Quit Hiding Scotch Plains.

On October 6th, Scotch Plains residents were appalled to find racist graffiti including anti-semitic symbols and words, as well as the use of the n word spray painted to the back of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. Sadly, as a resident of many different towns, but in Scotch Plains for the last five years, I cannot say I am surprised. Scotch Plains has a racism epidemic that needs to be addressed. Quit hiding behind a school system that pretends to care about racism, and quit hiding behind events relating to diversity in town. Scotch Plains can do all it wants to pretend it is diverse, and pretend it is accepting; it does not change the truth: Scotch Plains is a racist town.

It is a racist town. No, not everybody in the town condones the swastikas and words that were spray painted, but the town needs to do more to combat the racism epidemic. Saying “that’s awful” on Facebook and then organizing a vigil via what frankly has rapidly become a joke of an organization in SPF Parents United that will likely only be attended by hordes of white people along with specifically the politicians and candidates in town. Real action comes with exposing the dirt. Dirt doesn’t clean up itself; sometimes it takes a tough scrub. Scotch Plains may need more than a tough scrub, but slowly and surely it will clean up, if action is taken.

The first action the town needs to take is to realize that these actions are not isolated. Racism happens every day in Scotch Plains. It happens at sporting events; it happens on community Facebook groups; it happens in our schools; and it happens in the street. Racism runs rampant in Scotch Plains. In addition to the graffiti at the high school, which I do now understand came from three Westfield kids, insensitive graffiti was found just last May on the playground at Evergreen Elementary School. At Ponderosa Park, just a couple years ago, drawn in the dirt was a swastika. And also recently, teenagers went into the booth at the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School football stadium and started shouting the n word at people running on the track. This is Scotch Plains.

Once the town realizes it cannot hold hands and sing Kumbaya before actually fixing the problems, then real steps can be taken to curb racism. The town should take action to remove culturally insensitive symbols and themes in town. For example, at the Village Green, there is absolutely NO reason to have a statue and monument dedicated to discoverer of absolutely nothing, and mass murderer, rapist, and slave master, Christopher Columbus. I know there is a large Italian community in town that will object to what I am saying here because historically Columbus was used as a way to show how Italian-Americans are American enough, however Italians are just as privileged in this country now as any Anglo-Saxon. Take the statue down, quit celebrating Columbus Day. Another example would be if the schools took down its plaques and painted over its murals with the pre-2004 culturally insensitive sports team mascot of an indigenous person. I stress pre-2004, because it hasn’t been the mascot in years, so why keep the dead mascot alive? Last year, my comments on this matter were misconstrued into being anti sports culture. It isn’t anti sports culture in town; it is just a matter of finding ways to support our teams in respectful matters. Our new mascot is a knight. Embrace it.

Speaking of the school level, what has the school district done to hire a diverse teaching staff? Absolutely nothing. I have been going to Scotch Plains-Fanwood schools for almost six years now, and the only non-white teachers I have had were Spanish teachers. Scientific American even says, “People who are different from one another in race, gender and other dimensions bring unique information and experiences to bear on the task at hand.” I can only imagine how much better our school system would be if my Math teacher was a black woman, my English teacher was a white man, and my Social Studies teacher was an immigrant from outside the United States. Perspectives toward race change when we experience other cultures ourselves.

Furthermore, in embracing racial diversity, what in the world is up with people in this town’s intense dislike of affordable housing and our next door neighbors in Plainfield? In a local Facebook group there was a thread regarding affordable housing, and I quote that someone said, “This is the wrong crowd of people we want to be living in our town,” and another said, “What about the schools? How are they going to manage these people moving in?” Everybody knows deep down who “those people” are. They are people like myself. People who are from families of immigrants. They are other minorities as well. They are single moms. They are people laid off from jobs. They are some of your parents. Stop saying “those people.” What people? On the note about Plainfield, people around here act like it is another planet. I love Plainfield. The people are much nicer. Our town wants to redevelop the downtown area, take a look at Plainfield’s downtown. The buildings are beautiful, and there are so many thriving businesses. The city is considerably more diverse in opinion and background. Scotch Plains should look up to a city like Plainfield instead of acting like they’re lesser.

Lastly, acknowledge that the white privilege that 77% of the town does possess means that your sons and daughters will likely have a better shot at moving up the economic ladder or going to a good college then someone say like myself or people who are not white passing, unlike me. So do not get mad when you see a poorer student or a student of color granted scholarships because of affirmative action when your child does not. Your child will have an easier time getting into college anyways.

Most of us were not happy with what happened on October 6th, but racist culture in Scotch Plains, Fanwood, and Westfield alike caused it. Raising our children in environments hostile to people who are different than them causes this. Covering your ears and putting on a blindfold does not change that. Maybe you are not racist. Maybe not the entire town is racist. But it is until the town speaks up and does something constructive (and I mean real action, not holding hands at a vigil), that Scotch Plains will not be known as the racist town. Until then, we are a racist town. Let’s work together to solve these problems.