This year, Tatler is piloting an Editorial Board. Comprised of editors at the paper, the Editorial Board is committed to publishing pieces that, speaking for Tatler, address relevant issues in and beyond our community. Drafted by the Board’s permanent members, Editorials are printed only after being reviewed and approved by a majority of the staff. In this way, the Editorial Board and its content represent the voice of the paper, though it may not necessarily reflect the opinions of each and every member of Tatler staff. We are excited to inaugurate this important new program.
In October, an underclassman at Lakeside School was found to have been responsible for the prolonged racial harassment of another student, including calling the student the N-word. In the weeks afterward, there was discourse surrounding Lakeside’s decision to expel the student; some said the punishment contradicted the school’s mission to foster an environment of learning and teaching, and others fought over the difference between expulsion and “asked to leave,” arguing the former was too harsh.
The Tatler Editorial Board drafted a position on Lakeside’s decision of expulsion. However, the stance did not receive sufficient support from staff for publication. In many ways, this reflects the continually divided and confused stance of the student body on the actions of October.
We understand that for many members of the Lakeside community, whether students, teachers, parents, or alumni, there still may be lingering questions. What’s the difference between an expulsion and being asked to leave and how does Lakeside determine when which is appropriate? What does the history of racial education look like—what are ways Lakeside has tried to prevent incidents like these and in what ways can racial education evolve? What student or faculty perspectives are missing or should we consider in these conversations? As Lakeside continues to navigate these discussions in and outside the classroom, we hope you consider these three investigative pieces below which, though not editorials, have been included in this section to provide context.
Pieces:
Nancy Rawles on Harassment, Racial Targeting, and Lakeside’s Expulsion
Understanding the Student Expulsion Process at Lakeside
Racial Education at Lakeside: Examining the Past, Present and Future