Two Holmdel High Grads Want 'White Privilege' Discussed In School

HOLMDEL, NJ — As marches against racism and police brutality continue nationwide — and right here locally in Hazlet, Keyport and Matawan — two young women who grew up in Holmdel are now calling on the Holmdel Board of Education to update its curriculum to "address topics of systemic racism and racial injustice."

The young women are Rachel Schienvar and Valentina Melikhova, who both graduated from Holmdel High six years ago, in 2014.

"When we were students of the school district, there was no mention of anti-racism or white privilege," said Schienvar. "We feel that it is time to bring this education to the students in our township."

(There is also a Black Lives Matter rally planned to take place in Holmdel this Thursday. Marchers say they will meet from 3-5 p.m. in front of Holmdel High School, which is just being used for parking. The event is billed as being family-friendly; there will be guest speakers and attendees are asked to wear masks.)

Here is their letter to the board, written Sunday, June 7.

"We write to respectfully request that Holmdel Township Schools: (i) craft a comprehensive elementary, middle and high school curricula plan inclusive of black history and specifically addressing systemic racism and white privilege; (ii) require diversity and inclusion training for all staff and (iii) encourage its peer schools in Monmouth County and beyond to do the same," they wrote.

When the women put the Google document on Facebook on Monday, they say it garnered nearly 550 signatures within 24 hours, according to Schienvar. The list of who has signed it includes many recent Holmdel High graduates from the past five years, and also some current parents of Holmdel public school students.

"We feel as a predominantly white and affluent township, it is our responsibility to educate our youth on racial injustices and how they can use their privilege to make lasting change," the two young women wrote. "We cherish our public education and the values we learned and examined while we were students. However, we acknowledge that Holmdel Township Schools has historically been and remains a predominantly white institution, students, staff and administrators alike. While we were students in Holmdel, this fact was rarely, if ever, discussed. We were not encouraged to examine or question our own role in supporting structural racism or the ways in which the majority of the student body benefited from it."

"Anything less will continue to make Holmdel Township Schools complicit in the current system," they added.

The young women also included a reading list that could be required in Holmdel schools, including titles such as "Beloved" by Toni Morrison, "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah and "White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo.

Holmdel superintendent of schools Dr. Robert McGarry said he had not been aware of the petition until Patch emailed him. He said he contacted both Schienvar and Melikhova to set up a time to speak with them.

McGarry, who is leaving the Holmdel school district at the end of the summer, said:

"One of the things I am most proud to be leaving behind in Holmdel is a new required course for all 8th grade students taught for the first time this year called Standing up to Intolerance. You can find the curriculum here. The culminating chapter is called Beyond Hate: The Power of the Individual."

"'Standing up to Intolerance' is required for all eighth graders at Satz Middle School.

"(It) is intended to promote social justice, challenge biases and engage students in discussions about diversity," said McGarry. "Such themes will include loss, courage, resourcefulness, fairness, humanity, justice and the ethical use of authority and power."

The first class of students to take this course will be finishing eighth grade this year.

Schienvar and Melikhova said they were encouraged to hear of this course, which was not offered when they were students, they said.