On Wednesday, Oct. 22, Guilford students rallied in front of Founders Hall to protest injustice and speak truth to power. It was a true display of some of Guilford’s key core values such as justice, equality and excellence.
As students laid their bodies on the ground to be outlined in chalk, they gained visibility, bringing awareness to the countless lives taken at the hands of police brutality.
Known as a die-in, this protest was not only seen as a symbol of students’ dedication to the resistance against this issue but as a safety hazard that warranted a write-up.
Guilford’s website states we want our students to promote positive change in the world. We also want our graduates to be risk takers. These students were doing nothing short of that. If it is a matter of welfare and accountability, then there needs to be better communication between the protesters and Public Safety. We do not want our students to be discouraged. They should be allowed the right to protest.
According to senior Juliet Smith, Director of Public Safety Ron Stowe exited Founders Hall and started to tell people they needed to move because they were acting against fire code. If they did not move, they would be written up. When no one moved, Public Safety officers arrived to document them.
“A female public safety officer approached me and said that she was sorry, but if I did not move she would be forced to write me up,” said Smith. “The way I understood it was that it wasn’t only a safety hazard but a liability issue. If Public Safety didn’t do their job, they would be responsible for the violation, and Guilford College would be held accountable, not us.
“When she asked for my information, I said, ‘I will happily give you my name and G number, but I am not going to move. I am doing the right thing.’”
The students showed true dedication as they remained on the ground, standing up against institutional racism, which is something all of Guilford should be proud of. They took Guilford’s core value of equality in stride.
When students are written up for standing up for the rights of others, it can serve as negative reinforcement. It is confusing for the students involved, for students who want to get involved and for other supporters. Some students may even start to think that if they participate in future protests, they might get punished.
Although Smith was made aware of why she was being written up, a lot of students were not, adding to the confusion and anger. It almost felt like they were being controlled by the officers rather than protected.
“The male officer told me I was blocking the entrance to Founders (Hall) and immediately asked me for my G number,” said sophomore Najha Zigbi-Johnson. “I gave it to him, but he was very abrupt and not at all accommodating. Once he got what he needed, he just walked away.”
In complex situations like these, we need consistency. Ultimately, to the officer who wrote students up, it came down to safety.
“The policy states that you have the right to protest so long as it does not interfere with the operations of the school or the rights of others,” said Stowe. “One of the great things about Guilford is that our students are very socially conscious and open-minded, but when what we want starts infringing upon the rights of others, we have to draw the line.
“They were blocking the path to and from Founders, and after being asked to move, they did not comply with the request.”
If that is what it comes down to, then the implementation of more communication between administration, Public Safety and the students could help keep everyone happy.
“It would absolutely be beneficial for students and Public Safety to work together,” said Smith. “In this case, even if it meant just blocking off a small pathway through the demonstration, just that sort of solution could help prevent future write-ups while still giving students their right to protest.”
Guilford’s community is forward -thinking. In order for us to continue to foster minds in accordance with the core values, the whole community has to work with those minds, not against them.
