Attending the most diverse campus in the Sacramento City Unified School District, students at C.K. McClatchy High School are no strangers to learning alongside people of all religions, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. Despite this diversity, controversy surrounding a “science” project has brought into question the moral integrity of students in the HISP program. Many speculate that the air of liberalism amongst HISP kids is a facade of acceptance designed to cover up the more ignorant reality of their racial attitudes.
Several national news outlets recently covered the project, calling attention to an issue facing McClatchy and schools across the country: the elitist, exclusive, and racial disproportionality in accelerated programs. Making an example of HISP, many questioned why the percentage of African Americans and Latinos at McClatchy is not mirrored in the program
The student voice of McClatchy has been largely missing from all the news coverage. The Bee included very few student quotes in their initial reporting, and only one student’s words were attributed.
The Prospector decided to seek out what HISP kids think of the controversy surrounding their program, and every student spoken to strongly condemned the message of the project and said the ignorance of the project doesn’t exemplify the attitudes of all students.
HISP senior Maggie Murrell stated, “We are shocked and upset by the content of the project and it’s awful to think that people believe it reflects our mindset or values. Those ideas in no way represents what we believe.”
The HISP curriculum revolves around encouraging diverse thinking and promoting social awareness and cultural sensitivity. “It’s extremely disappointing that anyone would do or say something like this because it represents the opposite of the ideologies that the program promotes,” said HISP senior Harley Dickinson.
But is just being aware of issues enough? According to Black Student Union member and HISP senior Synclaire Thomas, “it takes more than realizing that other cultures exist and acknowledging their problems.”
HISP kids take pride in their open-minded thinking, but some question whether there is genuine awareness or if it’s all a façade of being “woke.” HISP senior Sydney Arroyave acknowledged this criticism. “People have a certain stereotype about HISP kids that we are pretentious and feel like we are superior to other kids at McClatchy,” she said. She also says that despite the occasional know-it-all kid, “we avoid looking down on anybody else for just trying to get an education.”
The conversation surrounding the issues in the program has led to frustration on both sides. While non-HISP students are attempting to educate HISP kids on their perceived elitist attitudes, HISP kids argue that misconceptions about the program lead to misplaced blame that creates hostility and not solutions.
Attempts are being made to bridge this gap. As HISP senior Alma Ruiz stated, “Everyone needs to be a little more open minded and realize that neither HISP nor non-HISP students are completely wrong in how they feel.” Last week, senior Noni Brown announced to several HISP classes that Black Student Union is organizing a “Fishbowl” — an open discussion designed to give all participants a better perspective of the opposite side. Many view it as an opportunity to find understanding.
It is no secret that HISP’s challenging coursework has created a highly competitive environment that seems exclusive and elitist from the outside. Many point to this as the cause of intimidation that discourages many students of color from applying to the program, ultimately creating an applicant pool that lacks ethnic diversity. This being a part of the “bigger picture” concerning racial disproportionality in academic programs and universities, many acknowledge other factors that affect learning careers well before high school. HISP junior Asia Lewis said, “Historical and contemporary inequalities as well as social biases have given students of certain backgrounds more opportunities as they progress through school.”
While HISP kids were quick to defend the program, they believe that the controversy is creating a conversation that needs to be had about the nature of elite programs. “Unequal representation is an unfortunate reality of selective programs like HISP, and it’s important that this issue be discussed in order for it to be addressed,” said HISP senior Danielle Porter.
There is hope that the conversation surrounding this issue will lead to a step in the right direction. HISP student Mark Lambert, a former Black Student Union Historian, views it as an opportunity for change. “It attracts the attention of and stimulates those in charge of the school and district to do more to enable programs such as HISP to do more to open its doors to a more diverse group of students,” he said.
Mrs. Wong, HISP coordinator, told The Prospector that this “is not a new issue,” as the program has struggled with a lack of diversity in the past. Amid allegations of bias in HISP admissions, she is outspoken about the true causes of the issue. Because the district has strongly discouraged magnet programs like HISP to advertise to middle schools, the program has been made less accessible to kids in low-income and minority communities. “Because our main feeder schools are Cal and Sutter, kids from outside those neighborhoods are much less likely to have even heard about the program, let alone be encouraged to apply.”
When asked about possible punishments for the student responsible for the project, she rejected suggestions of having him removed from the program, instead stating, “We are obligated to educate him. We are obligated to change that mindset.”