An incident involving an offensive social media post fuels the fire of Tigard High school students to make a unified stand against hate speech.

A new wave of student protests have become a recent part of American history, from walk-outs in protest of gun violence within schools, to organized rallies against sexist and outdated dress codes. Tigard High school recently found themselves in the midst of one of these student-lead protests following a circulating video of a white student saying the N-word. 

 On December 1st, after the video spread, Tigard High School students became outraged at the ignorance of a student going unpunished, and how the administration was “hypocritical about their policies when it comes to hate speech” (thspublications.com). Students met in the commons of their school and rallied together, passing a microphone to speak and hear each other’s voices. A commendable example of the power students hold when they unify as one. 

An example we can learn, and as students have the right to exercise. 

A community of students in Oregon were able to show a peaceful yet powerful demonstration of how students can use their voices and be heard. Especially on an issue that is very still prevalent in schools across Oregon, and across the nation. This issue is seen even in the halls of Mountainside, affecting the students of color that attend the school and making them feel less and less safe; making their voices feel completely unheard. 

However, following the protests at Tigard High school, the Mountainside student body can learn that there is a way to amplify their voices and make them heard: unity. 

The Herd is a group of students that meet with the Principal and address the social issues that they feel need to be heard and dealt with. In this way, students directly converse with their school officials and Principal Corsetti in order to make them aware of the issues that they face and find solutions. With the students working together with their officials, positive change can and will be the future of Mountainside High School. 

Citations:

Elliott, A. (n.d.). Students protest the district’s handling of an incident of hate speech. The Paw. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://thspublications.com/news/2021/12/01/students-protest-the-districts-handling-of-an-incident-of-hate-speech/.