Is a diversity class or program needed within Oxford Schools? Oxford resident, Verketia Hufnagel seems to think so.
Hufnagel showed up at the May 13 Oxford School Board meeting to express her thoughts about the May 4, video that went viral on social media. The video showed an altercation between a black female student and white male student, during which threats, foul language and racial slurs were used.
‘It’s a sad incident that should never have happened between two kids,? Hufnagel said. ‘We need to have some type of diversity class so these kids know that words hurt.?
‘Saying ‘You’re a cotton picker? (one of the racial slurs in the video) hurts (me as a black woman). Even though the young lady started it (from evidence of the video that was online). The words she called him, that hurts, too,? she continued. ‘It hurts me to know that a young lady is not conducting herself as a young lady? because I’m a young lady and I’m going to be sure I act like a young lady and not something else.?
Hufnagel noted that it wasn’t just a ‘black and white? cultural issue, but that Oxford was diverse with other cultures as well such as Mexican and Chinese students.
‘We got everything,? she added. ‘If we’re reaching across waters to go to China why can’t we reach across our next city limit and deal with the kids from Pontiac??
Hufnagel said as soon as the district opened itself for ‘open enrollment,? diversity classes should have been put in place. She also explained that she understands complexity of diversity and the struggles it can bring as a black woman married to a white man with two bi-racial children.
‘We’ve been here (in Oxford) for 12-13 years, we started at DA (Daniel Axford) and we love this school district and I don’t plan on going (anywhere). I’ve always been involved in the school and I plan to stay here with the school. I just want you, the board and the (middle school) Principal Mrs. (Dacia) Beazley (to know), if she needs any parent involvement, we the Hufnagels, we are here,? she said. ‘We need to discuss that (issue). And discuss the words (you use) and how you carry yourself. You can either tear people down or lift them up (by the words you say). I just want you to really think about it.?
Florissa Bell, the mother of girl in the altercation video, was thankful Hufnagel spoke out. ‘Thank you very much for even bringing that (incident) up because that is why I am here. I wanted to see if anyone in the community even cares about that situation,? Bell said. ‘That was horrible, and for only one person to even bring it up or say anything about it kind of hurts because that should have been first on the agenda because it affects all of our children. It could have been anyone of them. It could have been a grasshopper that said something to my child and I would have been here too, but that’s all I needed to say. Thank you!?
Chief Academic Officer Ken Weaver was also appreciative that Hufnagel weighed in on the issue. ‘I think she said it very eloquently and I think she was very real about the current situation at the Middle School in describing the disappointment in both of the individuals and how they acted in the heat of the moment, but that doesn’t excuse their behavior,? he told this reporter in a phone interview last Friday. ‘That has also opened up our eyes and everyone’s eyes that, this is an issue that we didn’t realize or maybe did to some degree realize was brewing and we needed to address and always continue to address. I thought she did a great job of stating it that way and had a nice way of expressing herself.?
Weaver has already contacted Oakland Schools and will be meeting with Larry Thomas, director of the School Quality Team for Oakland School and Dr. Jay Marks, a consultant of Diversity Education with Oakland Schools on May 28.
‘Obviously, we have a lot of issues to deal with right now, but we are in the process of trying to figure a plan out. We realize that this is an important issue within our buildings and within our community,? Weaver said. ‘The two people from Oakland Schools have some expertise in this area and they are going to help guide us as we figure out what resources we want to tap into, what approach we want to use and help us approach it at the different levels across the different buildings (throughout the district).?