Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Irreverin

Home
Progressive Christian
The Covington Catholic Boys Shouldn’t Be Expelled: They Should Be Educated

The Covington Catholic Boys Shouldn’t Be Expelled: They Should Be Educated

Last updated on: January 20, 2019 at 9:39 am by Erin Wathen

The Covington Catholic Boys Shouldn’t Be Expelled: They Should Be Educated 2019-01-20T09:39:10-07:00 Erin Wathen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Several years ago, there was some egregious display of racism on a college campus. I’m thinking it was somewhere in the south, or possibly Texas? The “where” is not the point. What I remember about that instance is the large public outcry for the students to be expelled. In response, the University President issued a public statement, saying that to be kicked out of school was the LAST thing these students needed. “If we expel these students, what do they learn?” he said. The purpose of a college is to expand minds, to expose students to worldviews beyond their own limited experience. This was an opportunity, he said, to make sure they do not hold onto their harmful views, but be stretched beyond them. Rather than casting them out to live among like-minded people who would only reinforce their prejudice, the school would make sure they got an education.

I’m paraphrasing mightily here, but that was the gist. Within community, transformation is possible. Beyond it, there is only isolation.

That letter stuck with me for a reason. I was among the people who thought that expelling the guilty parties was the best way, possibly the only way. But the thoughtful response of that educator made me realize that such cases are not so simple. Perhaps there is a better way to respond in such cases, a way that brings both consequences; and also, the potential for meaningful change. Change that moves beyond the individual parties involved, and extend to the culture at large.

So when I saw that sickening video of the students from Covington Catholic High School–wearing MAGA hats while facing down, jeering at and generally harassing a tribal leader at a demonstration in D.C.–my first thought was not “kick them out school!” but “haul their asses back to school and teach them better.”

But not just them. Also their parents. And, apparently, some of their teachers. Because those adults stood by and watched this whole grotesque display of toxic white supremacy–and did nothing. Sources say one of those teachers is a SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER. Clearly– he also needs to go back to school. If his students are yelling ‘build that wall’ at a Nathan Phillips–who is both a Native American AND a U.S. Military veteran of foreign war– they’ve clearly missed a memo about history, civics, and current events. And if they are behaving in such a repulsive manner towards ANYone–they’ve missed a memo about their Christian faith in particular, and the art of being human in general.

These kids should be held accountable, of course. Suspension or academic probation; bar them from playing sports this year; don’t let them go to dances or other extracurricular activities. Basically anything that’s fun about school, take it away. And then give them hours (and hours) of community service. But ultimately, they are still kids. They did not act in a vacuum. To expel them is to send them home, placing them under the singular influence of the adults that taught them this foul behavior in the first place. Nah. Haul their asses back to school for some mandatory anti-racism education.

And make their parents come sit through it as well. Along with, perhaps, the entire student body and faculty, *just* to make sure this doesn’t happen again. This incident is a clear example of institutionalized racism–and to really change it, you have to look at the whole institution. These boys are products of a shared environment. And I hope that school, those families, and the diocese itself will take this opportunity for a hard, inward look–and act– accordingly.

Besides, kicking them out of school will not “set an example” for anyone. If anything, it will only make like-minded racists howl at the injustice of it all… Pushing them all further to the right, and giving more fuel to the fire of those who continue to diminish the importance of education. This is how extremists are born.

As a native Kentuckian, I especially hate that these kids gave the world one more reason to think we are a backward, ignorant bunch of hicks (as if Mitch McConnell can’t do enough damage all on his own). But in the current climate, it could have been any school, any town USA. This is the new normal in Trump’s America. The issue is broad, systemic, and deeply entrenched in many communities and institutions. The business of rooting out the poison will have to be a communal effort as well. For that kind of shift to happen, school is probably the best place for them. If the school itself is willing to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Again, that’s not to say they should go without consequences. Letting them off the hook entirely would be just a further a display of white privilege in action. But after whatever discipline or community service has been served, teach them better. Teach them history; and not the white-washed western version. Teach them sociology. Teach them about native cultures, and about the resilience of communities of marginalized people. Teach them ethics. And finally teach them a Catholic ‘morality’ that extends beyond the fetus and extends to the rest of humankind.

It comes down to a question of whether one believes in retributive justice, or restorative. Retributive justice is the knee jerk reaction to punish, to say ‘throw them out.’ Believe me, I get it. I see the picture of that kid’s smarmy face and I share the impulse to throat punch him. But that is our animal self talking. The third way of Christ is ‘restorative justice.’ Making a way where there is no way; finding an opportunity to transform not just the guilty parties, but their families, their community, and the Church itself.

Of course, it’s not that simple if the school and the church itself is a hotbed of white male privilege and homogeny. The whole institution needs to take a look at its culture. It’s possible even a change of leadership is in order. But kicking these kids out of school without accountability from the place that shaped them would be a hollow, symbolic gesture. They are the fruits of a poisonous tree. Some way or another, that tree has to be pruned from the roots up.

Otherwise, they’re just going home to be reinforced in their entitlement. To hear again the same toxic rhetoric from the people who bought them those damn hats to begin with.

Uncategorized

covington catholic high school

covington catholic students

march for life

nathan phillips

native american

progressive christianity

racism

white privilege

Previous Post

January 17, 2019

Rave On: Remembering Mary Oliver, and Writing More Poetry

Next Post

January 25, 2019 The Human Cost of the Shutdown: And the Moral Bankruptcy Revealed in Wilbur Ross' Comments

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category a good week for progress Advent and Christmas Being a Person desert life faith and community Good News for Progressives Lent and Easter Marriage and Family S*^! Jesus Says sabbatical road tripping Spirituality in Culture Talking to Strangers the "Best Stuff I Ever Ate" diet travel Uncategorized writing Writing Prompt Wednesday

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many books are in the New Testament?

Select your answer to see how you score.

27 66 39 22