<p>Prep schools are known across the country as a bastion of privilege. It is easy to scoff at the term “reverse racism” but I can’t help but wonder if this might exist within the boarding school community? </p>
<p>I am sure people will question my race, so let me disclose that I am not a white male, but a close friend is. He is also on full financial aid. If you knew his life story you would not attach the word “privileged” to his upbringing. But when I spoke about the issue of race with him last night, he mentioned his fear of mentioning his position in class discussion. He said something along the lines of “I am afraid if I disagree with the consensus of the group I will be labeled an ‘ignorant white boy’.”</p>
<p>I do not think he is alone in this view. In another class, a boy misused a racial term (he honestly did not realize it was offensive). Another member of the class made a comment along the lines of “this is why I have no hope for white boys.” </p>
<p>I will be the first to acknowledge our country is not perfect: we are not a post racist society. But I can’t help but wonder is name calling and resorting to the stereotype of “privileged white boy” helping change things? </p>
<p>What should boarding schools do? Institutions in general? Can we promote social change without forcing feelings of guilt? Is feeling “white guilt” okay? </p>
<p>I am interested to hear people’s thoughts. </p>
<p>Also please do not call out institutions by name. </p>
This is an interesting issue. We often think about boarding schools as places for rich white people. Historically, that is true. Nowadys, boarding schools work really hard to recruit students from all over the US of many classes and races, and many of them do a pretty good job of that. So now we have the conflicting images of boarding schools havens for rich white people and as islands of extreme diversity amidst mostly-white communities. I sort of feel like this diversity is forced, and the tradition and voice of Whiteness prevails. But this is just like almost any other institution in the United States. Schools can try to create clubs and organizations to support people of color. (I was overwhelmed when I first came to boarding school - there were clubs for almost any race, but why wasn’t there a White Club?) But are these schools accepting and integrating diversity, or merely tolerating it?
Eventually, an integrated boarding school environment will mean no one even notices or cares about the different colors, religions, sexual preferences and cultures of others. We are just at the start of a centuries-long transition to a successfully integrated world where you see “human first,” and where secondary differences of skin color etc are irrelevant, not even rising to the level of notice. Many of our elite educational institutions represent the tip of the spear, the first institutional toes in this long slog, a centuries-long effort to make ourselves “human first.” I applaud the boarding schools and colleges for starting this daunting, challenging slog.
If you have a taste for science fiction, one of my favorite authors is Octavia Butler (coincidentally one of the first and only black female science fiction writers) whose work is exceptional. She did a trilogy called The Xenogenesis, or Lilith’s Brood. It explores how integration with others is, for many, a fear that is hard-wired into our genes. It makes you ask questions about what it means to be different than others. Anyway, worth a read.
@musisat - my money is that we’re at least a full century away from a time when you wouldn’t even think to ask your question. Patience…
My username of course reveals which school I am talking about, but I thought I’d answer this question anyways. My history teacher was actually talking about the exact same problem throughout fall term because most of our class was in agreement when we talked about race and other topics, but she was afraid that a few white boys in the class would be fearful of speaking up so she really tried to create an environment where people would be comfortable sharing their opinions.
I think there are certain spaces online and in real life where people who don’t belong to the group that is using that space, should not come barging in stating their opinion and trying to start discussions, because it is not their place to do so, or at least they should expect to be welcomed with open arms if they do so. But there definitely are other spaces that should be open for people from many different groups to talk about issues that may and may not pertain to them. Student run organizations at Andover will sometimes hold forums where people can discuss issues in an environment they know will be respectful towards them. The school often brings in speakers to talk about different issues in the US and around the world.
I think the most important thing with tricky discussions is that even if someone says something that you think is wrong or disrespectful in anyway you should react by inquiring further into why they might say such a thing, and also tell them in more than a few words why you found what they said to be problematic. This kind of response will lead to more discussion of the problem rather than just a quick shutdown.
The education of privileged groups on issues that affect non-privileged groups is very important for any kind of change, and when you have someone who is privileged in one way or another, but is open to learn about issues such as race or class or gender that is such an important opportunity for everyone involved.