A group of students is looking to integrate greater cultural awareness and cohesiveness in the hallways and classrooms of Oxford High School through a new movement they’re calling the Oxford Social Justice Project (OSJP).
Members include Trinity Munoz, 10, Parker Fleming, 10, Katie Guthrie, 12, Adriana Villa, 11 and Marcus Hufnagel, 9.
According to Bully Prevention Coordinator and OSJP mentor Pam Fine, Oxford Schools is part of a social justice project started by Oakland Schools. Earlier in the year, Oxford students attended a workshop on the subject conducted by the intermediate school district.
‘There are four separate components to the Social Justice Project,? she said.
One is the student portion. Fine explained that Munoz, Fleming, Guthrie, Villa and Hufnagel were all specifically chosen by staff based on their age, gender, background, academic strength and leadership skills.
‘We needed kids that were very driven and passionate about the topic. These kids are fired up,? Fine said.
‘It was a great learning opportunity,? said Guthrie. ‘We were able to see (social) issues that are prevalent in other schools and then see how they connect with our school and how they were able to battle these issues (and how we need to) be able to do it with our school, too.?
Munoz agreed.
‘It was great experience to see what other schools are doing, so we can see what maybe worked for them. Some schools were at this conference and had been going to it for like four years now, so this was the fifth year they’ve done this,? she added. ‘Since this was our first year, we did get to see what worked for them and what didn’t, so we can kind of build off of what they did.?
What really opened the students? eyes to the need for change in their school’s culture when it comes to diversity was a recent survey.
Out of 300 Oxford High School students who participated in a survey about race and diversity, 83 percent noted that there were diversity issues such as discriminatory comments made towards other races in the hallways, but less than 30 percent wanted a diversity club or ‘culture night.?
‘The biggest problem we had was (the students who took the survey) realize it’s at the school, but they didn’t want to do anything about it. They didn’t want a class about diversity or culture. They didn’t want a club, nothing,? Munoz said.
Munoz said the group’s plan is to help their fellow students realize the only way to change things is for the entire school to work together and make it happen.
Culture education
Part of how they plan on making this a movement is by offering ‘cultural literature.?
The high school typically has Late Start Wednesdays, three out of four Wednesdays during the month.
In order to meet the number of days and hours in the classroom required by the state, all students show up one Wednesday a month at their normal start time, but to not upset their schedules, these hours are spent reading articles and writing essays about them to practice their literacy and writing skills for the SAT.
The students of OSJP are proposing teachers hand out literature regarding different cultures.
‘The plan is to have an article that has cultural stuff on it,? Munoz said. ‘Chinese culture, African-American culture, Hispanic culture, and just to try and get the kids involved and see what it’s like to be from another culture or race.?
The students are also hoping to make a change in the Student Code of Conduct as it relates to racial discrimination because they feel the punishment for kids making racial jokes isn’t harsh enough.
‘Even if they’re just kidding, that shouldn’t be allowed,? Munoz said.
Thoughts on Social Justice Project
Hufnagel believes the OSJP is a ‘big thing.?
‘And me being black myself’I’m doing this to help other students who are just like me and (from) other cultures,? he said. ‘This (project) puts it where I’m not only helping myself, but everybody else. I like it and it is very fun to do.?
Guthrie says the project is important to help try and make everybody equal.
‘People make fun of people based on their race and their sexual preferences,? she said. ‘So, it’s really important that we try to make everyone equal in the school, so we have better opportunities for learning.?
She sees big issues when it comes to the foreign exchange student population.
‘I really want to try and make them (feel) more included in the high school and not make them feel like they’re just staying here temporarily, but this is like their home,? she added.
Fleming said he sees a lot of issues with racial comments
‘I feel like this program can help make our school a better place,? he said. ‘There are a lot of cliques in our schools and separate groups. I feel like a key element would be to move them all together (into one group) and that would negate most of this.?
Munoz agreed.
‘Our group really wants to fix the diversity and the segregation between the groups at Oxford,? explained Munoz. ‘We want to be (as one) family, instead of having everybody separated.?
As a part of bringing cultures together, when members of the OSJP learned that Chinese Foreign Exchange students from Weiming wouldn’t be celebrating Thanksgiving because they live in dorms at Rochester College or at a Hotel in Troy, OSJP, with coordination with the Leadership Class, decided to host a Thanksgiving feast on Nov. 23 complete with a traditional meal, games, watching the parade and watching a Christmas movie.
The feast included members from other school clubs as well.
‘We really wanted to give them our cultural experience and show them what Thanksgiving is like,? Munoz said.
The OSJP students will present their plans and ideas to the Oxford Board of Education at the Dec. 9 meeting.
As the pioneers of the Social Justice Project, Hufnagel is excited to see how the movement will grow in the years to come.
‘It’s awesome because we’re the starting group (for) this right now,? he said.
Hufnagel looks forward to seeing the program grow in the coming years at OHS and perhaps expand to the middle school and elementary schools.