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On the surface, a tongue in cheek comment may seem innocent enough, yet can go on to portray exactly how different reactions would be if brought about by the individuals in which it targeted. The comment in question is one that managed to slip through the editorial process of a Folsom high school yearbook, the word in question being “cracker”, often used as a derogatory statement for low income, Caucasian individuals. Though it may not be as outright offensive as other terminology available, it still raises questions. We live in a climate today where race has taken front and center stage in a number of political commentaries. From immigration to travel bans, undocumented citizens to gangs of ethnicity being given the blame for a number of different issues. We have seen violence against minorities, we have seen a rise in social commentary and have done our best to balance the line between being able to point these issues out while also being able to raise a conversation that allows for both better understanding and the capability to come to an agreement to disagree. Often, we see minorities in our surroundings as the targets of this type of speech, these types of actions and don’t often pay much attention when it comes to statements made against the majority. In the Folsom area, the demographic is predominantly white, so when statements of race are made, it’s those that highlight the minorities that are often the ones that garner the biggest reaction. But do we ignore comments made against the majority, simply because they are less often the target of this specific type of speech. Do we allow a certain level of leniency in order to pay back the actions of a certain few? In an ideal world, we would never have to worry about dealing with situations of this nature as we could all coexist as human beings and leave aside any previous prejudices or prejudgments placed on individuals of any color. The world doesn’t yet seem to be ready to step into that line of thought, which means that we need to take careful stock of the words that we say, the actions that we carry out and the means in which our behaviors have the capability to impact individuals of all races, colors and creeds. Statements being made negatively towards any race need to be addressed yet doesn’t overshadow the severe imbalance in place when it comes to actions of this nature. We all need to play our part in attempting to build a better future, even if it starts with a less than common situation. The only way that we have the capability to move forward and to better ourselves and our positions with each other is to ensure that we are treating everybody with respect, even if we get none in return. It’s only through the strength of character that we have the capability to make everybody stronger.

Growing up, we’ve all had our favorite teachers. The ones who would take the extra little steps to ensure that you are getting the assistance necessary, the ones who supported you in the endeavors that you had in the ones that drove you to reaching the heights of success that you couldn’t see on your own. It’s not often that teachers have that feeling reciprocated and even less common for an entire community to rally behind one individual teacher in order to save their jobs, their livelihood and their future. This was the case though at a Folsom Cordova Unified school, where a teacher was facing the possibility of having their position terminated. Though the reasoning behind the school board vote is kept confidential, what became quickly apparent was the number of parents, students and community members who came in support of this particular teacher. The amount of outpouring delivered by former students and members of the community is something rarely seen, where it can be hard enough to get individuals to take part in school board meetings, for these many individuals to take the time out for a cause was a true spectacle. Not only was every seat taken, every comment card filled out, every block of speaking time occupied but even the school board members email inboxes were inundated with letters of praise and support of this teacher coming in from all over the country. Individuals who have had their lives shaped and guided by this particular teacher, demonstrating the level of support given by the entire community in order to assist this teacher and his battle for their job. Culminating in a 4 to 1 result in favor of allowing them to continue in their position. This particular teacher has not only been dealing with the issues within the school, which has led to the point of considering their termination but outside of school halls, has also been dealing with extremely difficult circumstances. His youngest daughter, who had previously gone into remission for cancer had it come back, his wife was forced to leave her position in order to provide the necessary medical care and if his job was lost, so too would have been his insurance coverage and the capability to afford the necessary treatments his daughter needs in order to continue her battle. All of these facts coming together with the outpouring of support from the local community led the school board to almost unanimously agreeing that terminating this particular teacher would have been the wrong move, much to the relief of the various individuals who took time out of their lives in order to help save his. Knowing that we have this level of care for the teachers in our community is heartwarming, these individuals play a large role in shaping the future of Folsom. We’re sure that the teacher in question has had their validation delivered and that they will keep this support in mind while tending to the needs of his next class.