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Institutionalized racism has been a hot button topic at Deerfield in the past weeks. By definition, institutionalized racism refers to “a pattern of social institutions giving negative treatment to a group of people based on their race” (Chegg Study). These social institutions can include government organizations, schools, banks and courts of law. At its root the term is most clearly applicable to slavery, Jim Crow, and mass incarceration. However, when used to define Deerfield Academy, it becomes an issue of controversy. I can agree that Deerfield doesn’t explicitly treat students of color negatively because of their race; however, bringing institutionalized racism into today’s conversation begs us to examine the patterns of other social institutions that undeniably impact the Deerfield campus. Take our sport teams: as you descend the roster from varsity to thirds, there is more racial and ethnic diversity. Even further, there are some sports that lack diversity all together. This isn’t because Deerfield has a pattern of dividing sports teams by race, but rather because of the greater correlation between race, socioeconomic status and access. Before coming to Deerfield I’d never heard of field hockey or played a team sport. My freshman year I played on 3rds, where I was the goalie. I borrowed all my equipment from the school, and I fell in love with the game. I have played every year since. As a senior, who went from never having played before to starting on JV, I recognize that this wouldn’t have been possible without Deerfield loaning me equipment every season. Some of my best Deerfield moments have occurred on the field, and I have met some of my best friends there as well. Although the bonding between teammates is genuine, my point is these connections are impacted by systems outside of Deerfield’s campus. Every time I use this example to describe exclusion at Deerfield, I am met with a surprised response. Most often I hear, “I never thought about it like that before.” This response always troubles me because as an academic institution, Deerfield’s job is to help students think about their lives in the context of this campus and the world around them. As a leader of the Deerfield Black Student Alliance, and a student coordinator for our Office of Diversity and Inclusion, I am constantly asked for an answer to one question: “How do we get white students to care about issues of race, diversity and inclusion?” All too often I have been told that people don’t care about issues that don’t pertain to them. However, I’d like to challenge the idea that race does not pertain to all students at Deerfield. Deerfield prides itself on being “a vibrant, ethical community that embraces diversity.” Our mission statement further asserts, “the Academy prepares students for leadership in a rapidly changing world that requires global understanding…” The question I would pose instead is: “Why don’t white students see race as something that pertains to them?” The answer is simple: “isms” are inherently divisive. When we start a conversation about racism or sexism, in our minds, we have already created two opposing sides. In my Facebook post, I urged students to get off their laptops and phones and engage with this community in person — community is defined as our shared identity as Deerfield students. We solve issues of race at Deerfield when we, as students, seek to interact with all members of this community and form genuine care for each other. When a student posts on Facebook that Deerfield has failed them or makes the statement that white students’ opinions don’t matter, it is our job as community members to reach out and ask them what in their life has led them to make that statement. I can admit that it is scary to walk up to people I don’t know and start a conversation; however, if that became the norm, we could connect with students on this campus on a deeper level. It is our responsibility as members of this community to care about each other enough to ask questions and build understanding. What is Deerfield if not a place where we can challenge each other respectfully and have open and honest dialogue? In my ideal vision of the Deerfield community, we focus less on the words and more on the people who say them. I’m not writing this article to settle the debate about whether or not Deerfield is institutionally racist. I am writing this article because although racism is an important issue, I don’t believe it speaks to the depth of the problem that Deerfield really struggles with. Deerfield students struggle to have empathy for members of the community that they don’t know personally. We allow fear, uncertainty, and comfort to hinder our interactions. At the end of the day, we are all teenagers in high school working hard to get through life. Because I started at Deerfield when I was only 13, I understand that it is hard to be vulnerable in high school and put yourself out there. We owe it to ourselves, then, to take advantage of Deerfield’s diverse community. By learning someone’s story, you gain a depth of perspective that you may not have otherwise had. For all the students who asked for examples of institutionalized racism or who have questions that you are too afraid to ask, I challenge you to go to an alliance meeting or ask these questions to someone you have never spoken to before. Show genuine interest and be curious and you may be surprised by what you find. “Isms” thrive when we allow them to influence our actions. They thrive when we don’t push ourselves to ask the hard questions, and most of all they thrive when we hurt each other. Hurt people hurt people and, as a woman of color, I will be the first to admit that I struggle everyday to remember that Deerfield is my school just as much as anyone else’s. Let’s all take that first step and help build a stronger Deerfield community.

Though it may appear to be a normal living room, the ominous cage of snakes on the table and the questionable decorations on the bookshelves push the audience to the edge of their seats. The distinguishable sounds of a typewriter clacking lead into Mim Pomerantz ’18 entering the stage to begin the first scene of . From October 31 to November 4, Deerfield put on a 1930s comedy, . Directed by Visual & Performing Arts Teacher Catriona Hynds, the cast consisted of 22 actors and 14 technical team members. “Mrs. Hynds put a lot of work into directing a period piece and it’s extra work for the actors; they need to know how characters from that time stood and sat and talked,” noted Assistant Director Adaire Robinson. “For this piece we decided it had to be super realistic, naturalistic, in fact. Everything in the house is what would be found in a real house at that time, and the audience will feel very much that they have stepped into their home.” Acting in a black box theatre setting can be challenging. Due to the way the size of the theatre squeezes the audience into every corner of the box, not only do the actors have to be careful about turning their backs to any spectators, but they also have to be in character throughout the entire production. Ms. Robinson elaborated, “The audience is on the three sides of stage, which means the actors will be very close to the audience at all times.” Attendees of , such as Sinclair Seeligson ’18, appreciated the proximity to the actors which the black box provides. “It was very clear that everyone studied every aspect of their respective characters, and that really showed even when their character wasn’t speaking. Every actor was acting to their best at all times, even if they were just in the background not doing anything,” Seeligson said. Peter Everett ’19, who played the part of Martin “Grandpa” Vanderhof, said, “We started rehearsing about 7 weeks ago, and once we learned our lines, we had to add the emotional texture, some movement, and some life to them.” Everett added, “The performances were great. You definitely feel the presence [of the audience] the first few times… but once you get those first three lines out, you’re doing what you’ve been practicing for the past two months, and it’s really great just playing off of your fellow actors on stage.” Behind the scenes, numerous other students worked to not only build the set, but also help with costumes and all aspects of backstage work. “[The tech team] talked a lot about design, light, and sound, and I felt like my input was needed and that I had something to do with this play even though I didn’t want to be an actor,” said Angela Osei-Ampadu ’21, a member of the tech team. She continued, “The set really did an amazing job of enhancing the story that was already being told and further giving the audience information about this family.” Many adults worked alongside the students on set design, costume design, and direction. Ms. Hynds said, “I like to direct shows that offer opportunities for students at all different levels of experience. I need to meet the needs of my experienced actors and I need to meet the needs of all the students who have had the courage to audition.” She continued, “[ ] is something a little bit lighter and I just felt that we needed to kick the year off with something funnier.” Commenting on her favorite part of the show, Ms. Hynds said, “There are several moments in the play where the majority of actors are sitting around a table — they’ve all got their arms linked over or they’re cuddling each other or sitting on each others laps and it’s really a warm, family feeling and that is absolutely real. Each of those kids in that scene cares deeply about each other. So my favorite part of this production is how close this company has become. There are 22 actors on stage, and they’re a really tight group and that was the most gratifying thing about this show.”

During the last weekend of October, three new members of the Deerfield Academy Board of Trustees arrived on campus for their first meeting. Stephen Quazzo ’78, P’08, Rudi Wachsman ’53, and Elizabeth Weymouth P’18, P’20 will each serve two five-year terms on the Board, taking part in their first meetings during the first of three Trustee Weekends during the 2017-18 school year. A Nominating and Governance Committee, led by President of the Board of Trustees, H. Rodgin Cohen ’61, identifies candidates for the Board. “We look for a variety of qualifications; by far the most important is the commitment to Deerfield and a sense of community, which we hope will be the hallmark of Deerfield,” explained Mr. Cohen. He cited “individual expertise and experience” as additional criteria that are considered in the selection process. Head of School Margarita Curtis described the Board of Trustees as “financial and cultural stewards of the institution.” An important task of the Board is to appoint the Head of School who then selects other members of the administration. Dr. Curtis also noted that the administration is the body overseeing and managing Deerfield, whereas the main job of the Trustees is to “act as advisors and listeners who provide great insight” to the administration in making important  decisions for the school. The Board is continuing progress on the Campus Master Plan, which recently included renovations of the Hess Center for the Arts and the Boyden Library. The ambitious Athletic Complex is currently in construction, and next on the list is a Wellness Center whose design has already been approved by the Board. Its construction schedule is in its beginning stages. Other interests of the trustees include allocating enough financial aid to “bring the best possible kids from the world,” as Dr. Curtis articulated. They are also seeking to bring the “best possible faculty” and retain them at Deerfield as well as to upgrade the academic curriculum continuously. Mr. Quazzo brings expertise in buildings and property as Co-Founder and Managing Director and CEO of Pearlmark Real Estate Partners, a real estate investment firm in Chicago. He is also the Chairman of the Urban Land Institute Foundation. Mr. Quazzo stated, “Serving on the Board of Trustees is an opportunity to give back [to] a school I’ve seen evolve and improve over time. I would like to do my small part [in] maintaining the unique spirit, character, and culture that differentiates Deerfield [from other secondary schools].” With a self-described occupation of “world traveler,” Mr. Wachsman has enjoyed a career working with a Mexican communications conglomerate, a paper company, and banking. He has also taught international affairs at the graduate level. Although his home is Mexico, he draws on his international perspective from years of traveling to contribute to the Board. “There are few institutions around the world like Deerfield that produce strong students who [demonstrate] leadership and the roundness of character and interests,” he commented. Mr. Wachsman expressed that contributing to the advancement of Deerfield is “time well spent.” Ms. Weymouth was a partner of Riverstone Holdings, a $34 billion private investment firm concentrating in growth capital investments in the energy and power industry. She brings to Deerfield 25 years of experience in private equity, finance, and investment, including 13 years at J.P. Morgan. Earlier this year, Ms. Weymouth became the first woman in the history of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business to be named Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Education has probably been the most important focus for our family. My interest is in making sure that women at Deerfield are advancing in the same way as men and achieving their full potential,” said Ms. Weymouth. Mr. Cohen remarked, “The three new trustees are truly citizens of the world. There is no place they have not been, nothing they have not done. They are extraordinary individuals.”

Deerfield’s App Development Club is a student-run initiative that seeks to increase the community’s engagement with programming and app development. Neil Nie ’19, Valerie Hetherington ’19, and Shreyas Sinha ’19 founded the club last year, and work with a small group of additional students to develop basic programming skills. Stressing the value of app development, Hetherington explained, “[App development] is going to continue to be such a big part of our modern society, … We think it’s very important for people to learn these skills and learn this way of thinking.” By creating projects with the community and for the community, the club intends to promote the necessary role that programming will play not only for the future of Deerfield, but for the future of the world. One of the club’s major projects has been the DA Bulletin App. According to Nie, the app “has a few hundred active users every month.” The app’s developers highly value feedback on how the app can be improved. This year, the club has expanded their outreach. Sinha ’19 said, “We have been able to work with kids on a much larger scale … and a much more personal level. The premise of our club is to make apps that help our community and [teach] people how to do that.” With one project under their belt, the club aims to take on more projects this year. However, their primary goal remains to educate the community. To assist with teaching programming skills, the App Development club uses a website called “Code.org,” a non-profit organization that aims to promote computer science education around the world. In the future, according to Nie, the club’s leaders hope to bring “Code.org” and some rudimentary coding programs to local elementary schools, outside of the immediate Deerfield community. Nie said, “It is very empowering for young students, at the age of 10 or 11, to begin to understand the basics of coding.” The leaders believe it is necessary that young students become engaged with app development given that these skills grow in importance, as shown by the increase in jobs involving computer programming. The club demonstrates a passion for the impact of app development on not only the Deerfield community but also how the field will continue to grow and affect the world as a career industry in the future.

The Deerfield dance program will present , a world renowned ballet and cherished annual tradition at Deerfield, this coming December. tells the story of Clara, a young girl who receives a nutcracker as a Christmas present. In a fantastical twist, the nutcracker is brought to life at the stroke of midnight. After Clara saves him in a fierce battle, he brings her through a series of wondrous realms — including, for example, the Land of the Sweets. Here in Deerfield, Massachusetts, the collaboration between The Bement School and Deerfield Academy of first premiered in 2012. It has since grown to include two ensembles and two co-curricular groups as well as the middle school dancers from the Bement School. Ms. Jennifer Whitcomb, director of the Deerfield dance program, stated, “I think it’s a nod to the importance of ballet in our curriculum. We’ve never had a performance dedicated solely to ballet, which is a shame considering how much classical training is integrated into our program.” Ms. Carrie Towle, the Deerfield ballet director, and Ms. Julia Chen, her counterpart at Bement, have already begun working together to plan this year’s performance. Ms. Towle described, “There’s a lot of planning that goes into the production, especially with the inclusion of the Bement kids. But, as a ballet specialist, this is one of my favorite shows in the entire year. It’s amazing to see everyone bond over such an amazing story and tradition.” Megan Martino ’18, a member of the Advanced Dance Ensemble, recounted, “I’ve been in since I was back at Bement for the first ever production. I still remember coming to Deerfield as a middle school student and seeing the Deerfield dancers really inspired me to continue with my own training. I’ve loved seeing how it grows every year.” This year, Martino will be playing the role of the Snow Queen in Quinn Soucy ’19, another member of the Advanced Dance Ensemble, added, “It’s amazing that we do it with the Bement children. Seeing them so happy is one of the best parts of the show.” Moving forward, Ms. Whitcomb plans to include other performing arts, such as live music, in as well. Mr. Thomas Bergeron, director of orchestra and chamber music, informed, “We are hoping to perform two movements, ‘Marzipan’ and ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ along with the dancers on Monday in connection with the ‘Revels and Carols’ event at the Hess Center.” Ms. Whitcomb confirmed, “We are excited to see where a merging of the performance arts can take us.” Soucy elaborated on the importance and uniqueness of the tradition at Deerfield, elucidating, “For me, the holiday period would not be the same without .”

Athletic concentrations, otherwise known as “exemptions” among students, are a co-curricular option for juniors and seniors where athletes can use their afternoons to focus on a particular talent. In order to be eligible for this opportunity, students must participate in two interscholastic teams in the other seasons. While athletic concentrations are offered in all three seasons, concentrations in the fall are very desirable for junior and senior athletes who want to prepare for a winter or spring sport and raise their ability to another level. However, referring to this co-curricular as an “exemption” is actually a misnomer. The term exemption implies that students are avoiding something. According to Athletic Director Mr. Bob Howe, “This is not the way we want to portray this unique opportunity. Instead, calling it an ‘Athletic Concentration’ would allow students to acknowledge that it is not exempting the students from something, but rather letting them concentrate on their priority sport.” This past fall, 35 students participated in an athletic concentration. Varsity swimmer and lacrosse player Young Hur ’18 acknowledges the importance of the freedom a concentration allows, noting, “Because I play lacrosse and swim about three to four times a week, I feel like I have the ability to choose which aspects of my game I want to improve upon, and then the next step from there is to just strengthen them in preparation for the season.” Another student taking part in a fall concentration is tennis player Alfi Auersperg ’19. Discussing how he uses his concentration, Auersperg commented, “During my time on court, a couple of other friends and I play practice sets to simulate certain pressure situations when we play against other schools in the spring. During the weekends, I also travel around the New England area to compete in USTA tournaments, and the school is really supportive of this.” Ashley Manning ’19, captain of the varsity squash team, spends her concentration “practicing about six times a week, four times with a coach and the other two with kids on the squash team.” She explained that taking part in a concentration was desirable for her because “it is hard to commit to a fall sport while playing squash at the same time, and apart from that, the workload would also be a problem. However, with a concentration it gives me the freedom to participate in tournaments on weekends and improve on my game.” Katie Zaslaw ’19 prepares for the winter swim season by swimming every day and going to the gym about four times a week. Zaslaw commented, “I’m really grateful for the opportunities Deerfield has provided me. Having a concentration as a co-curricular allows me to attend swim meets during the weekend, and apart from that, it also gives me time to travel to Amherst with some girls on the swim team to practice.” The popularity of concentrations continues as 28 athletes will participate in one this winter.

Thanksgiving break is a great time to relax, and rewind. Fall exams have just finished, winter is quickly approaching, so what could be better than getting in bed, snuggling under cozy blankets, and turning on a great film? If this idea appeals to you, and you’re just struggling with which movies to pick from, take a look at this list, and get recommendations on why you should watch some of my all-time favorites! 1. : It’s arguably, the best movie ever, and hands-down one of the funniest movies ever made. Will Ferrell is a legend, and who can resist his overdone caricature of racecar drivers? The perfect movie to watch with family or friends, and guaranteed to elevate the mood of any Thanksgiving dinner gone wrong. 2. : A newer movie, the classic romance between Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling will pull at your heartstrings, and leave you laughing and crying. 3. : If family drama has you feeling a little bit darker, definitely go for . Alfred Hitchcock weaves a terrifying story around the enigmatic Andrew Bates that will haunt you for weeks. 4. : This is the ultimate psychological, crime thriller, and will keep you on your toes until the very end. Hannibal Lecter is one of the most iconic, psychopathic characters known to date. 5. : On a more light-hearted note, is an absolute must-see. Its satirical depiction of the 1970s through the eyes of reporter Ron Burgundy is flawless. Watch it with your siblings, parents, and even grandparents because no one can resist the comedic genius of Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner. 6. : This movie is absolutely timeless. rises above the confines of all genres as it is simultaneously a comedy, romance, drama, and action film. The heart-warming tale of Westley and Princess Buttercup, and their love that triumphs against all odds will have you in your ~feels~. 7 . : is a classic high school movie, following the epic quest of two downtrodden seniors, Seth and Evan, to have an awesome graduation party. Michael Cera and Jonah Hill perfectly emulate the awkwardness of high school, and their college-related struggles will be especially relatable to seniors. This is a feel-good comedy that you will be McLovin. Give this list a chance, enjoy your Thanksgiving break, and happy movie-watching, DA!

On October 24, a recent Deerfield alumna posted an open letter to Facebook that addressed race and racism within the Deerfield community, sparking a discussion for students on campus both through the comment feature online and through an open forum that took place in the Main School Building on October 26. So many students and faculty members attended the forum that it was moved from the Caswell into the lobby, and a seemingly endless list of comments emerged on Facebook in the days following the publication of the open letter. The Deerfield community is making an effort to define racism and address its presence on campus. English Teaching Fellow Ms. Anna Gonzales ’12 sees racism “not as a series of isolated incidents or thing that a person does or is to someone else, but as an outgrowth of official and unofficial policies that make it socially acceptable for people to do or say racist things. … The more frequently we discuss racism, the more effective we’ll be at recognizing more forms of it.” With respect to recent events on campus such as the open forum, Ms. Gonzales said, “[the conversation is] a sign that hopefully people are listening to their peers’ experiences and are trying to learn from them … criticizing a community is a sign that you care.” Fernanda Ponce ’19 thought that the open letter accomplished “what can be too taboo at Deerfield, which is being honest about what we (minority groups) experience on this campus.” Many comments on the Facebook thread concerned whether institutionalized racism was present at Deerfield, and who should make that determination. Nafi Sall ’20 said, “You cannot denounce [the 2016 Deerfield alum’s experience] because you never went through what she had to go through. Everyone at Deerfield has their own experience, so let’s not try to doubt and argue against someone else’s.” Sam Laur ’20 agreed that it’s important to hear what others are saying and to trust members of the community who speak out about racism. He responded to comments on Facebook that were critical of the original post by saying, “Dear white men, … when so many women and people of different races in our community are saying that they have experienced this discrimination first hand, let’s believe them. Let us use our empathy and seek to understand instead of shutting them out because they have experienced things we have not.” Assistant Head for Student Life Amie Creagh said she found the open letter “eye-opening, discouraging, [and] inspiring.” She is glad that it turned into face-to-face discussions, as “it is very difficult to have your mind changed on Facebook.” Many students think that a deeper understanding of the problem would serve Deerfield students in trying to find a solution. Nathan Hu ’19 commented during the open forum, “The first step to solving the problem is educating people about the problem.” Similarly, Joni Otto-Bernstein said, “If we’re to change how we act here on campus, … we have to know where to attack these inequalities.” Ms. Creagh emphasized that “it should not be just our kids of color who are forced to address inappropriate, offensive, hurtful comments.” Andrew Peck ’18 felt that at the open forum, “We turned the conversation into a game, with two teams, and it was about winning and losing. In reality, there should have been one team, as I hope and believe everybody was there for one same reason, striving for progress.” Ponce noted at the forum that “hopefully in the future more people will go to alliance and inclusion discussions.” Ponce is “beyond grateful Dr. Curtis attended the forum,” regardless of her prior commitment with the Board of Trustees. Ponce remarked, “I recognize our administration and the Inclusion Office have done a lot in trying to diversify our student body and bring awareness about different issues to campus. I am beyond grateful for their work, but I think at some point it falls to us as students to be responsible for trying to make our campus a better place, a place that everyone can call home.” Ms. Creagh echoed Ponce, commenting, “It’s our job as adults to ensure we’re providing the skills, opportunities for conversation, … but we’re secondary. … I believe that more impact can come from peers than from adults.” She said, “Being kind is so simple. … I don’t understand intentionally being mean to somebody. … Just be kind.”

While watching a performance at a recent school meeting, I was distracted by people talking. At previous school meetings, I’ve been distracted by glowing screens. This happens during student readings of Deerfield stories, during music and dance performances, and while guest speakers are sharing their experiences. “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity,” wrote philosopher Simone Weil in a letter to a friend. Sharing our attention is at the heart of what it means to value face-to-face interactions and to value respect, honesty, and concern for others. In a community like ours, attention to our peers, to other community members, and to our guests is a basic expectation. Still, we all live different lives, and sometimes we are preoccupied, or we are tired, or we simply aren’t interested in a presentation or performance. This is ok. In these moments, we should refrain from distracting others. Offer eye contact. Do our best. Refraining from whispering or messaging makes other people’s experiences better. In fact, recent research suggests that multitasking, like checking your phone or talking with others, might not only hinder your own learning, but also the learning of people around you. There a science behind this that involves how the brain switches between tasks: breaking the attention of others disrupts working memory and inhibits the brain’s ability to construct new knowledge and memories. In short, being disruptive at meetings — by talking, looking at your phone, etc. — makes other people’s experiences worse. We are lucky to meet regularly in a space as beautiful as our auditorium. Its beauty is not only visual, though. The acoustics are sensitive; the sight lines, diverse. As a result of this sound and shape, we hear each other and see each other more clearly than in other spaces. This is a gift to us all, but also sometimes a challenge. Since most students reading this are caring audience members, to you I ask: please tell the people around you to be respectful, to not distract others by talking or looking at their phones during speeches or performances. And to those with your phones on your lap or who whisper to your neighbor: be generous. Give your attention to others, and especially to those who have the courage and generosity to stand before you and give their attention to you.

In October, Ms. Creagh, Assistant Head for Student Life, and Dr. Relin, Director of Counseling, shared results from a psychology survey conducted on students in February 2017. The primary objective of the survey was to investigate the challenges and stresses that Deerfield students experience due to the high standards students are asked to meet. While students have found ways to help each other by way of Peer Counselors and the Wellness Club, the administration maintains that current mental health initiatives must improve. Deerfield Academy is not able to release specific data results because the data collected by Dr. Luthar was all conducted anonymously both internally and externally. Mrs. Creagh and Dr. Relin were given just one time slot during school meeting to present data to students, because they felt that the student body deserved to know the results after dedicating time to the survey. Deerfield students fell above average in their affirmative response to the question of whether they had had a drink in the past 30 days. The percentage of girls who replied with “yes” was also higher than the percentage of boys. Ms Creagh said that immediately after learning about the survey results, several girls came up to her and said, “Ms. Creagh, it’s obvious more girls responded yes because the girls were just more honest.” Julia Bewkes ’18 said, “Some boys might have clicked through the survey as fast as possible, but I don’t think anyone was intentionally dishonest on the survey. Personally, I think the number of guys and girls who drink on campus is split pretty evenly.” Ms. Creagh further explained her concern: “More boys get in trouble. This seems unfair. If boys are facing disciplinary action, that must feel pretty bad.” Students are also concerned that sharing the results with the entire student body normalizes substance use. Nikita Pelletier ’20 said, “Deerfield almost seems like it is embracing substance use by only telling students the results [instead of] taking immediate action.” Lily Berry ’21 agreed, “I was definitely intimidated by these results as a freshman, just because I’ve heard plenty of rumors of things that go on on campus. It was weird how everyone was cheering considering how high those percentages were.” During the weekend of November 5, Deerfield students were found drinking and using drugs on campus, leading to a Disciplinary Committee hearing. Head of School Dr. Curtis addressed these incidents in an email to Deerfield parents and faculty, stating, “Although this situation involves many factors, there is an issue I want to bring to your attention. Some of the students involved acknowledged using cocaine. We consider the presence of illegal drugs on campus to be a clear and exigent danger to the community, and we are addressing this development decisively.” Considering the recent events on campus and the relationship between substance use and mental health, the administration has indicated that it will continue to develop and improve mental health initiatives, aiming to decrease the prevalence of student substance abuse on campus. Mr. Kelly was unable to give comments from a disciplinary perspective. However, Ms. Creagh stated that she can only hope that “we can be addressing this issue from a preventative standpoint, not a reaction[ary] one.”

Several weeks ago, a Deerfield alumna published an open letter on Facebook addressed directly to the school community. She expressed concerns about prevalent issues of prejudice on campus, namely sexism and racism, and called for readers to respond and share their experiences. In a matter of hours, the thread was filled with debate and discussion, with Deerfield students and alumni alike posting comments to share their opinions. While some commenters did offer respectful statements that provided their perspectives and acknowledged those of others, the comment thread was largely filled with heated, back-and-forth debate, in which many openly condemned others’ perspectives as invalid or even resorted to personal attacks and insults. We know that racism and sexism are issues that many people feel strongly about, or that touch many people at a personal level. No matter what we believe, it can be upsetting and frustrating when others do not share our beliefs or see our points of view. But attacking others’ opinions will only alienate them and lead to more defensiveness, animosity, and narrow-mindedness. This type of discussion is far from productive. At Deerfield, we learn how to have respectful discussions with our peers every day in our classes, especially at the seminar table. So why can’t we do it on Facebook? While public social media platforms allow for widespread and efficient dissemination of information, they can also invite people to communicate with each other more aggressively and more disrespectfully than they might dare to do in person. It is often easier to dehumanize others online, when we can’t physically see them. Much of the healthy discussion that we practice every day at Deerfield stems from the notion of the Socratic seminar, an approach to discussion based off of the beliefs of the philosopher Socrates. “I know that I know nothing” is an idea underlying Socrates’ philosophy. The goal of a Socratic seminar is not for any one faction to “win” the argument. Instead, participants are encouraged to think critically about the issues at hand and work together to construct meaning and draw conclusions. With the rise of debate surrounding pertinent issues in our community, it is now especially important that we focus on having candid but productive and respectful discussions. As the “Cross the Valley” posters around campus have reminded us, we must accept others’ experiences and perspectives as true to them. Other posters have also urged us to listen to understand, instead of listening to respond. It is important to take these cultural competency skills to heart, as they can go a long way in promoting healthier dialogue in our lives. Whether online or in person, we must resist the urge to attack and devalue others’ opinions, no matter how different they are from our own, and instead, work towards empathy and understanding and ultimately, cooperation in order to find solutions to any challenges we face as a community. Only by engaging open-mindedly and respectfully with one another can we bridge our differences and work towards progress.

“Welcome to America! I just want you to know that not everyone is against you, and that there’s many like me who are on your side! I support you!” The Polish immigrant’s smile was endless while he talked affectionately to my mother and me. Feelings of déjà vu swept over me as I remembered three-year-old Fatima at an international arrival terminal at JFK. What he didn’t realize is that we received our American welcome over a decade ago. As the years went by, my other three siblings changed the immigrant to nonimmigrant ratio in our family to fifty-fifty. But, if your mother wears hijab people can assume anything. The phrase that stands out the most to me is “on your side.” Why should I be on a different side than him, or Christians, or Jews, or anybody? It’s wrong that Muslims are viewed as terrorists who follow a “violent” religion. Ironic, since the definition of the word “Islam,” is “World of Peace.” Unfortunately, this knowledge reaches those who choose to be exposed to it, but the problem is — why do people have to put in an effort to know? Just as everyone has heard the negative stereotypes associated with my religion, why haven’t they heard about the fundamental values and truths about it? Why are 1.6 billion Muslims becoming victims for the actions of a few? Answer: Five-letter word. Media. Media is the only way people get their news, and often people are swayed without understanding both sides of the story. For at least three days on national television, you’ll hear about the Arab-Muslim-Man-With-A-Beard who is a suspect. But only for a day on national television, you’ll hear about the White-Non-Muslim-Man-Without-A-Beard who set an Ohio mosque on fire because he was “mentally ill.” When the White-Non-Muslim-Man-Without-A-Beard was asked whether he knew any Muslims or what Islam is, he replied, “No, I only know what I hear on Fox News and what I hear on radio.” The President publicly expressed lamentation for the Paris attack performed by the Arab-Muslim-Man-With-A-Beard, but the President never did the same for the Muslims in Quebec who lost their lives due to the White-Non-Muslim-Man-Without-A-Beard. Despite that, the epitome of media bias is when the media chose to highlight the Muslim suicide bomber in Stade de France but not the Muslim security officer who blocked the bomber from entering the stadium. The Muslim security officer became a hero when he lost his life, for the sake of saving hundreds of others, but he wasn’t the Muslim the media wanted. This is a problem. In the beginning of my middle school chorus concerts, my classmates and I sang lines about younger America: “land of the free, and the home of the brave.” The structural values of liberty, equality and unity that were implemented at America’s birth now seem paradoxical. Building a wall, banning a religion, discriminating against genders and cultures are not what the Founding Fathers of this country would have liked to see. The people who will have to suffer from unconstitutional orders aren’t “free,” and segregation isn’t “brave;” if anything, it’s cowardly. Why must people resort to discrimination, hate, or violence to solve problems instead of unity, logic, and ethics? The saddening options that are used today violate the definition of being American. We claim to be the best nation in the world, so let’s prove that through every action. But just as racial discrimination is spreading, so is racial progress. We all have been taught to not believe everything we hear and to educate ourselves before drawing a conclusion. People that researched Islam only found room for love and empathy in my religion, which is the opposite of what most media outlets portray. People are beginning to question the media and realize that Islamophobia is actually just a phobia about understanding the truth. Once someone learns the facts, they’ll get over his/her fear of a certain race. When Muslims banned from travel were praying in airports, their fellow non-Muslims citizens protected them. This is the definition of hope. We are all human beings first, then religion plays a part of how one defines him or herself; but a religion doesn’t define the person nor does a person define the religion. Every cloud has a silver lining and this cloud that is storming and fogging up America right now is the same one that is uniting millions of diverse people together. Knowing that my brother won’t be segregated because his name is Muhammad, or my mother because she wears hijab is a dream I believe to see in my lifetime because I have hope in my fellow immigrants, just like my Polish Friend, who built this nation. With more unity and support not only between every immigrant to immigrant, but between every person to every person, we will show this teenage America what it means to be American. Let’s make empathy great again.