NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL
211 PYLESVILLE ROAD, PYLESVILLE, MD 21132
410-638-3650
VOLUME 43 ISSUE 1
DECEMBER 21, 2021
Voices of Equity, Black Student Union demand change;
Clubs confront discrimination, slurs SUMMER GRACE News Editor
Since the start of school, Voices of Equity (VOE) in conjunction with the Black Student Union (BSU) has been planning a presentation for the staff of North Harford High School regarding slurs. After months of preparation, the meeting is finally set to occur on December 21. According to junior Julia Eakes, a student member of the organization, the presentation consists of an opening statement, a history of the usage of slurs and their significance, a collection of student stories and personal encounters, recommendations of possible actions and next steps to take, as well as a brief question/answer panel session. “We came up with these topics because we are trying to raise awareness about this problem in the most efficient way possible, straight from students to staff,” explains junior Eakes. She says Voices of Equity is centered around the idea of educate, not hate. “We are trying to raise awareness about this issue because it affects the school community and our learning environment,”
she describes. She believes “stu- says Black student union mem- users of slurs may not even know dents should be able to thrive in a ber and junior Jerick Joseph. He it’s unacceptable. Advisor Misafe, accepting environment free adds, “people don't understand cheal James says the clubs want from hate speech and slurs.” how hard it is to go on with their to focus on the idea of educaVOE has prioritized this pre- everyday life being degraded, tion. “This is more about getting teachers on our side,” he says. sentation since the beginning of hurt, and talked about.” the year, and discusses weekly He also be- “The BSU and VOE want teachers to be allies because they the impact of slurs. “We’ve been know teachers care and want a discussing this issue since the safe place too.” start of the year, and we reJunior Tatiana Gonzalez cently decided to take action “...If you do care, tell someis also an active member of by creating a presentation one when they’re in the wrong, VOE and has many perfor administration,” junior sonal experiences with Carmen Santoro shares. be an ally and an advocate for words. “Slurs, in “Recently we have been those who feel like their voices are these the real world as well as breaking down each part silenced in our school.” in school, to put it plainof the presentation to prely, are not welcome,” she pare what we are going to -Tatiana Gonzalez, states. Throughout her address,” explains Santoro. junior school day, “Teachers should realize Gonzalez hears a substantial that they shouldn’t be saying amount of slurs. “The variety of any of these slurs whether it’s in slurs I hear in school, out in the textbooks or not,” senior Onie Woodward says. lieves t h a t open and said without shame, is If teachers hear a slur in any “the only reason people hate me disgusting,” the junior remarks. “I will be walking to my second form, Woodward believes they is because the color of my skin or should report it immediately. my sexual orientation- I’m just period class and hear behind me “They’re too lenient and that's doing what I do,” he continues. someone shouting the n-word, one of the reasons why so many Joseph doesn't understand why I’ll be on the bus in the morning kids are uncomfortable in this instead of uplifting others, there and hear someone call each other school,” she explains. has to be so much conflict. “Peo- the f-slur. I have discussions with “I feel like it’s so important to ple hate me for no reason when my younger brother about this talk about slurs because it does we could be building each other only to find out he’s been called the c-slur,” Gonzalez shares. impact people's lives and people up,” he says. The amount of slurs heard evreally don't understand that,” According to Joseph, some
eryday is overwhelming to Gonzalez. “As a member of the minority population of this school, it is also frightening,” she explains. “I am scared and upset that the people I go to school with everyday, that I sit in classes with, pass in the hallways, and interact with, have such little care,” Gonzalez comments. She feels people don’t care about how immensely these words affect minorities or about the history behind these words. “It is disheartening to see people go unpunished and uneducated about these topics when situations like these occur,” Gonzalez declares. She adds that saying a slur is not the same as saying a “bad word.” “It should not be handled the same way, not only by teachers and faculty, but by students as well,” Gonzalez believes. She says for as many people who don’t care about the use of these words, she would like to hope that there are people who do. “So please, if you do care, tell someone when they’re in the wrong, be an ally and advocate for those who feel like their voices are silenced in our school,” Gonzalez urges.
Bathrooms closed due to recent vandalism in building ANNIE FINHOLM Reporter
“People know right from wrong. I think I’d know if tearing a pipe out of the wall would be wrong, so they know what they’re doing. It’s stupid, they know vandalization and breaking sinks and pulling pipes from the walls is not okay,” says junior Dahlia Neiser. According to Assistant Principal Erin Mock, the school bathrooms were shut down because they were “continuing to be vandalized via pipes [being] broken, sinks [being] broken, [and] flooding of water on floors.” Mock states that thus far, this has been effective. Since the restrooms have closed, the assistant principal claims, there “hasn’t been any vandalism in the bathrooms that are open.” She adds that there are also “less kids cutting class because there’s not as many places for them to go,” and that overall, they have “seen a positive effect.” Junior Sierra McManus strongly disagrees with the closing of
the bathrooms. The junior be- stuff,” whereas “girls were put- She recognizes that kids “get lieves that students should not ting up encouraging notes.” frustrated”, but she reminds be refined to “five them that the stalls” for approxi“auditorium mately “700 girls” and bathrooms “same with the boys.” are always She says that this lack wide open.” of space is simply “not The junior gonna work” with the believes that large population of the the school school. should not Junior Ian Calhoun close the is also greatly angered girls’ lavatoby the closing of the ries. Accordrestrooms. He states ing to Neiser, that “sometimes [he she would has] to [use the wash“understand room] and [he] can’t if the girls do that when the were ruining bathrooms are closed things,” but just because some The administration recently announced changes to bath- she claims people don’t know room accessibility were going to be made due to student that they how to use a toilet behavior. This change has already improved the conduct of were not. properly.” While she high schoolers. Neiser responded to disagrees PHOTO CREDIT: Summer Grace the situation in a simwith shut ilar manner. She says down, she is finding out the lavatories were Although these students had unsure of an effective comproshut down “ticked [her] off” be- the same reaction, Mock admits mise that promotes the safety, as cause “the boys were taking pipes that she hasn’t had many parent well as small freedom of students. out of the wall and doing crazy complaints about the restrooms. However, McManus has a set
plan in mind to advertise to the administration, in which they have “a serious discussion with students who are vandalizing the bathrooms.” Despite being uncertain of how to obtain the names of these students, McManus is “sure there are ways” and believes the school is “letting it fall behind because […] there’s other issues going on, but [she thinks they] need to figure out who’s doing [it] because they're ruining it for the rest of [them].” Mock informs students that they can gain the usage of the space back. She says that if we “continue to not have any vandalism in our bathrooms that are open up to the holiday,” then they are considering “opening up at least the lunchroom bathrooms […] right after the holidays.” The assistant principal adds that after these restrooms open, “possibly the science bathrooms” will open as well. However, the P.E. lavatories will most likely remain closed, according to Mock. She cautions students that “as [they] open them up”...