To the editor,
Anyone who had any doubts about the need for Iola to reckon with the Black Lives Matter movement shouldn’t have those doubts any longer. Earlier this week, Iola High School seniors added to their parking lot mural initials that stood for “white power” and “shoot to kill.”
In a district that recently saw a massive — if well-controlled — demonstration by students themselves against gun violence, the response should have been swift and decisive. Instead, Superintendent Stacey Fager was quoted in the Iola Register framing the issue not as a threat of racial violence, but one of code enforcement, because the larger mural supported a presidential campaign.
This is grossly irresponsible, and conveys a very clear message: In Iola’s schools, Black lives do not matter.
This lukewarm response reflects a pattern of policies and actions that do not ensure a safe learning environment for students, and doesn’t appear to be even really trying. As community members and as parents, we want community schools where all students know their safety is important and that their lives matter.
In addition to harming students, tolerance and even acceptance of overt white supremacy drives declining enrollment numbers, breaks at least the spirit and likely the letter of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and constitutes a moral stain on our community.
The responsibility for creating that safety lies with our school board and with administrators, and when they attempt to pass off “shoot to kill” as a matter of code enforcement, when they prioritize the confidentiality of the painters of “white power” over the safety of their students of color, they are shirking that duty, and letting down students, parents, staff, and the community.
We demand that they perform the duties assigned to them, and enforce and create policies that ensure that USD 257 is a safe, equitable, and caring place for our community’s children to learn. This was a racist act, and our leaders need to acknowledge that, make it clear that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated, and follow through on those statements.
Allen County for Democracy: Ben Alexander, Sofie Alexander, Dan Davis, Jackie Evans, Allegra Franklin, Rhiannon Sykes Jordan, Paige Olson, Angie Whitmore, Ashley Widener
