I appreciated your rational June 13 editorial in the Gazette, in particular these words: “But without knowing the circumstances that led to the stay-away order being imposed, others should take care not to assume the worst of public officials. Racial misunderstanding affects every part of public life. Addressing it is part of America’s unfinished business. All schools must confront bullying, in whatever form. But as this work continues, it is wrong to declare institutional racism until the evidence is in. Doing so demeans the important work of finding it and rooting it out.”
As a white person, it is very important to make sure institutional racism is in the forefront of my mind when a person of color is involved (or not involved, but should be), because so often racism is a contributing or entire cause of an issue.
But concluding a cause without facts does not further anything. I believe that people do that out of frustration with so many times in the past that racism has not been called out when it should have been.
I get that. So whites should try to understand that frustration, and not simply allow a backlash effect to push racism from the forefront if their minds when issues like this occur. In short, let’s cut each other some slack. From administrators to protesters, the vast majority of us have the best in our hearts.
Rick Hood
Amherst
The writer is a former member of the Amherst School Commitee.