By Katrina Tiktinsky
As Black Lives Matter protests continue throughout the U.S., the nation’s activists are extending their call for change to institutions of power well beyond the police force. In an ironic, but fitting, turn of events, the educational bodies which taught students to use their words are now seeing those rhetorical skills employed against them. Private schools are a prime target.
Following a slew of noncommittal administrative statements from Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut, recent alumni and current students rallied in a demand for meaningful change. Circulating the hashtags #builtonslavery and #shouldajustdonated, protesters called attention to the school’s problematic history, enduring flaws, and present failure to support the Black Lives Matter movement — financially or otherwise.
As discussions spiked around the subject of Hopkins and race, individuals used their social media platforms to share their experiences, even turning Instagram Live into a discussion forum. Ultimately, key activists within the Hopkins talks, including Kamsi Nwangwu ’15, drafted a petition targeted at the Board of Trustees. In this public document, which is viewable here, the petitioners ask the school to donate to Black Lives Matter causes, diversify its student body and faculty, decolonize its curriculum, lend greater support to New Haven’s communities of color, and put forward a detailed and timely action plan.
Speaking to the petition and general Hopkins-BLM conversations, Hopkins Class of ’18 alumnus Lionel Louis commented, “I feel like the community should hold its members and the institution to a higher standard in regards to intersectionality at large. The climate surrounding social issues is focused on issues for Black citizens, so I want to see the school join the fight for racial equity: I want them to commit to making changes to improve for the greater New Haven area that is not as white and not as privileged resource-wise, for their current BIPOC students in all walks of life on campus, for their Black and non-Black faculty and staff. I want to see ‘diversity and inclusivity’ transform from a bullet point on our website into a whole new attitude that actively and constantly seeks to do better for all of Hopkins’ community and neighbors. And, of course, they should’ve just donated.”
In regards to English and History curriculum flaws in particular, Class of ’18 alumna Kiarra Lavache argued, “There is often only one book or section per class about an author or culture that is not white. The curriculum needs to be more well-rounded and contemporary. They need to include Black, Latinx, Native American, Asian, LGBTQ+, and Muslim writers and history in the curriculum and they need to be mandatory. Students need to be able to make connections between what they learn in the classroom and what they experience in their everyday life.” The private school’s core history sequence is titled “Atlantic Communities,” a narrative oriented around the white, Christian, male colonizer’s perspective. Multiple Hopkins alumni have spoken out regarding instances in which teachers asked students to read racial slurs aloud in class, from texts so problematic as Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Beyond its curriculum, the institution lacks meaningful Black representation in its student body, faculty, and administration.
Activists also critiqued the concept of a private school bubble. Kofi Adjepong, Hopkins Class of ’15, a central voice in the social media conversations and petition drafting, noted, “Hopkins prides itself on being part of the community but outside of the Canned Food Drive and the Pathfinder program, they need to show more support to the everyday livelihood of the New Haven community. We are hoping they would show more concern for the everyday individual, rather than sitting pretty in their bubble, passively overlooking the struggles in the community.” Lavache identified the overwhelming presence of individuals from Fairfield County (distinct from New Haven in location as well as socioeconomic makeup) in the student body as contributing to the school’s ability to disregard “what is happening right outside their gates,” noting that private schools in general, “Have the tendency to be ‘bubbles’ meaning that they are distanced from the surrounding community.” The recent grad added, “Because Hopkins has resources that other schools in New Haven do not, they should be using what they have to help better their surrounding community, one in which they have taken up space for 360 years.”
Hopkins alumni pointed to the ways in which they felt unable to speak out while enrolled at the school. “Hopkins is a space dominated by white voices and white money, so there is a lot of pressure on people of color to fit into a particular mold that is carved out for them. Breaking that mold and speaking up can cost you relationships and reputation. Because of this, many people at Hopkins are not even aware that there are injustices happening on their campus. If these issues don’t get talked about, Hopkins will be oblivious to their occurrence,” Lavache explained. Echoing these sentiments, Adjepong outlined, “Purposely or not, being a POC on campus there’s feelings that you should be ‘grateful’ Hopkins allowed you into their space. It feels more like a white space that allows a few of Black excellence, rather than a melting pot of diversity like they try to claim it to be.”
As far as where Hopkins will go from here? Within a matter of days, the school issued a new statement, addressing recent conversations and presenting a rough plan for the future. This development was met with varying levels of confidence. Lavache was hopeful, saying, “I think it was great that the school responded so quickly. In my opinion, it shows a sense of urgency and eagerness to get the ball rolling. The pledges that were made in the message were not specific, but I think that with further communication more details will be ironed out and plans can start taking shape.” Adjepong was more cautious to embrace the administration’s response: “Although Hopkins has finally reached out and it seems to be in good faith, it took me leaving veiled threats of exposure of racial injustices for them to get the ball rolling. I hope their actions are not performative in nature to slow down the negative public perception they have been receiving. I have my doubts, but only time will tell.”
As Hopkins and other private schools throughout the country continue to address their relationship with race in the coming days, weeks, months, and years, they will be working to reform problematic systems which have stood as pillars of education for centuries. This work will be difficult, painful, and extensive, but if there’s anything the wave of young activists have demonstrated, it’s that they have the wit, social capital, and determination to effect that change.
