- Sweatshirt Segregation?
By Alexandra Thompson
Segregate: seg•re•gate v. 1. To separate or isolate from others or from a main body or group. 2. To impose the separation of (a race or class) from the rest of society. – Seg•re•ga•tion, n. (Webster’s New Reference Library [Webster’s New Dictionary of the English Language], 375) I have attended St. Louis de Montfort Catholic School for nine years. My fellow students and I as well know that I am not a normal student; I differ drastically from my grade eight class mates. I am not a part of the Catholic faith, though I began my education at a Catholic school to shield myself from concepts such as segregation or discrimination until I reach the appropriate age. When I entered the front gates, I believed to have a safe, happy nine years free of such topics. I thought I would be treated just the same as any other student. To my surprise, I was appalled to receive wind that after nine years free of this, I am faced with it for the first time. Segregation is outlandish for Catholic schools because the teachings of their religious program state that this concept is against God’s Law, the school should always respect the student’s decisions, and all American citizens have the right to free speech and press.
I will enter Ernest Righetti High School next school year, and am very proud of my choice. I stand out from my other friends, whom will be attending St. Joseph’s Catholic High School instead. Taking into account that SLDM is the main feeder school for SJHS, I realize and understand that SLDM fully supports SJHS, hence them wanting to advertise the high school by allowing eighth graders that are enrolled for the next school year to wear the SJHS school sweatshirts. What I do not understand is why they are taking this support all the way to the point of segregation. Yes, they allow eighth graders to wear Saint Joe’s wear, yet they ban spirit wear from all other schools. This is a Catholic school; have I not been taught that segregation is wrong for nine years straight? In fact, just today the school participated in the Stations of the Cross, the same as every Wednesday during Lent. During the Stations, I heard a wise statement that caught my full attention: “Would I really have stood up for you, Jesus, even if I knew it was right?” Well, does this not explain that the idea of segregation is wrong? I do not own a Righetti sweatshirt, yet the concept of this rule fails to clear in my mind. The whole grade has chosen their paths for the future, whether it be SJHS, ERHS, or OAHS, the majority SJHS. The school supposedly supports every one of these decisions, but continues to show that this is not so. By banning some sweatshirts yet allowing others, the school portrays that they really do not agree with the student’s decisions. As for the sweatshirts, the United States of America grants each and every citizen the freedom of speech and press. By supporting the high schools, we use our freedoms, yet some of us are deprived of them due to discrimination. Figures of admirable leadership such as Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted their lives to resolve segregation, yet it continues to become a problem all over the world.
Some say that because SLDM is a Catholic school, they should therefore only support a Catholic school. This is actually quite the contrary, because two students or more are attending a non-Catholic school for high school, therefore the school should be supporting each and every high school being attended by an eighth grade graduate. Whatever a student chooses, that school has to respect the decision and not discriminate the child. Why would one school deserve more support than another? This is especially wrong when the child’s rights are impacted. No child is less important than another. Why is segregation happening at our school? To be frank, I know not.
A Catholic school should remain faithful to Christ’s teachings, especially if this happens to be what they are expressing to students as spiritually parallel. Discrimination is against God’s will, therefore should be omitted from the school policies. I did not write this essay for myself, but for all the children suffering from segregation and discrimination based on small acts, such as sweatshirts. Freedom of speech and freedom of press are important to us Americans, yet can be destroyed with discrimination. Lives can be impacted by small acts. All this over a sweatshirt!
Works Cited
Webster’s New Reference Library, 1990
Unknown, Gwen; The Stations of the Cross with Children, unknown date
P.S. we are learning persuasive essays with Mrs. Matasci right now and I thought this was a perfect opportunity to practice!
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