Racist incident at Washburn

BY ED FELIEN

On Wednesday, Jan. 23, Washburn High held a community meeting to discuss a shocking racist incident that happened at the school on Jan. 11 when four students hung a dark skinned doll from a string in a stairwell.

About 400 people attended the emotional meeting. Washburn’s principal, Carol Markham-Cousins, told the crowd, “I was incensed, outraged, embarrassed, humiliated and angry that this would happen at our diverse and rich school. We’re going to face this. It’s racist and it’s wrong.”

Senior Maggie Cramer reminded the audience this was all because of the actions of only four students, in a school of 2,000.

“What I’m here to say is that it no way represents our student body. The Washburn I’ve experienced is a tightly knit community,” Cramer said. “We see each other as fellow human beings, different, but human beings nonetheless.”
Many Washburn students spoke about how proud they were of their school, to the cheers of the audience.

Al Flowers told the crowd that was all well and good, but students should know the incident was painful. “This is not a pep rally,” he said. “We know you love your school, but we want to know what you know, particularly me as an African-American, (about) our history.”

According to the Daily Planet, “Mel Reeves said students at Washburn should give themselves a hand. ‘You didn’t have to show up,’ he said. ‘We don’t blame you all for the actions of a few. We understand that a few people did this.’ At the same time, Reeves talked about how important it was for the students to understand that it was disrespectful. As an example, he asked what would happen if students hung a swastika at the school.

Reeves brought up incidents in Minnesota history, such as three young black men being hung in a lynching in Duluth. ‘Most of y’all may not be aware of that,” he said. “This is part of our history. That’s what we are concerned about. You are our hope.’”