do more to increase diversity, both among teachers and students. Only 4% of the students are Latino, 9% are black, 19% are multiracial and 20% are Asian, according to the students’ association.
Sarah Karp covers education for WBEZ. Follow her on Twitter at @WBEZeducation and @sskedreporter.
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