Every time I walk past the Niles West security office, I notice that there is a sticker of the American flag in black and white, save for a single stripe that is colored blue. This sticker represents the Blue Lives Matter movement, a countermovement to the Black Lives Matter movement which commonly discredits protests against police brutality.

In light of recent events with George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and countless others, as well as police turning peaceful protests into riots by using tear gas and firing rubber bullets at protestors, I believe that it is inappropriate to have this sticker on display in a school setting. 

Niles West is a school that prides itself on its diversity. According to the 2018-19 Illinois report card for Niles West, 4.7% of our student body is black. Out of 2,464 students, this is about 116 people. This sticker tells those 116 people that their lives do not matter as much as those of police officers, not to mention multiracial students who are part black and are also affected.

School is meant to be a safe place for all students, not just 95.3%, and this sticker symbolizes the opposite of that. I ask that this sticker be removed from the building, so that once it is safe to return to the school building, everyone can feel more safe and valued and included.