Greeley Students, Alumni Rally to Combat Racism in School District

By Bridget Bonanni

Hundreds of community members gathered last Saturday for a rally organized by Horace Greeley High School students and alumni to call on Chappaqua district officials to make changes to tackle the problem of racism within the schools.

The rally, Stand Up for Racial Equality, was held at Chappaqua’s Recreation Field just over a week after a racist video resurfaced featuring several high school students saying the n-word.

“When I saw the video of those white kids using the n-word, I was offended, I was disgusted,” said 2014 Greeley graduate Eric Berkeley.

Attendees and speakers included Deputy County Executive Kenneth Jenkins, New York Attorney General Leticia James, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) and Chappaqua Board of Education Trustee Victoria Tipp.

“It is so heartening for me to look out and see all of you and know there are young folks here putting this together,” Jenkins said. “With all of you, we can actually make a difference and start making changes.”

“When we are anti-racist, we say we are not going to stand up for people who are treating people differently,” he continued. “We’re not going to stand up for institutions that treat people differently based on the color of their skin.”

Emily Noble, who is graduating from Greeley later this week, said she has worked to create an outline for important dialogue about race and racism within the school.

There is now a position within the district focused on diversity and inclusion that never existed before along with a panel of students chosen by teachers to focus on issues surrounding race, Noble said. There is also a diversity trainer for the staff who made one visit before schools had to be shut down in March, she said.

“If you are my friend, and you say you stand with me, can you please show your support for black lives?” Noble pleaded. “Because if not, I lose my human rights. I don’t want the only place I feel completely safe to be in my own bedroom.”

James was impressed how students and young adults have been galvanized to act.

“The young people are taking to the streets in droves,” she said. “They’re marching for a more perfect union, and I, as the attorney general of the great state of New York, will work without rest to ensure that that right is protected and guarded every day and every night.”

Stewart-Cousins, the first female and woman of color to rise to a leadership position in state government, said last week landmark police reform legislation was an example of how positive change is starting to take shape.

“People like me, a woman of color in a leadership position, has an opportunity to pass legislation and have you all and millions like you support and remember why it was done,” she said.

“This past three months in this horrible pandemic allowed us the time to see what we know we should’ve seen years and years and years ago. But it also allowed us not to look away,” Stewart-Cousins added.

Tipp, whose comments closed the rally, called attention to the state’s school funding formula, which allows white wealthy districts to fund their schools at far greater rates than poor predominantly minority districts.

“Are we ready, Chappaqua, to fight for giving up our privilege?” Tipp said to cheers. “It’s time for change.”

Tipp lauded the students for organizing the rally and encouraged them to continue fighting for change.

“Our school will dig deep. We will do the work that’s needed to bring us to a better place, a place where students feel safe, respected, valued and nurtured,” Tipp said. “We will do this through honest dialogue; partnership with our students, staff, parents and community.”