We are students and alumni of Porter Ridge High School who are deeply disappointed with the faculties’ decision to censor its students. Our school has a history of perpetuating racism and not taking its students’ concerns seriously. After witnessing and participating in the protests against white supremacy over the summer, we believe we need to take action in our own community.
     On August 14th, 2020 students painted the rocks in front of the school’s entrance with a design of unity. The original design of the PR rock was meant to symbolize inclusivity, and featured a rainbow, handprints of different races, the words “WE ARE PR” (our motto), and the Black Lives Matter fist prominently. This was a big step for Porter Ridge High School because of its history of racism. 
      After facing backlash on social media and angry phone calls from parents who did not understand the message the rock was portraying, Porter Ridge refused to defend its student’s right of expression and repainted the rock.
      Late on Saturday August 15th in the pouring rain, faculty made students change the rock and remove the Black Lives Matter fist. When the students returned early Sunday August 16th to finish painting, faculty did not protect them despite the small crowd that had gathered in protest of the rock’s original design. 
      The Black Lives Matter movement is not a political movement that needs to be removed from schools. It is a movement aimed to protect and empower black individuals, not to create hate towards nonblack people. Black Lives Matter was created to say that Black lives matter just as much as other lives. This is something that needs to be said, especially in a school setting, due to the systemic injustices we still see.

      “All Lives Matter” however, is inherently racist. Though it is true that all lives should matter, we live in a world where black lives are put in danger. All lives matter is only brought into conversation when negating BLM. By removing the BLM from the rock to insinuate the message that All Lives Matter, you are perpetuating racism in a school setting. 
      The problem is not with student organizations who were forced to carry this action, but with the administration that chose to side with the white community instead of compromising with its POC student body. 
      This issue is not something new in our area. Ardrey Kell also recently painted the rock in support of Black Lives Matter. However, when it was defaced, the administration supported the students to repaint it with the original design and protest the racists in its community. 
      We expect the PR Administration to listen to our side and implement these changes:

(1)We want the rock to return to its original design

(2)We want an apology from administration for their actions in perpetuating a racist learning environment

(3)We want the administration to listen to past and previous issues we have had and to implement appropriate change.

    When Minniejean Brown-trickey was invited to our auditorium to speak about the racism she faced while trying to receive an education, the administration applauded her. However, when students take her advice and speak out about injustices we see today, students are punished. Porter Ridge is an extremely diverse  school, whose student body is asking for its voice to be heard and for the administration to be on the right side of history.