Last December, as the result of a racial taunt directed at a Barrington High School student by other students, fights erupted in the school cafeteria.
The fisticuffs drew a large crowd of spectators, many who used hall passes issued for the library or the washroom to head for the cafeteria to cheer the combatants and impede efforts by staff to end the melee.
Twenty students were suspended, including seven who must complete their education at alternative sites or face expulsion.
Although the vast majority of students behaved themselves that day, the incident involving more than 100 students was later described by Edward DeYoung as “the most serious incident in my 11 years as principal.”
In a letter to parents, DeYoung asked for their help and noted, “The events of (Dec. 6) may serve as a `wakeup call’ to our school community that the issues, conflicts, and tensions of the nation do not stop at the boundaries of District 220. . . .
The letter was the first of several steps taken to prevent a repeat of the incident. Still, 10 weeks after the event, tensions remain.
As 16-year-old Johnnie Watters said last week after an assembly to address the issue, “There’s lots of racism here, even though it’s not always too bold.”
DeYoung said racial and ethnic tensions do not only reside in Bosnia: “The problem isn’t out there, it’s right here.”
Last week at a District 220 school board meeting, DeYoung outlined several steps being taken to improve interpersonal relations in the high school and community. Among them:
– A student cultural diversity club has been convened.
– Staff members have attended a dispute resolution and negotiation workshop and will be teaching students conflict resolution skills.
– The School Improvement Team, comprised of students, teachers and staff, decided to include cultural integration as a goal for the coming school year.
– The high school In-Service Committee is developing programs for the teachers’ Feb. 25 institute day.
– The Anti-Defamation League will provide an all-day seminar March 4 for 100 sophomores to deal with the detrimental effects of prejudice, bigotry and racism.
– In April, the Parent Teacher Organization will sponsor a parents meeting to look at ways to reduce stereotyping and increase respect among peoples, regardless of race, nationality or wealth.
In addition, a group of students and staff are pursuing the idea of pairing seniors with freshmen and juniors with 8th graders to increase the feeling of belonging and connectedness with the school. The deans and other student service personnel are meeting with groups directly involved in the conflict.
Last Friday, the high school held two assemblies for students to hear Curtis Gentry, a former Chicago Bear, talk about what it’s like being black in a white society.
Gentry, 56, played for the Bears from 1968 to 1971 and now teaches health and physical education at College of Lake County in Grayslake. He opened his talk by noting that he is the great-grandson of slaves. Unless members of other ethnic groups know about African-American history and culture, he said, it is difficult for them to respect black Americans.
“Black history is not just for my ethnic group. It’s for everyone. What we’ve got to understand is that every ethnic group has made America great,” he said.
