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Civil Liberties Union
In Response to Racist Costume, NYCLU Urges School to Consider Education Instead of Suspension
The New York Civil Liberties Union is urging the principal of Commack High School on Long Island to rescind the suspension of a student who came to school dressed in a black-faced Aunt Jemima costume as part of an annual Halloween celebration. In a Nov. 6 letter to Principal Russell Stewart, the NYCLU said the school had missed an opportunity to educate students about racism and how to respond to offensive speech in a manner consistent with America’s system of free expression.
The New York Civil Liberties Union is urging the principal of Commack High School on Long Island to rescind the suspension of a student who came to school dressed in a black-faced Aunt Jemima costume as part of an annual Halloween celebration.
In a Nov. 6 letter to Principal Russell Stewart, the NYCLU said the school had missed an opportunity to educate students about racism and how to respond to offensive speech in a manner consistent with America’s system of free expression.
“Suspending this student did nothing to teach him or any other student about America’s painful history of racism. It also failed to teach students an important civics lesson,” said Donna Lieberman, NYCLU executive director. “In a free society, the appropriate response to offensive speech should not resort to censorship and punishment but should involve more speech to explain why the original expression was objectionable or wrong minded.”
According to a press report, the student was suspended after he refused to remove the black-face makeup.
The NYCLU offered to assist the high school in developing a program that would teach students about the role of free expression in our democracy as well as about the painful legacy of race discrimination.