Jackson-Reed is just one of the thousands of schools in this country that caters to white students. Its issues are not unique, but that does not mean they aren’t urgent. 

Many of the spaces at these institutions reek of entitlement. They are characterized by an air of belligerence and crassness that actively discourages Black students from participating in academic and extracurricular activities. This is particularly noticeable within the AP culture at Jackson-Reed, which is overwhelmingly white, if not downright segregated. Black students are the minority in these classrooms, largely due to a culture that dissuades us from pursuing rigorous academic courses. Oftentimes it feels as if we are being pushed into an inferior position simply for being the only Black kids in the room, creating a sense of isolation.

Furthermore, the behavior in these classrooms is appalling. Students feel comfortable antagonizing their Black peers with both micro and macro aggressions, alienating them in environments where they do not feel safe to speak out. From STEM classes to English classes like journalism, Black students face a persistent lack of respect and humanity. White students feign ignorance of their own behavior, not just to avoid accountability, but in an attempt to protect their social status and reputation. After all, at liberal institutions like Jackson-Reed, it is more beneficial to appear tolerant than to actually embody tolerance with one’s actions. This attitude bleeds into all aspects of life at JR and has become embedded in our social conscience.

The issue of performativity is perpetuated by the Jackson-Reed administration itself. While JR’s name change was motivated by the desire to move away from Woodrow Wilson’s problematic history (and pander to a growing social awareness of such histories), the actual pressing issues within our school are either ignored or dealt with through ineffective policy change. This is yet another symptom of a school culture that places more importance on appearance than substance.

Jackson-Reed students would like to believe that they are not complicit in these problems. While some kids are educating themselves on issues like racism, our school is still not immune to the anti-Blackness within our society. 

With that in mind, we have to look at one of the most disrespected groups at Jackson-Reed: Black women. The amount of microaggressions that Black women experience in the workplace or at school is astonishing. There have been countless instances where people have told Black women to calm down when they expressed slight disagreement, or remarked that they looked angry or confrontational. Comments like, “oh, I didn’t know you could be so well spoken”, are among the many micro-aggressive phrases that have been said to Black women. These remarks force Black women into the mindset that they are not smart nor educated enough to succeed. This constant feeling of inferiority affects every action that Black women take when in a predominantly white academic space. Due to the overwhelming amount of white students in AP courses, this pressure to exceed the expectations of white peers is at its highest in these classes. Even speaking about this feels taboo, especially being raised in a society where we were taught to limit our thoughts and ideas to make white people feel more comfortable. 

Furthermore, when issues such as misogyny are discussed, only the experiences of white women are heard. These topics are rarely discussed through a woman of color’s eyes. Misogyny goes hand and hand with racism; Black women face a degree of pressure in the workplace, in popular media, and even within their communities that white women rarely experience. When white women speak on sexism they tend to only focus on the issues that affect them, but when Black women speak about the unique issues that they face, white women will generalize and dismiss their experiences. They continue to preach that they stand with us, but then speak over the voices of Black women. 

All of these forces come into play at institutions like Jackson-Reed, where white students are the largest racial group. In general, the culture at these schools is detrimental to minority students. There have been a few steps toward progress, but we still have a long way to go. Before action comes education; students have to be aware of the issues affecting Jackson-Reed before we can fix them. •