Walking through the hallways of Glendale, there is a noticeable uniformity in the ethnicity of students. In 2005, the majority of the students attending Springfield Public Schools were white, with just 12 percent of the student population being African-American, Hispanic, Asian or Native American. This diversity deficiency has not escaped the administration’s attention. As of 2007, every high school in Springfield is now required to have an organization aptly named “Diversity Club.”

Members of the Office of Cultural Diversity, which mandated the new club, want to ensure that underrepresented groups do not fly under the radar any longer. They feel the best solution is to get students involved in discussions on cultural diversity and help foster a greater appreciation for differences.

Dr. Nate Quinn, coordinator of Cultural Diversity, explains that “the world is changing” and that students need to learn how to change with it. Understanding and accepting differences is an excellent way to accomplish this goal. Though we agree that the club is a wonderful idea, it has forced us to ask these questions: Why has it taken so long to implement it? And, realistically, how effective will it be?

Unfortunately, no one seems to have any answers. While it can’t be said that the imbalance of races in Springfield has gone unnoticed, little has been done to directly include minority students within their own schools. Programs may have existed; but without one-on-one involvement, students made little effort to participate. The new club is meant to be a way to help students in a positive manner, while providing a safe and comfortable atmosphere for discussion.

Diversity Club has admirable intentions, but the bulk of their goals will go unrealized. Though special invitations were sent to roughly 100 GHS students, 24 actually attended. With such poor initial participation, it is unclear as to how this club will accomplish its ambitions.

While we believe it to be a step in the right direction, it is a miniscule step compared to what must be achieved. Students must learn that Glendale is not a true example of the world — in that diversity is quite different outside these walls.

More must be done to force students to face this reality, rather than hiding in the hallways of a predominantly white school discussing diversity in an unvaried environment.

Then again, knowing the world is incomparable to our school still is not enough. In order for students to be truly prepared, they must change their perceptions and prejudices to accept that differences are not necessarily bad and similarities are not necessarily good. Forming relationships and working with other students could, according to Dr. Quinn, help teach this vital lesson. However, in such a limited atmosphere, the goals of the Diversity Club can’t be realized on a larger scale.

Though all minority students were officially invited, the lack of advertisement meant that those who knew of the club’s first meeting were few. The white majority, though certainly not barred from the meeting, was not specially invited. This is the fatal flaw of the club. Without the majority equally represented, it is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to change Glendale’s perceptions.

Although the Office of Cultural Diversity obviously feels that the Diversity Club is the best solution to the “diversity deficiency” at Glendale, we fail to see how it will be a success if the focus of the group remains so restricted. The solution to the problem is not in educating those who are familiar with cultural disparities, but in educating the masses who remain ignorant in these matters.