Slurs around our school
Safe zone signs hung around MCHS in classrooms and the office( Photo: Raffella Bravo, The Puma Prensa)
By Raffaella Bravo, opinion editor
Students have begun to notice an increase in slurs being said around Maria Carrillo High School, but administrators haven't seen an increase in referrals for this issue. Referrals are written requests for actions regarding school discipline to be enforced by administrators and staff members. A discussion among students and staff has begun on what the negative impacts of these inappropriate and disrespectful words being used on our campus do and possibly some ways to fix this issue.
Jessica Ong, junior, noted a drastic increase in slurs being used around campus. She speculated that during the time spent at home due to the pandemic, many kids lost those social skills otherwise learned on campus. Ong believes those years missed from school “resulted in a lack of social skills and learning what is wrong and right…and a lack of understanding of how people are supposed to treat each other and social norms.” Ong also touched on how these slurs affect our school community and change communication. “When new people come to this school, they might think it's okay to act that way with other people .”
Ong also commented on the justification sometimes offered that someone has consented to a slur being used. “There's no such thing as the ‘N-word pass.’ It's inappropriate for people who don't identify as certain ethnicities and races to be saying these things.” She offered a suggestion for what students should do to help fix the problem: “Wherever we’re in an environment and we hear these things, it's important to stand up for what you know…or go to an adult to speak up about what's going on.” Adults on campus also see slurs as very destructive and point to students for a long-term solution.
“I believe it would impact any environment and make it a potentially hostile environment and potentially unwelcoming. If an adult on campus is a witness to that and the person is in range of stopping it or addressing it verbally, that's the first step,” said Principle Monique Luke. She said after that an adult hearing slurs should bring it to the attention of an administrator “depending on the circumstance.” Additionally, if a student were around during this incident, she also advises “to report it to us, to write a statement, or send an email, some sort of documentation, and to be as specific as possible.” Students, she said, should play a role in this process. “Any student who witteness it—because sometimes silence is consent but sometimes silence is wisdom—but in this case any student who witnesses that should report it.” In terms of consequences, Luke believes that determining any form of punishment would “depend on many factors” such as how many times a student said the word and the severity of the tone.
Junior Sharron Keletakona has heard an increase of slurs being spread around campus as well. “These words make people feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed, and nothing is being done about it,” she said. She offered multiple ideas for disciplinary options to help address this problem, such as a“three strikes method” where after the person would face detention or even expulsion.
Assistant Principal Albert Ettedgui said he had not noticed a recent increase of slurs being spread on our campus nor being talked about in the administrative meetings; however, he did acknowledge the impact these slurs have on our student body. “It’s important to document stuff like that because if it happens once and then a second time then obviously the interventions we attempted were not effective,” said Ettedgui. When in a situation where someone is using these slurs as a joke around their friends, Ettedgui suggests that some are getting amusement or satisfaction for themselves “without thinking about how doing that is going to impact or hurt people around them.” Additionally, he advocates how this problem should be handled at the student level: “As many people in admin and teachers want to think we are influential to our students, I think at the end of the day it's peer to peer…that's where the most change and self-awareness is going to come from.” Ettedgui reflected on some ways the school could address this problem by potentially dedicating a mindfulness week to educate and remind students about the power of these slurs and the importance of being conscious of others when using certain language. Ettegui says that while he hasn't seen more referrals for slur-related issues, he agrees that it is an issue that is creating an unwelcoming environment that administrators should have a part in dealing with and that administrators and students should have a part in dealing with.
Andrea Manzanares, junior, noted what she sees as a contrast between the “Safe Zone” posters and reality.“You see the signs about being diverse and showing that there is a safe space in the classroom, but the reality is the usage of slurs makes it so that it doesn’t feel like an accepting or welcoming environment,” she said, adding “The use of slurs can make people feel uncomfortable and feel stereotyped.” The “Safe Zone” signs around the school are upside-down red triangles with a green circle around them.
Referring to Ettedgui’s opinions on solving these problems, Keletakona said, “I agree and disagree with Ettdgui’s statement: Although students should take part in standing up to people saying these racial slurs, staff and teachers should play their part because they have a higher authority to stop the slurs from happening. It’s definitely of student and staff concern; however, mostly on the staff.”
Keletakona sums this issue up: “I believe that our root solution is to simply stop racial slurs and offensive words being spread to improve our community and environment and most importantly make others feel welcomed.”