On the heels of nationwide incidents of racial conflict, violent and nonviolent protests erupted across the country. Many adopted the #BlackLivesMatter slogan on social media to motivate protesters and create a social media platform for the movement. The corresponding Twitter page for the hashtag grew to 23,000 followers, and the Facebook grew to 30,000 followers. Photographs of protesters holding #BlackLivesMatter signs appeared on every major media outlet, sparking discussion among millions of additional Americans.

The #BlackLivesMatter campaign began after George Zimmerman was acquitted for the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012. According to the movement’s website, “#BlackLivesMatter is “a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society.” Particularly after the assassination of two N.Y.P.D. officers in Brooklyn, many cautioned that broad vilification of law enforcement fails to advance critical efforts to end police violence, as well as the community explorations necessary to resolve the deep, underlying tensions. In mourning the officers’ murders, President Obama stated, “I ask people to reject violence and words that harm, and turn to words that heal — prayer, patient dialogue, and sympathy for the friends and family of the fallen.”

WFS Alum Clare Bayard, civil rights advocate and one of the organizers of a recent #BlackLivesMatter protest in Trolley Square, stressed similarly the need for difficult, sustained conversations on race, poverty, gender, and violence. In a recent interview, she explained, “I think that we are at the beginning of what could be a new civil rights movement. Dealing with police brutality is a first step, but it’s not the whole picture. . . . If we truly believe in the core values of Friends, we have to be willing to get uncomfortable and get real about what can change at school and in our communities.”

To that end, Upper School Social Studies classes have been discussing current events, as well as underlying issues of racism and racial inequalities. Brian Zittlau ‘15 and Emilio Ergueta ‘16 participated in a student-run debate over the verdict of the Ferguson case. While Brian argued in agreement with the decision of the Grand Jury, Emilio posited that the case should have been brought to court for a fuller examination of the facts.

In reflecting on the debate, Lena Urick, ‘17 stated, “Students are split down the middle with their opinions on the verdict of the Ferguson case, but I think that all students agree that black lives matter.”

Many students also agreed that the true value of the debate was in the discourse it inspired. Joslyn Gardner ‘16 explained, “I think it’s great that the school gives students a platform to debate controversial current events. The debate informed more people in the community about police violence, and although I didn’t agree with the decision of who won, it’s great that we even have the opportunity to share our political opinions.”