Guest Post: High School Student Sparks Not In Our School Initiative

"This type of racist oppression has negatively affected the student body’s attitude towards education and their ability to succeed, and when I was told that I could change it, I was absolutely inspired! It was an extra plus for me that The Working Group pointed out nearby schools that had successfully done it." 

Priya is a student at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, Calif. During the summer of 2011 she was among a group of students from all over the world who participated in the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC), sponsored by American University and held at the U.C. Berkeley Campus. Priya was part of the team that learned about Not In Our School and was involved in designing a public relations campaign to end bullying and harassment and promote intercultural acceptance and awareness. 

Attending the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) at Berkeley exposed me to amazing learning opportunities, most of which was learning what it takes to be a public relations agent. Part of our experience was meeting with The Working Group in Oakland, where we discussed the many forms of bullying and how public relations can help reverse public oppressions in a community. We also talked about why we should bring it to our own schools; not just that we should, but that we could, which was a key reason why I was so motivated.

Given the opportunity to think about how I could make difference at my school, I realized that the bullying was not coming from within the school, but rather from the community. Because my school is the only multi-ethnic school in the district, it is looked down upon and often called things like “ghetto” and “gangster.” These comments come from adults in random conversations and from students at other schools, and sadly, sometimes from within our school.  This type of racist oppression has negatively affected the student body’s attitude towards education and their ability to succeed, and when I was told that I could change it, I was absolutely inspired! It was an extra plus for me that The Working Group pointed out nearby schools that had successfully done it.  

The NSLC PR group was then asked to create short video clips that would help promote ideas that went against bullying and hate. Doing this helped demonstrate to me that I was absolutely capable of personally contributing to a cause that has the potential of positively affecting large numbers of people. It was this evidence that cinched the idea for me; I wanted to go back and change the image and oppression against my school and its students.

Now, I’m back in school and I’m slowly gathering supportive friends and allies to help me. I’m in constant contact with Not In Our Town, and have already spoken to the vice principal about my goal. Soon, we will create a short survey that asks various types of students about the image of our school, so that I have something to compare my end results with. A member of the school board has invited me to address the board about it as well.  I’m so glad that I went to NSLC over the summer; I believe that I am more enthusiastic than I have ever been in my life about this project and hugely look forward to seeing the changes in my school.

Watch the three 30-second PSAs, "Be an Upstander," "Acceptance," and "Light in the Darkness Promo: I Am Human."