Comments on: Racism at Hopkins High

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 13:05:11 +0000

I’d like to know what all the “we’re Hopkins were perfect” commentators think about this behavior by your team. I’d fire the coach.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/03/14/hopkins-win-over-shakopee-provokes-shot-clock-debate/

By: Andrew Van Dellen

Andrew Van Dellen — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:45:43 +0000

Greg this was an extremely disrespectful and unintelligent story regarding the school of which I am an alumni if. Hopkins is extremely diverse especially when compared to some surrounding high schools. This was not racist whatsoever stop trying to make a story where there isn’t one. Our freaking principal is black and he is completely anti-racism..

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:40:51 +0000

Whether any of us think dressing up as “rappers” is racist or not seems a little bit beside the point. The few African American students were offended. I’m not really sure why anyone is trying to apologize for the other students, and especially the administration for clearly choosing to disregard the concerns of the offended students so that the silly ignorant white kids could go on making fools of themselves and objects of their classmates (I can’t know the offended students’ exact reasons for complaining, but it seems safe to assume that it had something to do with feeling objectified, or feeling so by racial association). Racism often expresses itself in nuance, and often not on purpose. There could have been minor things said, worn, done that drew the “rapper” image being emulated into specifically racial territory. Regardless, the administration’s behavior seems totally irresponsible, and way too in line with broader national trends in the differing treatments of students based upon race to simply be written off. Of course there is more involved. Of course he could have probably written a boom about it. I would bet the conclusions would amount to something similar to what was expressed in this shorter version.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:34:41 +0000

Robert, thank you very much for your concern about what topics and subtopics I chose to write about and how I approach them. I will take them under advisement.

By: Robert

Robert — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 03:21:12 +0000

Yes, Greg,

I agree with you on the point that what the ski team did was wrong, but the honest story isn’t that Hopkins High School and the suburb that feeds it is a hotbed of bigotry. The even-handed thoughtful story is about how we need to continue to educate each successive generation regarding the history and legacy of slavery and racism in this country and in the broader world, and if we don’t, ignorance will prevail anywhere that it is untended. A responsible and productive conversation would center around ways in which this can systematically occur so we don’t continue to repeat these types of incidents that resurrect and confirm fears, suspicions and deepen divisions within our communities, and so we can continue to more fully realize our ideals about equality and justice.

This is a story about what can happen when we don’t continue the work set out by brave leaders of the past, and how quickly things can unravel, because racism isn’t uniquely black and white, and it’s not uniquely American, and it’s not uniquely 21st century.

So all I’m saying is you had a chance for a great, honest, compelling story that could have served as a call to action and earnest reflection, but all you wrote was a sensational piece that only heaps criticism upon a school for their attempts to respond to our broader society’s failure to educate and to mend the rifts and divisions that have been created as a result of our shameful history.

Finger pointing is easy, blaming is effortless, the ability to understand and to report something true and meaningful is perhaps too idealistic in the knee-jerk-get-there-first climate of the internet media climate. This is the last I’ll speak on this topic, thank you for your civil responses and for providing me with an opportunity to dialog about an issue that I feel passionate about.

Best,

Robert

By: Albatross

Albatross — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:01:08 +0000

What’s not fair is that people of color make up 60% of our prison population, and one in three black males will spend some time in prison during their lifetimes, as compared to 1 in 100 Americans over all. Additionally, students of color face harsher penalties in school than white students. By burdening these African American students with police records Hopkins has increased the likelihood that any future interactions with the law enforcement system will go just that much worse for them, almost a guarantee that jail or prison looms in their future.
Meanwhile the white students will remember a weekend ski trip… ruined!
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2012/03/13/11351/the-top-10-most-startling-facts-about-people-of-color-and-criminal-justice-in-the-united-states/

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:31:56 +0000

You can tell me until you are blue in the face that I’m being unfair but the situation at Hopkins is real. Also, it is not unique to Hopkins, by the way. I believe the current principal is African American, but somehow that did not prevent the all white ski team from doing what many African American students justifiably viewed as a blackface comedy routine.

Yes, fairness is important.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:57:05 +0000

Greg,

Sorry I got your name wrong last time….The article you cite provides several reasonably conceived trends that are believed to be associated with the drop in enrollment, and not once is “white flight” mentioned as a reason for this. So when you say “the general perception is” I think you should be more honest and say “my hastily formed opinion based on a great deal of speculation is…”.

I don’t mean to pick on you, but media outlets, including mainstream sources, blogs, etc., are really quick to make judgements and capitalize on these types of stories. When truth become distorted and then amplified, it only deepens divisions and hurts everyone involved. But in the heat of the moment, journalists of all stripes can’t wait to be the first to sink their teeth into a juicy story that they believe will play well to their audience, and it seems that even-handed reporting quickly goes out the window in favor of sensationalism, clicks, likes, ad revenue, donations, stature, or whatever the currency.

There’s something to this story in all fairness, but to act as judge, jury and executioner with only a handful of facts isn’t responsible reporting and could unnecessarily fan the flames of distrust in an entire community and do far more harm than good. I urge you to be more cautious and consider the implications and consequences your words can carry in the real world. You could end up harming the people you intend to defend.

Who are the administrative staff at Hopkins, are they white, black? I know they had a black principal a couple of years ago. I think it would make your story sound even a little crazier if it turned out the administrator was black.

Just please, be fair, it matters to real people.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:44:01 +0000

Well that’s a picture of your ski team. But yeah, the general perception at Hopkins is that open enrollment is de-whitening the district and white folk are fleeing

http://hopkins.patch.com/articles/hopkins-school-enrollment-drops-2-1-percent#pdf-12189297

By: Andrew Wieberdink

Andrew Wieberdink — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:21:42 +0000

All I have to say is this, being an alumni from Hopkins all should know one thing. Almost every athletic team does their themed “spirit” wear before events to spread awareness and gather support from their friends. This is the first time I am aware the theme of “rapper” has become racist.

Also, the school isn’t primarily white anymore it’s been shifted to primarily minorities. For your own credibility, do your research first before publishing a terribly one sided story.

Lastly, the police arrested them because the black students have a history of bringing knives to school and other weapons.