A student in Garfield High School's HCC program takes a hard look at Danny Westneat's 'racially insensitive editorial'
/By Dylan Blanford
Earlier this week, the Seattle Times’ columnist, Danny Westneat, wrote a racially insensitive editorial about the high school that both his son and I attend. In his editorial, he concludes that, rather than eliminating Garfield's AP program, it should expand its inclusivity. I’d like to start off by saying that conceptually, I agree with Westneat’s criticism of the removal of the HCC program. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone who’s qualified for it. However, as a student of color in the HCC program at Garfield, there are several things in his article that need reexamining.
Let’s address the cherry-picking in the first part of the article. Westneat mentions that Superintendent Juneau called the school system's discrimination “educational redlining.” He took it upon himself to explain redlining in simple terms that purposely ignored the intentionally discriminatory reasoning behind it. Banks wouldn’t give Black people loans for the express purpose of keeping them out of white neighborhoods. It was an effort to contain them in certain areas and exclude them from others. Through the lack of information given to families of color, the HCC program does just that. Low-income Seattle families are disproportionately non-white, and testing into the HCC program is a restrictively expensive process. This isn't a coincidence. We are a city born of redlining, and it has taken a new face in our schools.
In the name of diversity and anti-racism, Westneat, a white man, attacks a woman of color for trying to bridge the opportunity gap. He should acknowledge the fact that Superintendent Juneau is making an attempt to level the playing field, regardless of his opinion. Yes, dissolving the HCC program eliminates opportunities for deserving students. However, doing so puts everyone on the same level and removes opportunities for educational discrimination. I would rather no one have the opportunity over it only being offered to a select few. Even if we successfully diversify the HCC program and include more children of color, there will still be an issue. Parents of white children in the program want them in small classes. They would have children of color suffer for their child to receive a personalized education. We see this every day, with overcrowded “general education” classes that are disproportionately stocked with children of color, and small, mostly white AP’s.
Garfield’s “slave ship” metaphor is meant to be inflammatory. The term was coined by students of color at Garfield, and it’s been used for years. Juneau didn’t just make it up. Does the term make Westneat uncomfortable? That’s intentional. Garfield earned its title by discriminating against its non-AP students of color for years, depriving them of the opportunities they deserve. We call it a slave ship because we’re stuck at the bottom with no way to get free. The metaphor can be taken even further when looking at the lucky few students of color in the HCC program. As one of the only kids of color in my AP classes, I feel like a metaphorical slave driver. My blackness has been weaponized against my fellow students of color as people use me as an example of the "diversity" in the program.
Why does Mr. Westneat think he's qualified to criticize how students of color talk about Garfield’s racial climate? He's a white man who went to school in Ohio. Who is he to patronize us? A true ally would bring the concerns of students to light, not call a cry for help "inflammatory." We don’t need dismissal and condescending advocation. We need people who are actually ready to listen, engage, and do the work to change the system, not write patronizing articles.
A final note to Westneat himself. The term “blacks” in reference to Black people is outdated and racist. The next time you try to preach racial equality in one of your articles, make sure your Jim Crow-esque language doesn’t make it to the final draft.
Dylan Blanford is a junior at Garfield High School, who cares deeply about social justice and racial equity.
