,

During a moment when racial injustice and the rise of white supremacy demands national attention, schools must open difficult dialogues about what is — and isn’t — okay.

In the next chapter of our new podcast, Sounds Like Hate, we explore how one Vermont high school is grappling with whether to fly the Black Lives Matter flag and whether to remove a mascot some say bears a disturbing resemblance to a hooded Ku Klux Klansman charging on a horse.

Chapter two, called “Not Okay,” takes us inside Randolph Union High School, which is at the center of a battle that is tearing the small Vermont community apart. It illustrates how hate manifested on campus and raised challenges for staff and parents seeking to keep students safe.

The two-part chapter drops on Monday, Sept. 14, just as students across the country return to classes and schools will undoubtedly be forced to address the nationwide movement calling for an end to systemic racism and the murders of Black people by police and vigilantes.

“Not Okay” tells the stories of students, staff and parents who have experienced Randolph Union’s struggle with racism and violence firsthand, some of whom responded to the crisis by becoming change agents in their community. The community’s push to fly the Black Lives Matter flag came at a moment when the school’s principal expressed concerns about a surge in hate symbols, name-calling and threats. Amir, a student of color, described his school as a place where racially charged incidents are so common he can hardly keep track. 

Join Sounds Like Hate hosts Geraldine Moriba and Jamila Paksima as they explore how the Randolph Union community addressed local tensions that mirror a national divide.

Sincerely,
Your friends at the Southern Poverty Law Center

P.S. If you haven’t had the chance to listen yet, episodes one and two of Sounds Like Hate are available here, or on the podcast app of your choice.