We can do better: Discriminating Words and Actions serve as Disappointing Hallmarks in the Halls of CCHS

By Naomi

Moving from New York City, the most populated city in the United States, to a small town was difficult, to say the least. After a while though, I figured I’d get used to the overwhelming quiet and seemingly airtight community. Coming into Colonie Central as a junior didn’t help with assimilating; everyone seemed to be in their own little bubble. As I made a few friends and bonded with my teachers, I became marginally more comfortable. Ironically, it is only when I felt relieved from the anxiety of fitting in, that I started noticing the stark and distasteful differences between this school and my last. 

According to U.S. News & World Report, CCHS has a 30% minority population. Colonie administration and staff, from what I can tell, want to promote diversity, acceptance, and community. For a high school that claims they prioritize these values, it houses an overwhelming number of students with narrow-minded, and in some cases overtly hateful views. Most of the time, it seems harmless: touching someone’s hair without asking, making thoughtless comments about one’s financial status, jokes about a guy’s sexual orientation because of their closeness to their friends. Other times, it becomes more aggressive. 

Walking through the hallways, it is impossible not to overhear racial slurs, the f-slur and d-slur, the r-slur and more. Loud and unabashed, these uncouth few make what should be a safe haven for students an increasingly hostile environment. The worst part is that the teachers with rainbow stickers on their laptops, or the hall monitors meant to de-escalate say nothing! At least, not that I’ve seen. 

As not only a woman of color but also a member of the LGBTQ+ community it is frightening to see how people can be so hateful in such a forthright manner. The response is always, “it’s just a joke” or “why does it matter?” In reality, this intolerant and ignorant behavior can grow into condemnation as an adult, perpetuating bigotry in the world.

In the end, these views will only harm young people and our own peers, who will live with confusion, self-hatred, and debilitating fear of ridicule or ostracization from their peers who they are supposed to trust. Some little kid will look at the boys calling each other gay for hugging or growing out their hair, or see the discomfort on a girl's face when she adjusts her too-short sports uniform and find it sickeningly normal. 

While the outright name-calling and hate speech are definitely a huge issue, there also comes the quieter forms of prejudice, known as microaggressions. According to Dr. D.W. Sue, “Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages…,” which are targeted at minority groups. This can be anywhere from passive aggressive comments about one’s hair or clothing or blatantly ignorant insults about things about people’s identity. One such example are the comments I’ve heard about transgender students; they have weird style choices, the jokes about “identifying as an attack helicopter” in retaliation to preferred gender identities, or the complete disregard for their pronouns or preferred names entirely. I could imagine that this sort of environment would be stifling for someone who may want to explore their gender expression, especially since high school would be the time to do so. It also takes away a safe space, in case queer individuals do not have an accepting home. This phenomenon of othering could be applied to every minority, of course. 

Ultimately, I think the mindset of certain Colonie students needs to be changed drastically. The fact that I haven’t grown up in the town myself may have skewed my view of the issue, but regardless of where we are, all children (because we are, despite the looming graduation date, still just children) should be able to express themselves, and feel comfortable with who they are and the choices that they make in regards to their identity.

Obviously, a high school can only do so much, and this mindset has clearly been passed down, but through implementing correctional action when seeing something that may be discriminatory, or showing PSA’s through clubs like iCARE or the broadcast club may help bring awareness and promote kindness. That way, maybe someday, Colonie Central will be just as healthily diverse and inclusive as it sets out to be.