Forum leaders for the December 2015 CHS student-led forums, from left to right in picture: Jimmy Martinez, Justice Williams, Korri Benton-Pettiford, Mia Goldstein, Sofia Petros, Sam Peers, Diandra Allen. Photo credit:Laura Hirsch, grade 12.
On Friday, Columbia High School students held a series of forums to discuss how to address issues of racial disparity and discord that students had identified in earlier forums last fall.
Participating students asked for greater mobility between levels and asked for higher expectations from and for lower level students.
The forums, which were held in the CHS black box theater during periods 5, 6 and 7, were led by Mia Goldstein (12th grade), Sofia Petros (12), Justice Williams (12), Malcolm Stern (12), Joshua Winters (12), and Korri Benton-Pettiford (12).
“We began each forum with the fundamental question: ‘What do we want CHS to look like ten years from now in 2025?'” wrote Goldstein in an email to The Village Green.
Goldstein reported that more than 120 students participated — a lower turnout compared to the 500 from the first set of forums in December.
Goldstein shared these major points made by students during the Jan. 16 forums:
- There should be fluidity in terms of moving both up and down levels.
- We want a higher-expectation from students in lower-level classes. Every CHS class should have the same amount of teacher-student respect found in an AP.
- We want to rid lower-levels of the negative connotation because some students really learn at slower rates.
- Lower levels should not condemn one’s academic career — they should be viewed as temporary and higher levels should be viewed as positive reinforcement.
- Gender-neutral bathrooms down the road, as a way to make every student in this school, regardless of gender identity or gender expression, feel included.
- Better relationships between students and the administration.
Goldstein and Sofia Petros, who collaborated on organizing the forums with the help of faculty and administrators, said that they will be continuing these forums — titled “Conversations at Columbia” — and hope to bring them to the middle schools soon.
