EWHS Makes Local History With New ASB President

Earlier this month, an Edmonds-Woodway High School student running for Associated Student Body president created a mild stir when he went off script during a speech. Administrators quickly disqualified Pascal Cloutier and suspended him for a day and a half.

But the real story here is about the candidate who actually won, and what it says about his fellow students — and American society in general.

Jamil Bolling is a likable and popular guy — he was named junior homecoming prince this school year — who clearly wants to make E-W a better place for students. He has gained experience as a member of the leadership class and is well-prepared to take on his new post in September for the 2011-12 year.

In a school that is overwhelmingly white, Bolling is African-American. There has been much written and discussed about the “post-racial” attitude among America’s young people. It’s well-documented that younger voters turning out in massive numbers helped put Barack Obama into the White House.

But Jamil Bolling isn’t just African-American.

He’s also gay, which make his victory — he won by an overwhelming margin — another indication of a “post-gay” world among the young. The term isn’t new — Out magazine editor James Collard expanded on it in a 1998 symposium — but it is increasingly gaining traction as social phenomenon. Basically, post-gay is a term used to suggest that a person’s sexual identity is no longer something that defines his or her life.

(The post-gay lifestyle is an integral part of a recent movie, "The Kids Are All Right," that is among the nominees for best picture at the Academy Awards on Feb. 27.)

Of course, not all is harmonious when considering post-gay attitudes at E-W or any high school. Bolling, 17, says that as a freshman he sent out Facebook posts on which he honestly discussed his sexuality. He now counts a few students who had doubted his sincerity as close friends. “A couple of friends told me that I would scream at everything,” he said. “I agreed, yes, it was annoying, so I worked to change that.”

Bolling first considered a run for ASB president after speaking at a school assembly dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. His speech was well-received and both the leadership class adviser and current ASB president urged him to announce his candidacy.

This year, Bolling said he sent out “scouts” among a sample of students to determine if his sexual preference would be the sole reason he’d win their vote. It turned out that wasn’t the case. “I felt that I played my strategy well,” he said.

Bolling has had plenty of life experiences to shape his strategies and philosophies. He’s also lived in Washington, D.C., California, Georgia and Texas. In California as a 5-year-old, a classmate told him she wasn't allowed to be his friend because he was black.

“I saw that people didn’t want to be my friend because of my skin color, but it wasn’t my fault,” Bolling said.

Growing up, some suggested he was “whitewashed” because his personality and demeanor didn’t  fit in with that of many African-Americans in his circle.

Bolling, who grew up with his mother and stepfather, said he decided to separate from his parents when entering high school. He wanted to live with his grandmother in Edmonds. He admits his mother didn’t like the fact that he was gay.

Looking toward the future, Bolling said he hopes to study communications and business communications at the University of Washington.

“I have no fear of talking to people,” he said. “I like giving public speeches.”

Having said that, Bolling says he’s not planning to enter politics. Rather, he wants to work as an advocate for the impoverished.

First, of course, he has his senior year to look forward to.

“When Pascal gave his speech, he said students shouldn’t get as many detentions," Bolling said. "But when I hear people complain about school, it’s not about detentions. They’re more concerned about entertainment options. They also say classes aren’t entertaining.”

Bolling may not be able to do much about livening up classes, but he said he plans to gather student feedback about life at E-W, how it can be approved, and present it to school officials.

“I’m going to be working to support all students,” Bolling said.