Race: It’s an awkward conversation to have for many Americans, yet, it’s one that’s absolutely necessary to understand the state of today’s world. The complexity of this topic makes it an especially hard concept for students to understand, especially because they are in a constant process of learning about the world, society, and themselves. Nevertheless, having conversations about race has the potential to substantially enrich a student’s education. Winchester Thurston’s Black Student Union serves the role as a facilitator for these conversations, exposing students of many different backgrounds to the issues affecting minorities in the United States, issues that many students may not get the opportunity to discuss elsewhere.

It’s common knowledge that issues of race can be very contentious and have a significant diversity of opinion. The BSU’s leadership understands this. The club’s role in opening these issues up for discussion has not been one to silence the voices of students who disagree with the club’s leadership on the topic. Its role is to ensure that these discussions happen in a respectful, well-intentioned manner free of any intolerance or prejudice so that these discussions remain productive.

The Black Student Union is not a student organization that’s trying to incite racial tension in the school. In fact, it tries to prevent these situations by providing narratives for students who might not otherwise be exposed to them outside of school. The role it plays at Winchester is indispensable, and it should be supported by both the students and administration.