Students relate MLK's dream to their school

Associated Student Body leader Shelby Felton asked fellow students, “Do you know why we celebrate Martin Luther King Day?”

The third-period world history class was quiet but then, with prompting, a few details of King’s life emerged. The sophomores, born years after King was assassinated, worked to find relevance of his life and teaching to their school community.

Felton was one of six ASB leaders who researched King’s life and led discussions in World History classes at the high school Thursday. Students identified some of the words or teasing they used that might offend others regarding religion, weight and sexual orientation, and whether there were instances of racism at school.

The leaders, Brandon Fudge, Shelby Felton, Ben Miles, Ashley Silva, Brienna Olsen and Marissa Washington, worked with Principal Dan Casler to meet a state requirement to mark MLK Day. The group researched and developed a curriculum, and broke into two three-person teams to facilitate discussion.

Students watched a short video of King’s life which included a sign for a segregated water fountain, civil rights marchers and images of a mule-drawn wagon carrying King’s coffin. They saw a film of sports figures like Magic Johnson, Ray Allen, and Maya Moore expressing gratitude for the social changes they attributed to King. Then the class broke into small groups to discuss how well the country had done in implementing King’s vision.

In 2009-10, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction reported a population of 423 White, 14 Hispanic, 13 Native American, 11 Black and four Asian/Pacific Islanders in the district.

While students knew the ethnicities of some of their classmates, they by-passed ethnicity for issues relating to sexual orientation, weight, religion or cliques. Students said they walked down the halls together without regard to race.

Brittany Martin said she hadn’t known much about King before the presentation. Other students like Bonnie Ellis said the program was helpful in bringing information about his life to people who didn’t know. Ellis said she was familiar with Dr. King and had read the biography of Malcolm X.

The ASB leaders who tackled the subject, attempting to provide background information and facilitate a sensitive discussion during one class period, had a big challenge, Casler said.

“This can bring up some risky comments,” he told the group. “I want to encourage you to be honest, but tactful.”

When Felton read King’s “I have a Dream” speech, Casler said, “This is the part that gets me.”

As they broke into three-person discussion groups, the classroom was quiet and then students began to talk, some putting their heads on the desk from time to time, laughing at times, as they discussed how racism or hurtful comments were expressed at school.

At the end of the presentation, Felton said, “It was good for this class, which includes some people who pick on others and some who are picked on.”

Ellis gave the experience two thumbs up. She came to Cathlamet from Olympia, and said that as an atheist, she’s taken “a lot of ridicule for thinking outside the mainstream.”

Shanna Havens said it raised issues that needed to be addressed. For Fudge it was a chance for people to have their eyes opened to subtle things. Ben Miles said it could help with issues of gayness or sexism. “I hope it will help change things,” he said.

Felton said, “It goes beyond Black and White.”