White-Washing Hate Messaging in Rhode Island: Guest MINDSETTER™ Niedel
Saturday, June 11, 2022
On June 2, Ponaganset High School, which services students from Foster/Glocester as well as students from around the area who are enrolled in their STEM and ARTS programs, were subjected to a racist, anti-LGBTQI incident.
Several students went to school displaying Confederate flags. Along with the flags, there were other messages of hate including "Don’t Tread on Me" capes, 2024 "Trump Returns" as well as "F-ck Biden" shirts. These messages were in direct response to the first day of gay pride month where students and teachers wore and displayed t-shirts, capes and flags to recognize the month.
The administration’s response was weak, to say the least, and I quote, “A Member of our administration team noticed in the hallway some students had flags symbolizing anti-tolerance culture”.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAlthough the notification does include language to condemn hate speech it does not go far enough. The correlation of the Confederate flag as a specific form of student intimidation, racism and hate messaging was never made. There was also no evidence that any punitive action will be taken. Emails and calls that were made by me were not returned.
While watching the hearings on January 6th, chills overtake me as I think about the future of our Democracy. These same students who display hate and racist messaging are being indoctrinated into a culture that sees January 6th, 2021 as a day of American pride not as a day of infamy. They do not correlate that the Confederate flag is a sign of pro-slavery, Christian, white supremacy. They do not correlate what a slap in the face it is to those buried at Acotes Field in Glocester who died in the Civil War who fought to end slavery.
The administration waited until the next day to inform the general public of the event. There should have been an immediate response to indicate the seriousness of what happened. The administration failed to do that, and Ponaganset continues to be problematic to those who do not fit into the 99% demographics of white Christian.
Lauren Niedel is a political activist, environmentalist, vegan and "will do what it takes to reform the Rhode Island Democratic party." She resides in Chepachet, RI.
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