Detailed Report of life as a Conservative/ Republican at Philips Exeter Academy.

Prep School Admissions
81

@doschicos - I think that if I were a student at Exeter, I would seek out this student author and thinker to educate me on what is correct. From April 2017:

"…I thought about how privileged I was to be standing among fellow feminists. Other privileges that I will always check up on result from the fact that I’m white, educated and financially stable. There are so many people who can’t say that and don’t have even the smallest types of privilege that I have. For me, this is so important to say out loud, because I am a white person writing this article on intersectionality, which is meant to include all races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, sexual orientation, religion and more.

I believe that it’s absolutely imperative that I speak up and check my privilege, so I can become a fully intersectional feminist. What I don’t want to become is another white, cookie-cutter feminist who only believes in certain rights and lacks the courage to acknowledge the struggles and discrimination that other people face. I’d also like to point out that I, unlike many in this country and world, have the ability to speak out for people who don’t have the ability and will continue to strive to help others through better educating myself."

https://theexonian.com/2017/04/06/the-importance-of-intersectional-feminism/

I always get that intersectionality thing mixed up, and i wouldn’t want to inadvertently step on anyone’s toes by merely assuming someone was a cookie cutter feminist and not a fully intersectionalized one!

82

Again, I don’t see any problem with this student and the way she expresses her thoughts.

Are you all expecting the school to censor this, her, the newspaper?

If any student feels bullied for their opinions, including the OP, they should seek out an adult on campus to talk to about their concerns. If they haven’t, they haven’t pursued all channels. If they did and got shut down and silenced, then that is something to discuss.

83

I agree with @doschicos in that I see nothing wrong with what the students wrote expressing their opinion in the student newspaper. It is a student run newspaper with no censorship. You feel that the OP should be able to express their opinion freely but feel that whomever is writing articles should not be able to express theirs.

84

@Bunny8280 have you sought out an adult on campus to express your grievances? Is so, what was the outcome? If not, why not? There has to be at least one sympathetic adult on campus. Do the clubs have to have an adult sponsor? Try talking to that person. It appears that ALES have had success it bringing their issues to the attention of the administration maybe you and some like minded friends should do the same.

85

@Bunny8280: What advice have you gotten from your parents?

86

@ALES “success” is a kind way of interpreting bullying and threatening. None of what ALES has claimed as “injustice” is documented. This is all histrionics. The PEA administration is afraid of black kids crying racism not white kids whispering they feel they must be silent or suffer because they dont share the same political beliefs as the kids with the “mantle of virtue”. Stop saying that OP should seek out adults on campus. Those adults are as afraid as the kids. I know one. They are keeping silent and playing the game.

87

As I stated earlier: true diversity is more than the color of one’s skin . It is also diversity of thought and experience. the left does not tolerate diversity of opinion. They mock it. The result is that the the moral high ground of classic liberalism is eroded by those that are abusing it --and most silently despise those that employ what is simply a different kind of intolerance.

88

@Center Are you really suggesting that admin is “afraid of the black kids crying racism?” Talk about intolerance and closed mindedness. I’ve yet to see you concede that there is any benefit for students to address current issues…but you are real quick to jump to conclusions. There is absolutely nothing wrong in advising a student to bring their concerns to the attention of an administrator or teacher.

You also keep saying that “the left is intolerant.” The left is no more intolerant than the right and vice versa when it comes to discussing these issues. It’s ridiculous to suggest that one side has the moral monopoly on tolerance.

89

“They mock it”
KInd of like what is being done here for expressing views, providing links, etc. Sorry if you want this thread to be an echo chamber. Now that would be censoring.

I am still waiting for folks to state what they want the administration to do? Censor student voices? I thought this thread’s premise was about allowing and not silencing different opinions, and some of you seem to want to do exactly that at the school.

90

I don’t support all of @Center 's comments, but here is another quote from an Exeter student taken from the Exeter website which suggests that teachers may be feeling intimidated :

“One of the biggest issues on campus,” she continues, “is that often we try to make the Harkness table into our battleground, the place where we are supposed to ‘really’ speak, yet there are unspoken barriers at the Harkness table that infringe upon discussion. Oftentimes like in English class or history class when we’re talking about issues relating to race — or gender and sexuality or women’s rights or labor issues — if the teacher doesn’t feel comfortable discussing it, then we don’t feel comfortable discussing it, either. We, as students, we’re young and we’re doing the best we can, but often we don’t know what to say or what is the right thing to say, and sometimes the teachers don’t know what to say, either — or at least they don’t know how to address our questions. We could be having braver conversations in the classroom, like an intense history class when we talk about slavery or civil rights, or in English class when we’re reading about a woman’s side of the story. We need to open up these conversations even more, and not be afraid.”

This quote stands out as PEA is hosting a teacher training seminar on diversity next June; they are positioning themselves as leaders in this area, so you would hope the faculty would be adept at handling these issues in the classroom, but it also appears the school is making significant efforts to improve including hiring a new dean dedicated to unity and diversity and openly posting student opinions like this on their website and in the Exonian.

When you are surrounded by erudite, often older, classmates who feel they are in the “right” on any issue and who are in the majority ( and the teacher likely shares their point of view), it is never easy to speak out. This is always going to be a challenge of the Harkness format (which I feel is one of the very best features of many boarding schools). However, when a student is speaking out in support of discrimination or intolerance, he/she/they should expect to be (respectfully) challenged.

91

Hi @doschicos :). This is just my opinion and I want to answer your question because I feel it is an imprtant question to ask. As an educator, it is extremely important to me that my students feel safe to express themselves. I tell my students that between the hrs of 8am-4pm, we are family. I don’t always like my family or their views, but we are still family and we will respect each other. Also, the last thing I’d want to do is miss out on a learning opportunity. If students feel that they will be ostracized, they may never feel comfortable enough to open up to me or each other. If I’m designing lessons regarding a controversial subject, I have to keep this in mind. Does that mean that I never push my students out of their comfort zone? No, but I make sure to build that safe environment first. Good administrators will do the same thing in their own way. You need student feedback to make sure this safe environment is happening. Again, just my opinion :slight_smile:

92

not worth it–

93

@Center if you feel so strongly, morally justified, and proud of what you are typing…please share these concerns with the school administrators. Don’t be an anonymous keyboard warrior. I appreciate you owning your views and I’m sure admin & teachers would appreciate knowing where you stand on their curriculum and hiring methods.

94

@chemmchimney I do think there are negatives to the harkness table in general, even when discussion is more academic in nature and less political/controversial in nature. One of my kids had a great first visit to Exeter and it was one of the top in the standings. Post acceptance and after the revisit, my kid had Exeter much nearer the bottom. Said child discovered what a “Harkness Warrior” was and didn’t like the idea of those kind of kids domineering the learning experience (obviously some teachers are better at keeping them in check than others and we’ve heard it gets better as the students get older). My own classroom experience on revisit day was less than stellar that day as well. Perhaps we caught them on a bad day but it left me with questions on leaving so much of the class and teaching up to the students.

@4MyKidz You sound like a thoughtful and caring teacher. The opinions in the Exonian pieces I linked point to students expressing both pros and cons about the diversity discussion day at PEA. Obviously, they felt comfortable criticizing the administration but had positive things as well. If I was a parent or student at PEA and felt like my kids’/my voice wasn’t being heard, I’d be having some discussions up the food chain. I just find it odd that posters here criticize the school for silencing their/their kids’ voices but make comments about other students’ opinions when they disagree with how some students are voicing their opinions in a student newspaper.

95

@4MyKidz what @center said is true. I recall that many of my teachers, current and past, have stated that they feel uncomfortable about race. For instance, one of my teachers had to confront a girl about her choice of music because it contained the n word. So, my teacher (the dorm faculty) walked into the room, and found out that the student was black. The dorm faculty was unsure how to handle the situation. This is just one instance of a staff member being in an uncomfortable position regarding a person of a different skin color

96

As I have been here for a few years now, @Bunny8280, I sent you some advice in your inbox, I hope that you will take it to heart.

97

@Center I don’t know why that you feel that I am mocking the OP. Is it because I don’t see a problem with the students opinion In the students run newspaper? Or is it because I suggest that the student talk to an adult to try and make things right for him/her/they? As you so eloquently stated “it is also diversity of thought and experience” so you are allowed to have an opinion on the matter but my opinion is mocking? Only your thought and experience is worthy of being heard? You yourself have offered no suggestions to the OP but quickly shot down other suggestions. What do you suggest the OP do? Just grin and bear it? If you find that is the situation for you and your child at Exeter then why are you still there? It appears that you are miserable.

98

@XXmysticwindXX Thank you for sharing your experience. “Uncomfortable” is different from “fear of black kids”…which is what @Center said. She also alluded to black faculty being hired not for their credentials but because the school had to reach some quota because blacks still think they are a minority even when they aren’t at the school. I’m paraphrasing because @Center chose to erase her comments otherwise I would quote her. Do you also agree with that sentiment?

99

“The dorm faculty was unsure how to handle the situation. This is just one instance of a staff member being in an uncomfortable position regarding a person of a different skin color”

This is exactly the reason students of color often ask for faculty of color. They are often just as uncomfortable talking about issues of race with an adult of a different race. They need adults they feel they can confide in and who will bridge the gap between them and other adults.

100

In all honesty. I am ashamed of how you guys are treating each other. The purpose of my piece was to detail the life of being a Republican at Exeter. I welcome suggestions and such, but some of the things posted here are outright absurd. Like the first reply about how I should shut up and how no one wants to hear my opinion.

What affects me even more, is the fact that my thread is in a sense, ruining Exeter (or exposing Exeter) for new prospects. I would like to say that PEA is an excellent school. I have met new friends from all walks of life, and we learn and share laughs. I have been in situations were I was belittled and ridiculed based on my appearances, height, hair, clothes, etc. I can tell you right now, that I have not been called out for anything (excluding politics). I can say for certain, that Exeter has one of the most welcoming student body that I have ever seen (again, we are excluding politics here). So, for those who are looking to apply to PEA, and horrified by my post, don’t be. I doubt that many of you are Republicans, and if you are, use my experience and mistakes to better your life at Exeter.

Sure, being a new student is difficult, especially when I see that most of the new kids have already bonded with the returners. However, that goes for all schools.

Now, responding to my own thread. We should start out by agreeing to the facts. Philips Exeter Academy, and most insinuations these days (Andover, Lawrenceville, Harvard, Yale, etc) are left. Take a look at how many right wing speakers, Milo and Ben Shapiro, were booed, and harassed at schools like UC Berkeley, just because of the fact that they are Republican speakers. At Exeter, all speakers have been left winged. Even at fun events, the speaker will somehow find a way to throw insult at Republicans, which is followed by the entire Assembly hall erupting in laughter, claps, and overall, agreeing with the speaker.

If I can, for a moment, discuss about ALES for a bit here. I believe the overall concept of ALES is great. Everyone can agree that blacks and latinos are a minority at Exeter. It seems like a fun way for people of similar heritages, to spend time, and feel connected, However, I disagree with their video and what they are currently doing. With what @Center said, there is no historical proof that the faculty is racist, in any shape or form, towards black or latino students. In the end, there will be racism, no matter, where you go. However, as I previously stated, the people are extremely welcoming and such, and I truly find it difficult to believe that there are outright racists on campus (especially since I came from a public school where kids would outright call a black student the N word). Furthermore, the video itself can be flawed. What I would like is for the actual students in the video, to come on stage, and say it, so we can finally acknowledge that this happened., Its like me saying Bigfoot exists, and using a picture that looks somewhat legit, as proof.

Now, some of you have asked, what do I want Exeter to do? Well, for starters, I would like non biased speakers at Assembly Hall, and since this is pretty much impossible, since most institutions are Liberal these days, at least bring in some Republican or right wing speakers to balance it out. I do not think it is appropriate for the school to only have leftist speakers that spew their ideas, and bash people on the right, when the school silences Republican speakers.
Next, I would like them to stop taking everything the ALES community says, into account. Sure, I believe that the school should provide a safe place for intellects to work and study, but the ALES community is pushing for things that are more absurd, than helpful. Like, asking the principal to take down all the paintings in the Assembly Hall, simply because they depict past principals (who were white men). So, does that mean we will also take down portraits of women or black men? Probably not.