By Caiden D. Reid

Recently, a fellow classmate, Oliver Kline, wrote an op-ed for The Oregonian/OregonLive regarding the lack of conservative voices at Grant. Upon transferring to Grant last year, I immediately took notice of this. I remember wondering why a school that preaches racial, gender, and sexual diversity and inclusion seems to lack ideological diversity, which is an essential component to an unbiased education. After a few months of attending Grant, I began to realize why: it's not that there's a lack of conservative voices at Grant, it's that there's a lack of tolerance among the liberal majority of the school, both teachers and students.

At the start of the year, I was lambasted and berated by two people in my U.S. History class for my beliefs regarding Confederate statues and symbolism. I know I presented my beliefs in a polite, direct manner only to be met with screaming, swearing, and other behaviors not acceptable in a classroom setting. My history teacher failed to interfere with this, citing that they were "emotional about their beliefs". Of course, emotions are often important factors in deciding our actions and ideals, but emotions must be controlled, especially in an academic environment. Instead of countering my belief with facts, logic, or reason, these people expressed themselves using intimidation. They went so far as to tell my football coach that I was a racist and misogynist, which eventually made its way around the school. People wouldn't talk to me because of rumors they heard about the apparently hateful, bigoted things I said. Allowing pernicious behaviors like this to occur and thrive destroys any chance of developing intelligent leftists who are able to compete in an unbiased academic debate.

During the "March for our Lives" event, I was one of three other students who chose to sit in the library instead of attending the event in the courtyard. We discussed our opinions on the Second Amendment, firearms, and hunting, while our classmates laid on the wet grass, apparently symbolic of those lost in the tragedy at Parkland. We were instructed by the librarians to go to our classes, but my teacher was actually attending the event. Teachers only contribute to the ideological void at Grant.

My younger brother's teacher frequently wore a shirt to school that said "Yes, he's a racist", clearly in regard to President Donald J. Trump. Ideological homogeneity isn't just peer enforced, it's implicitly created by the staff at Grant.

In a way, this ideological bubble has pushed me further right, as I wouldn't have even considered myself conservative at the start of the year. However, numerous instances like the ones described have proved to me that the school has failed its students, both conservative and liberal. I know I'm not isolated in this. Students across the school, state and nation are growing tired of the liberal agenda frequently pushed in high schools and colleges. Privately, students at Grant have admitted that they hold some of the same, conservative beliefs as me, but fear social isolation or ridicule for publicly expressing them.

This letter will not go over well with my peers. After all, I am a straight, cis-gendered, white male - traits that prohibit me from holding an opinion. Kline's article was described as sounding too "white and liberal" by another student at Grant, which is absolutely unacceptable. Nobody's opinion should be discarded because of the color of their skin. That happens all too often. I wholeheartedly appreciate the intent of Kline's article, and am very glad to hear that even some on the political left are open to true academic discourse. I am proud to be on the Constitution Team with somebody like Oliver, who willingly offered reason and justice in an environment void of it.

I don't know that there is any realistic solution to this issue. However, we need to address that there is an issue. These are the minds that Grant seeks to nurture, develop and protect. But Grant is not doing them any favors by allowing a learning environment to become as twisted and corrupt as it currently stands.

-- Caiden D. Reid will be a senior at Grant High School in the fall. He lives in Northeast Portland.

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