BAR HARBOR, Maine — Each year, Mount Desert Island High School's Social Responsibility Day focuses on a specific topic that may be sensitive or complicated. This year, students and staff spent Tuesday learning about systemic racism and societal inequities.
The day started off with a keynote speaker, historian Anthony Cohen. That discussion was followed by a school-wide presentation of the documentary, "Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America."
After the documentary concluded, students were able to have lunch before heading into the afternoon session. Those sessions included workshops like yoga, mural painting, hiking, and time for reflection.
Matt Haney is the principal of MDI High School.
"I really hope that the students, after the new learning they have today, they just take the chance to think and reflect about what it means to be a member of this community and to re-examine some of the truths that they may have understood in the past, to see how that might look differently through someone else's perspective and to see how they can have an impact on creating lasting change," Haney said.
Grace Munger, a senior at MDI High School, said there's still a lot to learn about racism in our society.
"I thought I knew a lot about that topic, but I think throughout the day especially with the keynote speaker and documentary we just watched, I've been learning that there's a lot that I still need to learn," Munger said.
The students said they understand that feeling uncomfortable is part of the process.
"There was some uncertainty and a little bit uncomfortableness, but with uncomfortable situations comes more growth," Azaria Long, a senior at MDI High School, said.
"This is really important work that we need to learn, especially in a predominantly white school," Ly Dillon, a junior at MDI High School, said.
However, Haney said not everyone was on board with Tuesday's lesson plan.
"There is pushback. There is a sentiment that maybe at school we should just teach the academic subjects," Haney said.
But Haney said they have a moral obligation to educate their school community about this part of history. He said education on this topic will continue beyond Tuesday.
The students agreed that more work needs to be done beyond a day of learning about racism in today's society.
"What has to follow up is a change in education and an expansion on what we're taught in school about racism," Munger said.