Broadcast media today reported stories about three Wayland High School kids making racist black-faced tweets, all without proper context. No wonder we’re accused of “Fake News.”
What’s a lot more important than the “discovery” that teens sometimes do really dumb and hurtful things and carelessly allow too many people to see it is the way we respond to this unfortunate incident. Even more important is the response of school officials, parents and other adults in the community.
If you think Wayland’s problem with racism, sexism, homophobia and bullying is unique, you are mistaken. This kind of unacceptable behavior rears its ugly head almost everywhere, not just Wayland, Charlottesville, Va., or Washington D.C. We are a nation of too many racists, sexists, homophobes and bullies. Some who are horrified with the video probably voted for one of the all-time champions of bullying — Donald Trump.
This certainly doesn’t excuse the boorish, racist and alarming behavior of three teens shown in the video. But it begs for more exploration of a much more complex issue.
What those kids did was a lot less offensive than what I did very publicly at WHS in March 1966 with a “Showboat” variety show in front of a lot of people over several nights. As a senior in high school, I was one of the stars of the show, wearing blackface and speaking in the dialect of the American Negro.
To be sure, I was naive and didn’t know any better, as didn’t so many others back in the day, but neither did these foolish teens in the video. And their crime was a lot less offensive than mine.
This points to a positive spin that we’ve come a ways since those “good ole’ days.” The reaction of horror and aversion expressed today was absent 52 years ago.
We fortunate U.S. citizens have looked the other way for too long to avoid confronting our national diseases of racism, sexism, homophobia and bullying. All are connected in that they involve the privileged majority somehow attacking or belittling those we views as inferior, because we believe we can get away with it.
Earlier this year, I saw a Facebook photo of a Confederate flag hanging out of an apartment near the four corners in downtown Wayland. Thankfully, it was taken down not long afterward. Racism in our town?
About 40 years ago I witnessed a city official refer to African-Americans as “jigaboos” in a public meeting and to this day I wish I had reported it.
I personally witnessed my boss in 1985 refuse to hire a black candidate I recommended for a reporting job because “no one will talk to him,” thereby perpetuating the racist system without accepting any responsibility.
“I don’t have anything against black people. Some of my best friends are black people.”
Wayland indeed seems to be mentioned disproportionately in these kinds of news developments. Remember the lesbian girl who was attacked in the halls of the high school in 2008? The cry of bullying went up, but it fell on deaf ears.
I recall a Wayland mother who went before the school board last spring and eventually pulled her children from the district because of bullying.
I haven’t been impressed with how Wayland officials have dealt with complaints of bullying, despite attempted assurances that “we take these matters seriously.” I am particularly disappointed with the athletic department because of two incidents I personally know that involved bullying, yet the schools circled the wagons like the Thin Blue Line around accused police officers. And many of school administrators are ex-jocks.
Despite my personal disappointments with the local school district, I find it unfair that Wayland is singled out for a disease that has been enjoying somewhat of a comeback nationwide, almost to the point of being an epidemic.
The first step in fighting this malady is taking a cue from Alcoholics Anonymous and declaring we actually have it and then pledging we’ll do all we can to ensure fairness stop the spread of the disease and begin healing. We can’t effectively deal with this by denying it.
We have come a ways since my “Showboat” blackface days, but we certainly still have a ways to go.
Very good article Dave.
Ch 8 had coverage of parents talking about what their children went through and are going through.
I was shocked at the news report and very saddened. It’s as if any progress we’ve made to try and eliminate racial injustice is being systematically wiped out with help from Trump. ????
All races are doing better under the Trump administration. When he was a business person, he won awards for hiring African Americans and Hispanics. He was honored by the NAACP. Jessie Jackson and Rev. Al spouted accolades about Trump hiring practices and contributing to racial healing.
Now he is a Republican and president, he is smeared with all the crap from the Leftists and Democrats. Where are the reasonable Democrats? They don’t exist. We had to endure one of the most racist, hater of the military and law enforcement in President Obama. Now we have a leader that is turning the economy around, providing jobs, and making a bright future for all, especially minorities and women. Where is the praise and saying “thank you Mr. President”? All that in less than 2 years in office.
Racists are stupid, ignorant people. Usually the racism is learned in the home. I’m certainly not happy Wayland being highlighted in the news with racist acts. People should be treated with dignity and respect unless they demonstrate they don’t deserve it. Racists never should be respected, no matter what color or ethnicity.
Lets not be ignorant and say racism exists because of Trump..or any president. Racism was around way before Trump (Black Lives Matter). Why are we not pointing the fingers around to the parents raising the kids. Racism is learned.
What these kids did was wrong, disgusting, and unacceptable. However, I do not think they painted their faces black to do ‘black face’ (at first). It looks like they have on the charcoal masks – used for cleansing your face. They then turned it into something stupid.
I’m also not sure what this has to do with the school…?
Racism also goes both ways. Do you see white people blowing up for being called white-trash, honkie, or cracker? Don’t think for a second that’s because it doesn’t happen. Again, I’m not condoning this behavior. Lets just not be narrow-minded in our thinking.
African Americans were upset last Halloween because white kids were dressing up as characters of another race and painting their faces black. Is the person they are portraying not black? Why does it have to come down to a race issue? Should a lion be mad because a child wears a mane?
If you want to dress up as a ghost or a zombie and you paint your face white, I’ll be ok with it.
Yes we do live in denial…
We deny the history of the founding and civil conflicts as our Country grew…we refuse to accept racism was part of our growing pains as a Country….we like to call people stupid and ignorant for acting racist….which in essence is a from of racism in itself…should we blame the parents…possibly..the education system..possibly..we can blame many things…
The question we have to really ask is a performance of showboat reenacted as done in original form racist???
If the songs of the 1920s and 1930s were performed today …would they be racist …or would it be a study in the history of music in our Country ?? There is no answer to this question, because the lyrics of these songs use words and terminology no longer acceptable in the English language.
So we are denying this part of music history in the United States.
We just started removing symbols and statues of our civil war. Another part of history which is deemed offensive and racist.
We rename teams, school mascots, etc for being racist and offensive
I’ve accepted the fact that I grew up in a very racist time …..this I do know …try as I may there are times due to past experiences in life I am racist…and this I do not deny.
Just maybe if more admitted they slip into racism now and then…and worked harder at not slipping back this world may be a better place