Peters Township High School Takes a Stand Against Discrimination

When walking the halls of , students may not think twice about the racial slurs and derogatory terms they hear being jokingly flung at other students. Well, some students and administrations have and are taking action against this nonchalant intolerance.

Assistant principal Christian Lesnett, along with a panel of seniors, presented an assembly to the freshman and sophomore classes on Wednesday. The assembly included a video made by the media department, a panel discussion and encouraging students to be aware that they are either part of the problem or part of the solution—there is no in between. Standing there and allowing bullying to happen is just as harmful as taking part in it. 

Since discrimination is a problem that every school faces, Lesnett feels a better way to solve this problem is by taking a proactive approach. Students need to feel what others feel when they receive comments of a discriminatory nature. 

“Empathy is what we need to encourage,” said Lesnett. "This requires a shift toward building more community within the school." 

Lesnett said he hoped the presentation will “springboard an initiative to encourage tolerance and empathy. Understanding someone prior to judging them is something that everyone should keep an open mind about."

However, Lesnett does not want the students of PTHS to think he is downgrading them in any way. He praises PTHS students for their behavior and admits that disciplinary referrals here compared to other schools are significantly less. 

“Sure, people make occasional mistakes, but we have a student population that I wouldn’t trade for the world,” he said. 

Just remember, the next time you see someone being bullied or looked down upon, don’t pretend you don’t see it. Take a step and help someone out—and remember, if you are not part of the problem, be part of the solution.