http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/05/10/apologetic-georgia-principal-blames-the-devil-for-racist-remark-at-graduation-ceremony/?hpid=z4
TNT Academy had their graduation ceremony this past week. While it was filled with teary-eyed parents and eager high school students, it was also memorable for the wrong reasons. Principal Nancy Gordeuk made the mistake of excluding the high school's valedictorian's speech and dismissed parents early. She quickly reassembled the service; however, a parent had to leave and called for his child to meet him at the back of the church so they could quietly leave. Ms. Gordeuk, outraged, began yelling at the man and calling the audience, 'the rudest people' she had ever seen. Many parents grew uncomfortable and started to leave as well. Gordeuk then saw a group of people attempting to leave and she responded saying, "look who's leaving, all the black people". The audience had an immediate reaction. African-American graduates got up left followed by many caucasians. The entire event was captured on a phone camera which uploaded the footage onto YouTube where it went viral. She later released a statement saying it was the 'Devil' who spoke through her mouth.
Analysis: Now, I've never personally met the 'Devil', but he sounds like he has a big mouth, and an ignorant one at that. Of course, I'm not one to judge someone I've never met, but I also do not have a propensity to aim my anger and hate at a specific race.
We've learned from our AP U.S History textbooks that it's been more than one hundred years since the Civil War and fifty years since events such as the Civil Rights Movement, yet there are still people who succumb to the deep-rooted ignorance in America by speaking words of hate and targeting them at people who have been, and history proves, oppressed by America dating back to before the United States even began. Ms. Gordeuk represents how little progress we have made in our older members in society. This event is almost reminiscent of the daily life in the 1800's as well as 50's and 60's. The response by both white and black members of the ceremony stood up, protested, and left, was one that reflects on the modern-day view of racism: it's wrong. Certainly, all people should be expected to understand judging, insulting, and ridiculing someone for his or her skin color is a form of hatred rooted in the power of stupidity, yet, there are still people like Ms. Gordeuk who, even in their crazed state of panic, revert back to the ways of our ancestors, the same ones who fought a war and built a movement upon for the sake of equality for all skin colors.
Written by Elizabeth Muscari, 6th Period
I think her excuse was ridiculous. In situations like this she should have owned up to what she was saying and used it as a way to help others see that this dated way of thinking is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI agree. She should own up to what she said to all of those people rather than giving an excuse that dowsn't show she has any sort of remorse.
ReplyDeleteI read about this story already and I think it's ridiculous. She should have owned up to what she said and it's sad that this is a principal and someone that people look up to. What a shame.
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