• In 2017, the PHS Minority Student Achievement Network (MSAN) group began working on proposing a racial literacy course at PHS. You read that right, STUDENTS were the ones who proposed the class and made sure it became a possibility. It was not faculty or staff who proposed this necessary course, it was students who saw its value. I want to give the recognition that was never given to these 8 students who pioneered the racial literacy class. Thank you Joanne Adebayo, Malachi Benjamin, Fedlyne Cleophat, Briani Vasquez, Yoselin Hernandez, Isaiah Anagbo, Mitzy Monterroso, Luis Estrada, and Brianna Silva for tirelessly working to make this course happen. Looking back, it took the group a whole year to finish our proposal for the racial literacy course because the majority of our meetings were spent trying to figure out how to convince the school that the course was important. It felt bittersweet when we were told the class was being offered the next school year because, on one hand, we had won! On the other hand, we had gotten this win because of racist incidents that occurred in 2017-2018, such as the Cinco de Mayo party where students wore offensive costumes, or the several incidents of privileged white students using the N-word, amongst other racist incidents. Now as a Princeton High School graduate, I feel as though MSAN’s work is still not over when I know similar incidents are still occurring, such as white students using the N-word. We must not be so quick to forgive them because “they are children”. When you repeatedly do the wrong thing, it is no longer a mistake and they are not just “children” either. They are young adults that will go off to college and become racist doctors, policeman, and teachers. A mistake is something in which you learn from, but when nothing is learned, it becomes intentional. We have the ability to educate those racist individuals, and that is through this racial literacy class. However, it must be mandatory because the students who have signed up for the racial literacy class are the same students protesting justice for Breonna Taylor. The students who really need to hear about the school-to-prison pipeline, institutionalized racism, and white privilege, are the same students gleefully singing the N-word. Therefore, we call for the Racial Literacy class at Princeton High School to become MANDATORY. Along with making the racial literacy course mandatory, I demand PHS involve students in the conversation and planning process of the racial literacy course AND send periodic emails showing their progress in doing such. 

Racial Literacy is a topic becoming even more relevant as we look around at recent events that have shined a spotlight on police brutality, Anti-Asian assaults, and the rise of hate crimes towards the BIPOC community. It has become more important than ever that we remember to fight for what is right, instead of rewarding and protecting those who have done wrong. The Princeton Public Schools should begin to take serious steps towards facilitating conversations on racial injustice, microaggressions, and stereotypes that are ever-present in the PHS student body and faculty. Yes, the topic of race can be hard to discuss, but we must not allow ourselves to enter this endless quicksand that wants to bring us further back into a time where BIPOC did not see any justice (or were silenced). Education is a key component in challenging the racism and implicit biases many people have grown up with. It begins with making the racial literacy class MANDATORY. Why? It provides students a safe space to hold discussions about race and allows them to examine the social, political, economic, and educational implications of racism in our society. 

As I wrap up this petition, I do want to take a moment and thank Dr. Barnes Johnson and Ms. Manhart for teaching this course in 2018. I (Brianna) had the pleasure of taking the course along with many of my peers, and it was my favorite class to attend. I also want to take note that there have been talks about making the racial literacy course mandatory, however, it has been all talk and no action. Being a racially literate person is not something that should be optional, it should be required of every person that walks the halls of PHS, let alone all Princeton Public Schools. If you are still not convinced of the positive impact this class will have, read the following quote from a former PHS student about her experience taking the racial literacy course. 

 “The course honestly completely changed my life. I took it my senior year of high school and I wish it would’ve been offered sooner. First off, Dr. BJ and Ms. Manhart taught the course in such a way that not only was it eye-opening but it was culturally explorative. Between the lectures and guest speakers we had in class, and the field trips we took it was a holistic course. It is crucial for people especially before going to college to understand what it means to be educated on race. For me, the course sparked such a different train of thought than the one I had before. I am now better able to understand not only why some of the things happening in our society are wrong, but the full background and lack of education there is behind these actions and events. I have now continued to educate myself as best I can through literature, documentaries, and conversations I’ve had with my peers due to the guidance I got when taking the course. Taking this course was just the first step for me to become more aware of all the injustices and wrongdoings that there are in our community, our country, and in the world.” - Rocio 

I want to finish this petition by saying, PHS administration, act by your mission statement. “Our mission is to prepare all of our students to lead lives of joy and purpose as knowledgeable, creative, and compassionate citizens of a global society”. I remember seeing this mission statement plastered around the school, and every time I come across it I wanted to laugh, cry, and desperately hold onto the tether of hope that change will occur. I remembered thinking, how are students going to be compassionate citizens if they are not taught the cold truths that racism is an invisible form of abuse? How can they be prepared to move onto the professional world when they can not hold a conversation about race? These questions still hold true. Now, I really want you (PHS administration) to think about this next question, do you want PHS’s legacy to be on the right side of history or the wrong?