Film Screening Sparks Impromptu Discussion on Desegregation

On the afternoon of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, students, parents and community members attended a double-feature screening of Nine from Little Rock and Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later at the New Rochelle High School (NRHS). 

The films, which discussed the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case filed in 1951, were offered by the New Rochelle School District’s Reflections of Change committee. The committee was created last year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Taylor Case decision. The desegregation case, filed in New Rochelle in 1961, was the first case in the North following the Brown decision.

“I think our experience here in new Rochelle was not that dramatic, but we can understand how those children felt,” said Linda Tarrant-Reid, a committee representative.

Many expressed how deeply moved they were from watching the two films, and called for the film to be shown to all NRHS students and instructors.

Referring to the teaching staff, Tarrant-Reid added that sometimes when one sits in the classroom, you don’t see today’s discrimination problems.

Jackie Mills, who has a daughter in the high school, thought that she was looking at NRHS today.

“I do not see the difference between [Central High School in Little Rock and NRHS]. I think this movie needs to be shown in a forum where we can have an honest discussion,” she said.

Agreeing audience members who spoke made it clear that more should be done to integrate and educate students on racism and discrimination. At Little Rock Central today, for instance, AP classes are predominantly lacking minority students.

“And it is also happening right here at New Rochelle High School,” Mills said. “There are things that are done here for a certain caucasian kid and not a black kid. I’m an active parent, and I make noise. But for those parents that are afraid to make noise, they get left out of the process.”

Board of Education President Sara M. Richmond said that parents have an outlet with the PTA.

A few brought up immigrants and legal status of a portion of the student body, while others asked why more representatives from the school district, such as the principal, were not in attendance.

All in all, adult speakers questioned what current support programs are available to students who struggle, students who do not have support at home and for the wellness of the student body as a whole.

Camille Edwards-Thomas, school community facilitator, noted that there are various organizations and different people at the school who take interest in students and who do care.

“It is about getting all of the stars to align: the parents, the students, the teachers, the counselors, the administrators,” she said.

Patrons expressed concern that—although there was great dialogue in the room—a true continuation of this sentiment would not come to fruition. It was hoped by many that time could be set aside during school hours for film viewing and discussion.

CLARIFICATION: A previous version of this article referred to "Brown vs. Board of Education case in 1951." That was the year the lawsuit was filed. The U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in 1954.