One principal in Oak Park and River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois, made a bold and daring decision to along with a certain idea: he held a “blacks only” assembly on the 27th of February.
White students were physically stopped and turned around when trying to enter the assembly, leaving many parents bewildered.
Principal Nathaniel Rouse posted his reasoning for the assembly on the school’s website:.
“I believe that the discussion will help us as a school begin talking about race in a deeper and more meaningful way than ever before—and most important, produce change.”
He believes that through the use of “affinity grouping” his students will feel more at ease to open up and express themselves around the same group type.
“I found it has been far easier for me to talk about my experiences with racism with individuals that look like me,” he said. “I still struggle myself with talking about my experiences with people who don’t look like me.”
This “blacks only” assembly is only the start as Principal Nathaniel Rouse would like to hold this sort of event with all of the races in the school in the hopes that they can “move forward”.
Currently, the school’s population is 55 percent white, 27 percent black, 9 percent Spanish, 6 percent multiracial, and 3 percent Asian.
