Good morning, Whitewater
The are no public meetings scheduled from the City of Whitewater today.
There is, however, a scheduled Listening Session with Representative Tammy Baldwin, scheduled from 3-4 p.m. today, at the Irvin Young Memorial Library, on Center Street.
In Wisconsin history on this date, the Wisconsin Historical Society reports that on this date in 1997, “sixty festival attendees were arrested at the 8th annual Weedstock Festival, a pro-marijuana event in Ferryville. [Source: Timeline Wisconsin].” When they called it Weedstock…
In our schools today, there’s a plan that concerned parents and community members have proposed, following racist graffiti found at Whitewater High School. Here’s the undertaking, in the words of those who developed the proposal, from two messages that I have received, as sent to the press, and at least one blogger:
Greetings.
On Tuesday, May 26, various student organizations will be gathering with community members to make buttons proclaiming, “STOP THE HATE.” This effort is a response to the racist threat that occurred last week at Whitewater High School.
-A student reported the racist and threatening message on the stall door of a boys’ bathroom in the science wing of the high school on Thursday, May 14, around 2:30 p.m.
-Six African-American students were identified in the threat.
A few Whitewater professors and I met with the Administration at Whitewater High School and asked if we could do something proactive to help the student body feel “empowered” through this sad and scary time. We saw this incident as one that the community also needed to act on, not just the school. We found the administration to be very open, supportive, and concerned. They were willing to do all they could to facilitate our efforts.
The professors and I had the idea to make buttons with the students. The message was shared with the student organizations and they jumped on it. The kids are enthused and much more hopeful about letting the community know that there is a STOP THE HATE message coming from THEIR school and they are not a school that tolerates hate and racism.
Please come out to Whitewater High School on Tuesday…any time from 9-3 and see the students in action. The students need the positive publicity; they need to see that their voice of peace is more powerful than the racist/fearful ones….
You are aware that there is going to be a Stop the Hate button campaign at Whitewater High School. The parents who initiated the conversation about what should happen at the high school wanted to be clear that the students themselves are making and distributing the buttons. We also wanted to be clear that the feelings and safety of the threatened families and other African American families in Whitewater is the number one priority.
Thank you.