Racial Bias at Rye High School Documented on Social Media Account
(PHOTO: One of the 139 posts from the BIPOC at Rye High School Instagram account recounting racial bias at Rye High School.)
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter march and protest in Rye and the LGBTQ+ resolution and flag debate at city council, a new social media account is documenting accounts of racial bias at Rye High School.
The accounts are disturbing, and document stories of bias from students, faculty, administration, the athletic program and parents. The account, BIPOC at Rye High School on Instagram, is according to its description “A platform for students and alum of Rye to anonymously submit their experiences with racial discrimination at Rye High School.”
BIPOC stands for black, Indigenous and people of color. The bias stories detailed in the account are from all sorts of students – Black, Brown, Asian, Hispanic, Gay, Jewish and more.
Contacted by MyRye.com, the account creator chose to remain anonymous but said in a message “I started it on Monday and I am a current RHS student.” The account already has 139 posts with stories of bias and over 1,000 followers.
For those not on Instagram, you can view just some of the postings just below. Or view the account.
A history of privilege?
How about a history of earning and working to make Rye what it is? Nothing grows of itself.
You think Rye just magically appeared out of nowhere to be what it is?
Rye was built up by hard work and blood and sweat and tears!
Do you think white kids don’t go through tough times?
What did Irish, English Italian, and other immigrants go through when they came here? Some pretty bad early times.
This isn’t a perfect community. If you are looking for the perfect community, you won’t ever find it.
We need to stop living in little victim boxes.
Everything you just said is completely irrelevant. Racism isn’t “paying dues”. No one should have to go through it.
Earning and working to make Rye what it is? They were able to do that because of White Privilege. Do you think Black and Hispanic people were offered the same business loans, the same mortgages, the same jobs at the same pay?
Yes, there are no perfect communities filled with perfect people. That doesn’t mean that racism (and sexism and anti-Semitism and nationalism and White supremacy) shouldn’t be called out at every opportunity and ESPECIALLY when it takes place in a public high school. It’s NEVER acceptable.
When did I say racism is about paying dues? That’s a convoluted statement.
I said many groups go through stigmas and trials.
Groups are jested and stereotyped. Is it right? No. Does it happen sometimes? Yes.
No one said it is right, or some necessary rite of passage. I didn’t say that.
It is a historical fact. I was only pointing it out, to the people who think life was like some cakewalk for all groups that came to this country.
White privilege? I keep hearing this word.
What is that? Sounds like some political talking point your regurgitating from some pundit. What does it mean? Who made this up?
These are just kids living in Rye, NY. They hang out with kids who have similiar interests and likes. Maybe they look the same. Maybe they dont. Maybe all their friends have the same skin color. What is the point?
Unfortunately racism happens.
Racism is perpertrated by callous cruel individuals and stupid fools. Don’t paintbrush the whole city with this. Racism should be punished if its intent is to psychologically harm an individual.
We are just living life in Rye, NY. Stop labeling us with your political terms.
Are you kidding? You are clueless.
Though I will add many of these incidents are unfortunate and lamentable.
But let’s not throw Rye in the dirt and spit on it because of the potential crudeness of human nature and the actions of some bad apples.
Also do not some of these people regret saying these insensitive things?
Did they ever think to ask that question?
Some of these incidents were involving very young immature kids. Come on!
MyRye.com: Thank you for publishing this. What a wake-up call. I am saddened and ashamed. It is time for change. Not just at RHS and RMS; but in the Rye community itself.
Not setting the bar very high Johnny Jones. Should those incidences be ignored? Or can the parents who teach these children negativity grow up themselves. Remember the song? You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear…
When did I say the incidents should be ignored?
I said why don’t we ask the question if the people or the kids who were involved in these incidents regret them? They were young immature middle school and high school kids.
The fact is kids say things they don’t mean in the heat of the moment and make mistakes.
If you want to find perfect kids who don’t make mistakes you should go back to your fantastic day dreams.
Johnny Jones, I agree with you that many of the things posted on this Instagram account stem from immaturity. However, I think it is important that we highlight these issues, and attempt to eradicate them from our town.
This is not just a Rye problem. That it not to say that we should not change.
Racial slurs should not be acceptable in schools, and neither should aggression towards others, regardless of race — both of which I have seen as a student at RHS. I don’t mean to say that you are encouraging these, as you clearly are not, but just to bring to your attention that this is are issues that are not being properly moderated in Rye schools. This BIPOC Instagram account is not meant to “throw Rye in the dirt and spit on it”, but meant to bring these issues into the public eye.
Additionally: White privilege can be difficult to understand, but is a result of rasist segregation and redlining throughout American history. The New York Times has written some great articles related to this in their 1619 collection, which was written in reaction to the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia.
^ the link to this project is : https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html