Student forums gaining momentum in hopes of building TJ culture.
photo by Kevin Fleming
On Wednesday, February 23rd the TJ Peace Panel, in conjunction with school counselor Erin Thompson, and Kelli Troski Paff and Charles Elbot from the DPS Office of Intentional School Culture, held a Student Voice Forum focused on inclusivity and respect at Thomas Jefferson. This event was sparked by long-term efforts by TJ seniors Karina Desroses, this reporter and Khalae Adams, and the recent desecration of the school’s American flag.
The opening of the event involved a team building activity in which stereotypical terms written on pieces of paper such as ‘jock’ ‘pregnant teen’ and ‘rich’ were placed on students’ foreheads and, without knowing their labels, the students were asked to interact with and perceive one another based on the labels they read.
Students then broke into small groups in order have deeper conversations. They had discussions about issues such as their reactions to the flag incident, how they’d describe an inclusive environment, if they thought TJ had an inclusive environment, if they felt welcome at TJ, if there were tensions between the groups, and recommendations they’d make to improve TJ’s social environment.
The forum’s attendance was broadly diverse. The results varied from person to person depending sometimes on social status, race, grade and gender. But in general, the results were positive. Most of the students were shocked that such a “stupid prank” would happen at their school. They felt that it was immature and not a real representation of Thomas Jefferson. Most students felt that TJ was very diverse and very accepting. They positively noted the number of clubs, such as Young Life being accepted, Game Club, and upperclassmen looking out for freshmen. However, some students felt that a preference was given to athletes over drama and other student activities like ROTC and choir.
On the subject of cliques, most students thought they did exist but to a lesser degree than at other schools. They felt that certain students and groups were being excluded, such as the “park kids” and others. The vast majority of students felt that conflicts between the different social groups were minimal. One student reported that “…even the gangs don’t really go at it.” Some students felt there were social tensions between students with differing sexual preferences, different ethnic groups, and political tension during the last presidential election.
There was an overwhelming consensus that TJ felt like a family. One student said, “…TJ is not your typical high school; we are a family.”
Because this Forum was such a small sample of the entire school, the panel acknowledges that this may not be the sentiments of the entire student body. And for this reason the students produced a list of suggestions and actions to take next. The students decided to focus on the three following issues:
The forums have created a medium in which students are able to express their concerns and act upon them. It’s a way for students to feel more connected with their school environment, and it is a way for the administration to hear what is really going on in the halls of Thomas Jefferson.
