"Speak Out" is an expression of opinion from the Editorial Board of WBTV, and is presented by General Manager, Nick Simonette.
Tackling racism is the tough assignment of the day in Gaston County public schools.
Recently, the confederate flag was found flying on North Gaston High School's flag pole. Then, the image of the flag was painted on the school's rock. And students were seen wearing the flag on their T-shirts.
Tensions hit a boiling point when a student was called the "N-word" while wearing an Obama T-shirt.
And to top it off, A driver almost ran over a former student speaking out against racism at the school while our news crew was interviewing her.
Watch that again...
We ask, "What is going on with our teenagers?"
How can we rely on our young people to build a brighter future if they are always bringing up our country's dark past?
A few weeks ago, the school superintendent sat down with black leaders in the community.
It was decided a diversity training program will be created for all Gaston County public school students. We say, "Good idea."
One thing we hope will come out of that discussion is that students will not be able to wear clothing to school that causes disruptions or stirs up hatred.
We hope this training happens sooner rather than later. Our students can no longer afford to focus on America's troubled history. Their job is to build a future for ALL of us.
Because WBTV is "On Your Side," we encourage everyone to "Speak Out" - tell us what YOU think. SpeakOut@wbtv.com.
