Minorities continue to be targeted in communities

Senior+John+Pride+wears+his+Black+Lives+Matters+shirt+to+bring+attention+to+the+issue.%0AA+school+is+intended+to+be+a+learning+environment%2C+not+a+platform+for+racist+threats+and+comments+to+be+made%2C+Pride+said.

Isaia Wilcoxen

Senior John Pride wears his Black Lives Matters shirt to bring attention to the issue. “A school is intended to be a learning environment, not a platform for racist threats and comments to be made,” Pride said.

John Pride, Student

Not once in the 17 years of my life have I ever felt and endured the amount of disappointment, sadness or anger that I am experiencing today.  The words and actions of some of the student body have not only affected me but also an overwhelming amount of others. This situation goes far beyond the aspects of black and white students. It affects all minority races and religions, the LGBTQ+ community, females in a male-dominated society and countless others. All because it is an unfortunate reality that racism and discrimination of all kinds are more prevalent now than they have been in the past few years.

It is not fair for students to feel unwanted by their peers solely based on the color of their skin. For someone to have the audacity to say that they are willing to “Kill All N******”  is not something that the majority of students take lightly. Simply put, students are outraged by the comment. A school is intended to be a learning environment, not a platform for racist threats and comments to be made. In order for peace to be regained within the walls of this school, change needs to be made.

A change is a definite requirement for the forward movement that Piper so desperately needs and desires. My goal is not to change the minds of a few, but instead to change the hearts of hundreds. Through doing so we will be able to come together as one to minimize the threat racism and discrimination pose on our beloved school.

What myself and others are going through are nearly the exact same things our grandparents and great-grandparents endured and fought tirelessly to change for the future generations. What I have witnessed through my four years of high school are direct evidence of the extreme regression our society as a whole has gone through. Instead of moving forward we constantly fight an uphill battle that that has only fueled us more to come up with a solution.

The evil that has been deeply rooted in the morals of many must be dug up in order to plant new seeds of prosperity and equality for all. The new seed will be planted in the fertile ground that comes in the form of our youngest students––the ones who ultimately look up to those older than they are.

Whispers flow through the halls like wildfire at an unprecedented rate. Some say that we are blowing this ordeal out of proportion. Some say that it is not a big deal. Some simply say to get over it. Although no one has lost a life, is that what it will take for change to come? It should not need to go to the extent of an innocent human being to be slain like an animal for something to be done and for others to take action.

At the end of the day, all we want is to feel accepted. We want to feel as if we belong, not as if we are outcasts. We want to feel safe. We want to grow and make changes as one. We want to feel like human beings of value.