Town Halls: The New WESS Formula For Addressing A Rise In Hate

WESS students are used to change, whether inside or outside of the classroom. But a new addition to the school's routine, town halls, has sparked mixed reactions in our student body. 

The first town hall occurred in response to a hate symbol being drawn in the school bathroom. While incidents like this have occurred previously, they have never been addressed through town halls before. At the event, administrators emphasized the harmful effects of hate speech and assured students that there would be consequences. Students were then asked to share their thoughts about hate speech, bullying, and other issues at WESS. During a town hall day, each grade is allotted one period to convene in the Black Box, where they hear from members of the staff, admin team, and even other students. 

The WESS administration has said that the goal is simple: to create a more engaged and unified school environment that encourages open dialogue, participation, and consistency. Assistant Principal Michele specifically explained that they were curated in hopes of building a “stronger sense of community and belonging at WESS.” She described going about this through “bringing grades together in a shared space to reaffirm our values as a school and to engage in teambuilding and community building exercises.” She added that town halls serve to make students feel more comfortable and confident. “We are also hoping to uplift voices of students we may not hear from as frequently by giving folks the opportunity to share in a non-traditional setting.” 

Sansriti, the restorative justice coordinator at WESS, commented that town halls have already been successful in achieving the goals that Michele and admin has set so far. “We’ve seen students stepping into leadership roles and taking more ownership of their community.” 

Even amongst students, the message behind the town halls seems to be getting through, with senior Leo Lussier describing how “under past administrations, WESS has been really hands off. We try to be a school that focuses on community a lot, but in the past that hasn't been reflected in how we carry ourselves.” With the introduction of town halls, however, he pointed out a noticeable shift in the school’s direction. “Now there's a focus on strengthening our community and making sure people are involved.”

“I think the [town halls] have been decent at fostering a sense of broader community created by grade, and it's good that we try to respond to controversy that emerges at this school, but I fear that it takes away from valuable instructional time.” said one high school teacher who wishes to remain anonymous. It is true that the town halls occur during class periods, which means students would be missing one class out of their day. The question remains whether the value of the town halls outweigh the loss of class time.

But town halls have not only been used as a response to bullying and hate incidents. Last month, each grade used this time for team-building exercises in which students would discuss prompts in small groups and play games like “Where the WESS Wind Blows.” When asked how productive the town halls have been, Leo Lussier said, “They have fostered a community and brought people together. Starting a new thing is gonna take a while for the community to adjust, especially for those who have been here for a long time.”

While it's difficult to know at this time whether the town halls will truly make a difference in the long run, it is a comfort to some students knowing that their concerns are being addressed by the administration. “The town halls are something I did not expect,” said junior Bryan Salihaj. “I would say they are kind of fun and quite cool. They wanted to try something to help the students be happy.”

As town halls have become a more familiar experience for WESS students, administrators acknowledged that change can take time in any environment where routines are set and predictable. However, administrators also noted that as students become more comfortable and involved, town halls will feel like a valuable part of our lives and experiences, offering us opportunities to speak out and grow in positive ways as not only individuals, but as a wider community.

Andrew echoed that connection is the priority rather than discipline and that having a space for students to feel comfortable speaking up can allow for open and active dialogue on the issues we feel strongly about. Describing the future of town halls as “almost like a larger crew where the grade level comes together,” Andrew confidently stands behind the importance of using them as community building events.

While it is difficult to see an immediate change in the student body, initial reactions from students and the administration remain positive. “People definitely seem to be taking issues more seriously. You can definitely see a shift in how people carry themselves in school. I think the town halls have a big part in that," said Leo Lussier, explaining that the town halls have the potential to foster a more positive environment at WESS in the long run.