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Anna Vandergriff

Racially Segregated Prom, Georgia - 52 views

started by Anna Vandergriff on 29 Apr 13
  • Anna Vandergriff
    #1 Anna Vandergriff on 29 Apr 13
     
    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/27/us/in-rural-georgia-students-step-up-to-offer-integrated-prom.html?_r=0
    When I first red this article, I found it hard to believe. Up until this year, this school in rural georgia had racially segregated proms. It's hard to imagine that something like this could still exist.
  • Dom Quaranta
    #3 Dom Quaranta on 29 Apr 13
     
    This was shocking to me to know that this Wilcox County High School still had lingering racism and segregation in the year 2013. It was pathetic to me that up until this year, no students or staff took a stand against how wrong this policy was and trying to petition against it. It seems unreal that even after the historical presidency of president Barack Obama, there is still ongoing racial segregating.
  • Hannah Y
    #5 Hannah Y on 29 Apr 13
     
    This is disgusting. I really applaud the journalist for not putting his own opinion in-I don't think I could have been that fair with my writing.This really makes me check myself and realize racism is never truly gone.
  • Jonah Amargi-Levy
    #6 Jonah Amargi-Levy on 29 Apr 13
     
    This article was a big reality check for me, I would not of thought that in this day and age segregated proms still exist and are excepted as "normal". I am shocked that it has taken this long for the school to consider making prom unsegregated
  • Morgana Sidhom
    #10 Morgana Sidhom on 29 Apr 13
     
    The fact that this sort of segregation is still present in Georgia shows the disconnect between different parts of the country. Furthermore, the fact that we ra ejust finding out about this now shows the inconsistencies present in the social media, and how they tend to overlook major social issues in our own home territory.
  • Daniel Carroll
    #11 Daniel Carroll on 30 Apr 13
     
    The fact that this extreme level of segregation could still happen, makes you think twice about the country we live in. I believe that racism is most definitely still a problem and this just confirms that belief. I actually saw the film that documented Morgan Freeman making the change to an integrated prom at his high school and he was pretty badass. If only more people were like Morgan Freeman, then the world would be a better, less racist place.
  • Meg Weiss
    #12 Meg Weiss on 30 Apr 13
     
    This relates to a movie we are watching in history called "Prom" which is about a school in the South also putting on their first integrated prom. The movie was made in 2008. When watching the movie I thought it was ridiculous that they were just taking the measures to have a single prom. This article opens my eyes even further to this issue.
  • Sander Lutz
    #14 Sander Lutz on 30 Apr 13
     
    Insane. So easy to think everything you learn about in class, all of the inequality and injustice, is a thing of the past, something intolerable in the "just" present. But this is something that was more than tolerable when our parents were children. There will always be intolerance like this, but under a different name. The excuse in the article was, "different tastes in music and dancing, and different traditions." Now instead of "we're better" it's "we're just different." Constantly be aware of the fact that injustice still exists in our own communities, and never be ignorant enough to believe that contemporary society is "better than" or has "moved past" anything.
  • Madeleine Elias
    #15 Madeleine Elias on 30 Apr 13
     
    I was really shocked and outraged to hear about this kind of thing still happening in the U.S.. Growing up in a liberal bubble like Mill Valley, I wouldn't have dreamed about something like this happening now; but that just goes to show how ideals and viewpoints can be so different in separate parts of one country. It also goes to show how much work we have left to put in towards improving the way our society treats all kinds of people. I'm really glad to hear that the students have put their foot down and determined to make one inclusive prom. Even though it might seem like a small victory, it's those little changes that add up to making a real difference.
  • Veronica Russell
    #16 Veronica Russell on 30 Apr 13
     
    This was such a surreal thing to read. It was incredible that some people didn't see a problem with it. They tried to say it was a tradition, but so was segregation. Not all traditions are supposed to stay. The problem that I found was that it wasn't because white people and African Americans liked different music, or whatever that one guy said, but that African Americans WEREN'T invited! That's not tradition, that's racism.
  • Sonja Hutson
    #17 Sonja Hutson on 01 May 13
     
    This reminds me a lot of Mae's feature (although that might partially be because I spent so much time editing it). Like the mascot change, dissenters rely almost exclusively on the argument of tradition. I find this extraordinarily counterproductive to progress and it is absolutely outrageous that this is still occurring in 2013. I think it demonstrates the defacto racism (in this case, segregation) present in America and even in Marin. I think that issues like these often get shoved under the rug because we think that nothing like this could be occurring. We often refuse to accept that we are perhaps not as progressive as we may believe.
  • Jackie O'Boyle
    #18 Jackie O'Boyle on 16 May 13
     
    I find it very interesting that there is still some much segregation. The quote from Ms.Rucker was cool and made me see her side while she had to sit outside her schools prom. I think those 4 girls creating the facebook group was a great start to ending this racism still existing in the south.
  • Emma Sandrolini
    #19 Emma Sandrolini on 16 May 13
     
    Like many others have mentioned, this is extremely disturbing and unbelievable. It baffles me that in 2013, people can still have these attitudes towards the African American race and try to justify their reasoning as a case of "tradition" and that people are making a big deal out of a segregated prom. Obviously racism isn't dead and it probably never will be, but the fact that people are so vocal with their opinion trying to fight something that is clearly wrong.
  • Declan Katz
    #20 Declan Katz on 16 May 13
     
    I would like to say its shocking but its not. Constantly talking about how we are "falsely politically correct" a place like Georgia should not be a surprise to anyone. It should be interesting to see how the kids respond to a new kind of dance. While in teenage minds it may seem easy to change there are certain traditions and expectations to a high schoolers life. Prom, homecoming, football games are all things that are hardwired to out brain and it will be hard to change there mind.
  • Billie Mandelbaum
    #21 Billie Mandelbaum on 21 May 13
     
    I agree with Sonja, in that I found similarities between this story and the Tam Indian feature.

    The reason this segregated prom has gone on for so long is because of an illogical "reverence" for tradition. The argument that tradition justifies racism is demonstrated by Wayne McGuinty, the furniture store owner-the George Cagwin of Wilcox County-who said: "This whole issue has been blown out of proportion. Nobody had a problem with having two proms until it got all this publicity." While this story has since gotten a lot of publicity-there was a segment on Diane Sawyer about it the other night-I believe it's stories like these that need to be brought to light. Though this is a "regional" issue, such a story deserves national press in order to serve as a reminder for the prejudice that endures in what some believe to be our "post-racial" society.

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