Mustangs For a Better Future

By: Anonymous Students

Our Mission

We are a group of several students from District 201 united by the same hope of a better
future and the conviction for a necessary change within our community. In these trying times, in
which multiple peers from our district have had to face adversity due to the global COVID-19
pandemic and waves of rampant racism throughout our country, we’ve come to realize that we
cannot return to what we once considered to be a norm. We must acknowledge the struggles
within our community in order to dismantle them and create a healthier environment. District
201 is home to a demographic of majority POC (People of Color), and throughout the entire
history of this country, even to this day, POC communities have to face difficulties that other
non-POC individuals could never imagine. While District 201 has motivated and encouraged
many of our young minds, we know that there is still more that can be done to improve our
conditions. Within the last few years, we have lost approximately 4 of our peers to battles against
mental health, we’ve experienced gun threats, discriminatory attitudes from our own peers and
staff, and have been taught a curriculum that lacks in the education of our own history in this
country. We understand that many of the issues our District 201 community faces are nationwide
issues in this country, but we believe that if District 201 chooses to listen to our voices and
actively fights for our futures, we can become the catalyst of change. The J. Sterling Morton
High School District 201 mission states, “Every student succeeds” and our district vision
promises to provide, “…educational experiences that challenge, engage, and empower...” We are
asking Morton to fulfil their statements of ensuring our success and empowerment by
implementing our Four Demands that we believe will create a safer and more equal environment
for future generations of students. Our Four Demands are the following and will be thoroughly
explained throughout the course of this document:

• We demand that POC (People of Color) History in America be taught with the
same importance as white American history in all American history courses.

• We demand a focus on mental health.

• We demand a system of equity.

• We demand a Zero- Tolerance Policy for bigoted and hateful speech, behaviour,
and/or social media posts for both students and staff.

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 Table of Contents

POC History: Pages 3- 15

A Focus on Mental Health: Page 15

A System of Equity: Page 16

Zero- Tolerance Policy for Hateful and Bigoted Speech, Behaviour, and/or Social
Media Posts: Pages 16-17

Anonymous Student Testimonies: Pages 18-20

Final Statement: Page 21

History Sources: Pages 22-24

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POC History

We demand that Morton provide its students an environment of true education where
POC (People of Color) history in America will be taught with the same importance as white
American history in all American history courses. The curriculum currently taught in American
history courses has watered down the history of our country which was built on the backs of
People of Color. Our curriculum paints an image of racism being an attitude of the past that was
solved with the Civil Rights Movement. However, that is highly inaccurate and a harmful
approach to American History. POC communities are still faced with immense obstacles and
affected by racist institutions. The rigorous struggles that POC Americans faced while fighting
for their equality should not be minimized or sanitized. We must take full accountability for our
past and present by providing our students with the truth. Several American history teachers do
their best to include these subjects but still have difficulty including them because of the way in
which the curriculum is structured. POC history in the United States is American history which
is currently being denied to the students of Morton who are themselves a demographic of
majority POC. By leaving students in the dark of their own history Morton contributes to the
continued ignorance within our community which creates disunity and discrimination. The
following POC historical events in the USA have been compiled, so that Morton may include
these essential historical events in the curriculum for all American History courses. (all
historical events in red font are historical events that are adequately taught in the current
curriculum and MUST remain in the curriculum. We have also bolded details that we
consider to be important. All the sources for this information can be found at the end of
this document):
➢ Indigenous History- The Morton curriculum currently focuses on the genocide of 90% of
the Native population by European colonizers, Wounded Knee, the Trail of Tears, and The
Dawes Act. However, Native history and the atrocities committed against Indigenous people
does not end there. Native Americans were not conquered, their land was stolen and the
peaceful treaties that had been originally set with the United States were disrespected,
betrayed, and changed by the United States. To this day Native land is not respected by our
government. There are also false myths perpetrated that Indigenous people receive money or
government benefits simply for being Native. The Morton curriculum has poorly taught and/or
omitted the following significant details and dates in American history:

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- 1924 Indian Citizenship Act (Snyder Act): Indigenous people were finally given full
citizenship in their own country, however many viewed this as an opportunity to forcibly
assimilate Native Americans.
- 1934 Indian Reorganization Act (IRA): This act firmly institutes the federal government
with the ownership and management of all Native land. Ultimately, this act ratifies the
statement from 1831 by Supreme Court Justice John Marshall which states that, “…the
relationship of the tribes to the states is that of a ward to his guardian.” The IRA allows the
government to keep Indigenous reservations in poverty to this day through the control of
economic development, energy regulations that make it difficult for Indigenous people to
capitalize off their own natural resources, and the constant mismanagement of Native assets
which has even resulted in the loss of billions of dollars in Native assets due to government
misconduct.
- Right to Vote in Utah 1962: Native Americans had to fight state by state for the right to vote.
In 1962, Utah, was the last state to grant voting rights to Native Americans. However,
Native Americans were still prohibited from voting through the same tactics (literacy tests,
poll taxes, intimidation, etc..) used on the Black community. Finally, The Voting Rights Act
of 1965 strengthened and protected the right to vote for Native American individuals.
- 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act: This act served to finally protect Native American children
and the custody of their parents from the forceful separation of families by government run
boarding schools (these boarding schools sought to convert and forcefully “assimilate”
Native children with the mindset of, “…kill the Indian in him, and save the man,”) which
began in the 1860’s and continued for over 100 years allowing thousands of Native
American children to suffer separation from their families.
- Blood Quantum Measurement: Blood Quantum measurements for Native American
individuals were created in order to measure “Indian-ness” and create a construct of race.
This quantum works similarly to that of the “one drop rule” that was imposed on the Black
community. This was done with the intention that eventually Native Americans would breed
out, so that the Government would no longer have to uphold treaty obligations and
responsibilities. To this day Native Americans must be enrolled into one of the 317 tribes
recognized by the government in order to receive benefits from either the tribe or federal
government. However, Native Americans do not receive payment or benefits from the
government for being Indigenous, they only receive benefits due to treaty obligations or
land compensation for Native land taken for government projects.

➢ Origin of Police - The current Morton curriculum does not

acknowledge the history behind the origin of police. This chapter of
history has been completely omitted from our American History
courses. The following information is what needs to be provided to our
students:

- The Origin of Police: The origin of the American police system can be
traced back to the institution of slavery. What was once originally

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 known as Slave Patrols and Night Watches, developed to become the
current police system in the United States. Since its origin the police
system has continuously been used to control and oppress minorities.
Racial discrimination did not end after the Civil War, in fact, resistance
against the abolishment of slavery became immensely popular with
vigilante groups and the police. Through the abuse of their power and
long history of police brutality the American police system has
allowed for the constant oppression of POC minorities. By omitting
this chapter of American history Morton allows their students to
relish in ignorance.

➢ Slavery & The American Civil War – The Morton curriculum adequately describes
the atrocious state of slavery and acknowledges the discrimination that raged against the
black community. However, this section of the Morton curriculum still remains heavily
watered down and gives students the impression of an idealized group of founding fathers
who fought against slavery when in fact the majority of founding fathers agreed with
slavery and owned slaves. The abolition of slavery itself was not achieved by empathetic
founding fathers, but rather by Black determination for self-liberation. The Morton
curriculum needs to put an emphasis on the following information:

- Middle Passage/Transatlantic Slave Trade: The transatlantic slave trade was the largest
forceful movement of people in history. The Middle Passage refers to the transportation of
densely packed slaves in ships across the Atlantic to the West Indies. What the Morton
curriculum fails to address is that due to the Transatlantic Slave Trade roughly 60 million
Black individuals (this is an estimate as it has also been estimated that a possible 150
million Black individuals were massacred) were killed. In the Middle Passage alone it is
estimated that 2 million black individuals were murdered. This genocide of Black
individuals has been referred to as The African Holocaust.
- Slave Revolts: While the Morton curriculum does address certain uprisings by people who were
enslaved it does not go into depth on why these events were significant. This lack of proper
education enforces the myth that the government abolished slavery when in fact the
abolition of slavery was due to Black determination of self-liberation. Enslaved people were
not waiting for the government to take grace on them, many took liberation into their own
hands. In the Americas, enslaved people were self-liberating by the thousands. The United
States was late to the abolition of slavery compared to neighboring countries and colonies.
Due to this, many American enslaved individuals took inspiration from nearby events such
as the Haitian Revolution. The following are significant Slave revolts:
- Stono Rebellion 1739: The largest Slave revolt in the 13 colonies led by a man named Jemmy.
These enslaved individuals were all well trained soldiers as they had either fought in the
Yamasee War or were originally from Angolia where they had been captured and trained

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in the use of weapons. Enslaved individuals fought against colonists for over a week until
they were all mostly murdered.
- Gabriel’s Conspiracy 1800: Gabriel was an enslaved Black man in the South with the ability
to read. He was inspired by the French and Saint Dominique revolutions and had met two French
soldiers who determined him to take action. He sought to organize 1,000 enslaved individuals
for his banner of “Death or Liberty”. However, on the day of the revolt due to weather and
betrayal he was unsuccessful. Gabriel was captured and executed.
- Nat Turner’s Rebellion 1831: This rebellion was created by Nat Turner who led 70 armed
enslaved and free Black individuals against the people who enslaved them. The rebels were
captured quickly and either executed or sold off to other regions.
The great sacrifices and acts of leadership that these many enslaved Black individuals took
in order to fight for their liberation would lead to the large amounts of Black soldiers who
bravely fought in the Civil War for freedom.
- Black Soldiers in The Civil War: The Morton curriculum addresses Black soldiers in the Civil
War; However, it needs to be emphasized that 40,000 Black men died during the course of the
war. 179,000 Black men served as soldiers in the U.S. Army while 19,000 served in the
Navy. Additionally, Black Soldiers fought at a greater risk as the Confederacy threatened to
severely torture and murder Black Prisoners of War. The confederacy itself did not allow
Black soldiers into their army, but allowed slave owners to bring enslaved people along to
assist. Apart from this, Black Soldiers in the union were also not given equal pay to fight
until 1864. It should also be addressed that Black women served as nurses, spies, and scouts.
One of the most famous Black women to contribute to the war effort was Harriet Tubman.
All these Black men and women were fighting to achieve their peoples’ freedom.
- 13th Amendment: In 1863 President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which
stated, “…all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people
whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and
forever free.” However, the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery, as it had to be
followed by a constitutional amendment. The 13th Amendment in 1865 served to abolish
slavery, however it states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a
punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist
within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” This exception
clause allowed for systematic racism to prevail which purposely targeted POC
communities and built the empire of mass incarceration that the United States
currently has. Overall, the 13 th amendment “abolished” slavery, but created a
loophole in which the unjust mass incarceration of People of Color became
modern day slavery.
- Juneteenth: On 1865, June 19th Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that
the war had ended and that the enslaved had been freed. This occurred 2 and a half years after
the Emancipation Proclamation, however the enslaved individuals had been purposely kept
uninformed of this in order for plantation owners to profit off their work. Juneteenth is now
recognized as a holiday that symbolizes the freedom of all. However, Juneteenth is not
taught in the Morton curriculum and has become an optional vocabulary word that some
classes provide.
➢ Late 1800’s to 1910’s- Multiple events during this segment of history have been
watered down or completely omitted from the curriculum due to shameful violations of
human rights that occurred. However, we ask that Morton not omit these important events

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 in American History so that we may hold our selves accountable and learn from the
atrocities of the past. The following significant events in American history must be added
to the curriculum:
- Yellow Peril: While Yellow Peril is addressed in the Morton curriculum it lacks depth and
further explanation of its deeply rooted impact on Asian American communities. Yellow Peril
itself is not a thing of a past it is an attitude that remains in society today. The term Yellow
Peril refers to the fear that Asian immigrants (in particular Chinese immigrants) would
disrupt Western values of white supremacy and traditional gender roles. European
immigrants themselves viewed Asian immigrants as threatening because they were strong
competitors for jobs. Due to the xenophobia present in the United States several unjust
policies were established that limited immigration, prevented Asian immigrants from
obtaining citizenship, and imposed unfair taxation for Chinese-owned businesses. In the
media, Asian Americans were ridiculed and portrayed as incompetent, ignorant,
backwards, and comedic characters. Due to this mockery several white Americans began to
view Asian Americans as unthreatening. This idea birthed the concept of the Model
Minority-Myth as white Americans viewed Asian Americans as submissive and easier to
control. The model minority myth still persists and hold negative consequences on Asian
American communities causing there to be a divide and increase in internalized racism for
Asian Americans attempting to assimilate to the white American standard. Furthermore, the
concept of Yellow Peril is still present and can be observed in the current aggression
towards Asian Americans due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

- Cowboys: While the Morton curriculum briefly discusses Cowboys, it does not make an effort
to address the racial diversity of Cowboys which enforces the whitewashed stereotype of white
men being Cowboys. Cowboys came from a diverse background and were mostly
Indigenous, Black and Mexican young men. Cowboys played a significant role in the
westward expansion of the United States as they transported livestock throughout the country.
These Cowboys are also responsible for the ranchero and vaquero cultures of the South.

- 1893 Hawaiian Overthrow: The Morton curriculum does not address the overthrow of the
Hawaiian Monarchy. Hawai’i was a land originally owned and led by its native people.
However, in 1893 the United States invaded Hawai’i and colonized the country. Due to the
imperialist control imposed by the United States, Hawaiians suffered massive depopulation,
poor health and education profiles, landlessness and many more atrocities. In 1896, the
Hawaiian language was banned causing generations of Native Hawaiians to lose their
language. Hawai’i was overrun by capitalists, tourists, and missionaries seeking to exploit
the natural resources of the country, which Native Hawaiians considered to be sacred land,
and extort the Hawaiian culture for economic profit. To this day Hawaii has been reduced
to a tourist attraction by the United States.

-1904 Human Zoos: Human zoos are not addressed in the Morton curriculum, while this is in
particular a shameful event in US history, we need to hold the history of America accountable by
educating ourselves instead of omitting the past. In 1904, during the St. Louis World Fair in
Missouri multiple “living exhibits” were held including that of the Igrot Village. This living
exhibit featured Indigenous Filipino people displayed as barbarians. The Igrot Village
Natives were forced to do sacred rituals daily for the entertainment of the zoo's audience. The

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Saint Louis Fair also featured an African exhibit. In this exhibit Ota Benga, a Congolese
man was displayed and after the Saint Louis Fair had concluded he was transferred to New
York. Ota Benga was under the impression that he had been hired to care for the elephants in the
Bronx Zoo. However, after his arrival he was placed in The Monkey House and displayed as
an animal named the “Savage Pygmy." After being released from the zoo, Ota Benga could
not find comfort in the United States or Africa and tragically committed suicide in 1916.

- 1917 Bath Riots: The bath riots of 1917 are not included in the Morton curriculum. In 1917,
health officials in El Paso, Texas began a campaign that used toxic chemicals for
disinfection including gasoline baths that were required for immigrants seeking to enter the
United States through the US Mexican border. The same week this campaign was launched
Carmelita Torres, a 17-year-old who crossed the border daily for work, began the riots
when she refused to be submitted to a gas bath. She proceeded to convince several women to
join her in protest and in the end accumulated several thousand women to join her against the
gas baths. The women marched towards the disinfection camps where health officials
attempted to disperse the crowd. The women responded to this by hurling objects and
insults at the officials and continued on their trajectory. Eventually general Francisco
Muriguía arrived with his death troops, but the women were not intimidated and rioted
against the soldiers. Torres and the rioters succeeded in temporarily shutting down the
Border and the gas baths, but unfortunately the use of gas baths continued in the United
States border until the 1960s and even served to inspire nazi scientists. To this day in ICE
detention centers toxic gases are used for disinfection.

➢ 1920s to 1930s: The Morton curriculum currently teaches these two decades with a
focus on White America. Additionally, many students themselves have begun to glamorize
and romanticize the 1920’s due to lack of proper education on this decade and the book
titled “The Great Gatsby”, which is currently taught in the English Class curriculum. While
it may seem harmless to romanticize this decade, multiple POC Communities suffered
during this time period and faced even more adversity with The Great Depression of the
1930’s. All we ask is that Morton diversify the narrative and accurately educate on the
following events in history:
- The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921: The current Morton curriculum does not address the
Tulsa Race Massacre. Tulsa was a thriving city with a very prosperous Black neighborhood
named Greenwood which was often referred to as the Black Wall Street. On May 30th 1921,
a Black teenager named Dick Rowland was accused of sexually assaulting a white woman
without any evidence. An exaggerated rumor of what had occurred spread throughout the white
community of Tulsa. On June 1st 1921, Greenwood was looted and burned by white rioters.
Due to this massacre more than 8,000 people were left homeless, an estimated 300 were
murdered, over 800 people were treated for injuries, and 35 city blocks were burned down.
After the massacre has concluded all charges on Dick Rowland were dropped after the
police concluded that Rowland had only accidentally stumbled onto the white woman.
None of the criminal acts committed by the white rioters and looters were ever prosecuted
or punished by the government on any level. Victims of the massacre were left to their own
resources to reconstruct with only the sustained help of the Red Cross. The media at the time
ignored this event and even attempted to cover it up.

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- The Second Ku Klux Klan: The early 1920s is heavily characterized by the resurgence and
growth of the second Ku Klux Klan. The 1920s saw an increase in societal changes and the
growth in numbers of socialist parties. Due to this, many traditionalists that sought to secure
values of white supremacy and traditional American norms felt attracted to the idea of the KKK.
In the following two years after the race massacre in Tulsa several thousands of Tulsans
joined the KKK. During this decade in American history the KKK terrorized many
communities.

-The Harlem Renaissance: While the Harlem Renaissance is briefly addressed in the Morton
curriculum it lacks depth and further explanation of its larger impact on society today. Due to
the Great Migration thousands of Black Americans arrived in Harlem. Harlem was
appointed the Black Capital as many great Black scholars and artist created a new culture
embodied by Black pride. The Harlem Renaissance was an expression of the Black
community's self-determination to create a new identity as Free People. Through this
explosion of culture, the Black community created a movement characterized by prose, art,
Jazz and Swing, Opera and dance that served as a statement of their civil and political
rights. As the decade of the twenties came to an end so did the Harlem Renaissance. The
Great Depression severely affected Black-owned businesses and financial support from art
patrons decreased. However, the impact of the Harlem Renaissance was so large that it
became the embodiment of American culture and to this day remains the deeply rooted
origin of all art and music in the current media.

- How the Great Depression Affected the Black Community: The current Morton Curriculum
does address the economic struggles of many Americans during the Great Depression, but fails
to deliver on the long-lasting impacts had on POC communities, especially that of Black
Americans. While the Great Depression affected all Americans, no group was more severely
affected than that of Black Americans. Black Americans were said to be the “last hired and
first fired.” After the Stock Market Crash of 1929, the jobs that Black Americans had
previously been employed in were given to white Americans who were given priority over
the Black community. Black American unemployment rates doubled or tripled that of white
Americans. In 1932 the unemployment rate of Black Americans reached approximately
50%. The Great Depression impacted the black community in America for several decades and
laid out the groundworks for Black activism which would result in the Civil Rights
Movement and support towards President Franklin D Roosevelt and his New Deal
program. The discrimination and inequality in employment that occurred during the
1930’s can still be observed in society today, where 3 out of 4 neighborhoods that were
marked as “hazardous” in the 1930s are still struggling economically today with the
majority of these communities being composed of minorities.

- The Tuskegee Experiment of 1932-1972: The Tuskegee experiment of 1932 has been omitted
from the Morton curriculum. The objective of this experiment was to study Syphilis in the Black
Community. In 1932, the Tuskegee Experiment had enrolled 600 Black men into the project
with the promise of free medical care, most of these men had never even visited a doctor.
Before 1932 there was no known treatment for Syphilis, however this experiment continued
for over 40 years and by 1947 when penicillin had become the recommended treatment for

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Syphilis the 600 men were denied proper treatment and medical assistance, instead they
were only giving placebos. Due to this experiment, 28 participants died due to Syphilis, 100
participants passed away due to related conditions, 40 spouses were contaminated and
diagnosed with Syphilis, and 19 children were born with the disease. As compensation for
the unethical and human violations exhibited during this experiment a 10 million dollar out-of-
court settlement was given to the surviving participants and to the heirs of those who died. The
Tuskegee experiments ran from 1932 to 1972 and due to unethical practices established a
lingering distrust towards public health officials for many individuals within the Black
community. The last Tuskegee experiment participant passed away on January 16th 2004.

➢ 1940’s to 1950’s: The Morton curriculum heavily omits the significant contributions of
People of Color during these decades and overlooks the rampant racism that Wartime
further imposed on POC communities. We are once again asking Morton to diversify the
narrative and include the following significant events in American history:

- Navajo Code Talkers: In 1942, the military launched a program for Navajo Code Talkers
and recruited 29 Navajo individuals. However, Navajo Code Talkers were not the first
Indigenous people to contribute significantly to American war efforts. During World War
1 Choctaw Indigenous soldiers transmitted secret messages and were behind the success of
surprise attacks on Germans. Native Americans were imperative in the success of American
troops during the second World War. Navajo Code Talkers were the backbone of the Iwo
Jima Battle where they successfully sent 800 code messages without error. Navajo Code
talkers were not recognized for their brave feats until 1968.

- Zoot Suits: The Morton curriculum does not currently cover the Zoot Suits. During the Harlem
Renaissance of the 1930s dancers began wearing loose clothing meant to accentuate their moves.
Men used baggy trousers and long jackets as well as hats such as fedoras and broad brim
sombreros, this style became known as the Zoot Suit. The Zoot Suit became very popular
amongst minority communities such as Latinos and African Americans. During the
wartime of the forties, wool and textiles were rationed causing there to be a regulation of
products for civilian clothing. However, many bootleg tailors continued to fabricate their
own Zoot Suits. Although clothing textiles were rationed the Zoot Suits remained well in
fashion, due to this and racial biases US Servicemen began to view the suits as unpatriotic.
Additionally, the media began to portray Zoot Suits in a racist manner. A violent encounter
between a Sailor and a group of young Latinos occurred on May 31st and sparked the Zoot
Suit riots. On June 3rd several armed service men stormed in retaliation through the Streets of
Los Angeles targeting anyone wearing a zoot suit or other ethnic clothing. As the riot spread,
thousands of white service men, off duty cops, and civilians joined the riots targeting POC
communities (specifically Latino communities) and left many individuals with severe
injuries. Black and Filipino individuals who were not wearing Zoot Suits were also
attacked without mercy. Mexican community leaders implored for government
intervention but were ultimately ignored. Police officials themselves observed and
participated in these violent riots allowing white rioters to continue. POC individuals who
had been brutally beaten were arrested instead of their abusers and POC individuals who

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had decided to fight back against the white oppressors were also arrested. On June 8th the
riots came to a halt and the following day the Los Angeles City Council banned Zoot Suits.

- Detroit Race Riots of 1943: The Detroit Race Riot of 1943 are not included in the Morton
curriculum. During World War II many Black Americans migrated to Detroit seeking
employment. However, Detroit was severely segregated by race and Black neighborhoods in
Detroit suffered incredibly low living conditions due to high population, eventually there
was no space left in Black communities. Due to this the city began to construct black
housing projects in white neighborhoods. This project was opposed by angry white
protestors. Black Americans continued to be treated as second-class citizens by inequality and
deeply rooted racism. On June 20th 1943, hundreds of black and white individuals in Belle
Isle initiated racially motivated violence. In the Detroit Race Riots of 1943, 25 Black
individuals were killed, with 17 dying at the hands of police brutality, 700 people were
injured, and an estimate of 2 million dollars in damages occurred.

- 1946 the Bikini Atoll: The nuclear testing imposed on the Bikini Atoll by the United States is
not addressed in the Morton curriculum. The Bikini Atoll was an Island located in the area
referred to as Micronesia which was inhabited by Native individuals called Bikinians. After
WWII the Bikini Atoll became a U.S. Territory. On 1946, two years after the end of WWII the
U.S. military asked Native Bikinians to temporarily leave their land so that atomic testing
could begin and pave the way for "the good of mankind and to end all world wars.” The
Bikinians agreed to temporarily retreat from their land and on March of 1946 the nuclear
testing began. The impacts of this nuclear testing were so immense that the environment of
the Bikini Atoll was ravished with radioactivity. Due to the testing, Bikinians suffered
severely from starvation, contamination, poisoning, and a loss of their traditional lagoon
diet and lifestyle. To this day, Bikinians are still waiting for a true cleansing of their land to
begin as the compensation for land destruction given by the United States was not enough
to establish a full radiological cleanup.

- 1951 Henrietta Lacks: In 1951, a Black woman named Henrietta Lacks, was diagnosed
with cervical cancer and was treated at John Hopkins University where a doctor named
Gregory Gey withdrew Henrietta Lack’s cells from her cervix without her consent. Doctor
Gey realized that Lack’s cells could be kept alive and grew indefinitely. Henrietta’s cells
were given the name HeLa cells. For the next several decades HeLa cells were
commercialized and used for multiple medical breakthroughs including the development of
the polio vaccine, the study of leukemia, research on the AIDS virus and cancer research
worldwide. However, throughout this time Lack’s family was not aware that the HeLa cells
existed until 20 years after her death. The Lack family did not receive compensation until
2013.

- 1954-1955 Puerto Rico Pill Trials: The Puerto Rican Pill Trials are not included in the Morton
Curriculum. John Rock and Gregory Pincus, were developing an oral contraceptive, but in order
to be approved by the FDA they needed to conduct a large-scale human trial. In 1955, Pincus
visited Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory and decided to recruit poor uneducated women for his
pill trial. He purposely targeted these women to try and prove that oral contraceptives
were not complicated and any women around the world could use oral contraceptives.

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These women were not aware that they were participating in a clinical trial or that they
would be using an experimental drug. Many women exhibited severe side effects such as
blood clots and nausea, but were ignored as Pinus’s only concern was to prove the
efficiency of his pill. Three women died throughout the course of this trial. The unethical
standards and exploitation of these Puerto Rican women left a sense of distrust towards
public health officials for many Puerto Rican individuals. In 1960, the pill was approved, but
side effects such as depression were not understood and are only now beginning to be considered
serious side effects.

➢ The Civil Rights Movement 60’s to 70’s: The Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s to
70’s is filled with immense progress and victories for POC Communities. However, the
Morton curriculum fails to accurately teach these events in history and has sanitized the
rigorous work of Civil Rights Activists. The Morton curriculum must no longer omit or
water down the following events and historical figures in American history:
-Martin Luther King Jr.: While Martin Luther King Jr. is addressed in the Morton curriculum his
impacts and entire movement has been heavily sanitized and watered down. MLK’s mission was
one of racial equality that began with his first Civil Rights Campaign in Montgomery, Alabama,
where busses were racially segregated. King was careful to maintain an image of what was
deemed acceptable to White Americans, he cultivated this image so that people would think of
him as a moderate and not a radical extremist. After Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give
up her seat to a white man, MLK viewed this incident as an opportunity to use her as an image to
further the fight for equality. Dr. King and other Black civil rights activists formed the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference in 1957. The goal of the SCLC was to end segregation in areas
such as schools, busses, diners, shops, and all society. MLK was one of the “Big Six” organizers
who marched in 1963 demanding justice for all Americans. This march allowed King to
advocate for other human rights such as poverty and workers’ rights. Civil rights protesters
were often arrested and jailed, King was arrested 30 times for his civil rights activities and
police officers did not hesitate to use violence against protesters. Some police in Alabama
even allied themselves with the KKK to terrorize Freedom Writers. Additionally, the Klan
bombed Civil Rights Activist’s homes including MLK’s. The FBI also viewed King as a
threat and had him under constant surveillance and even attempted to blackmail him. On
April 4th, 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. His assassination caused great
grief and outrage which initiated the King Assassination Riots that spread throughout the
entire country. These riots and the condemnation of King’s assassination allowed the Civil
Rights Act of 1968 to pass a week after his death.

-Malcom X: Malcom X is poorly taught in the Morton curriculum. Malcolm X grew up in

Lansing, Michigan where his father was murdered and entire family was terrorized by the KKK.
Due to this, Malcolm developed a mistrust towards the white community. Later on, Malcolm
found himself in prison where he began to educate himself and converted to Islam, which he
believed to be closer to his African ancestors’ beliefs. Malcolm X believed that his true lineage
had been lost when his ancestors were enslaved and decided to take the last name of the
variable: X. Islam was mixed with great influence from Black pride and Black nationalism
which called for the empowerment of the Black community without the help of white
individuals. Black nationalism believed that integration was not the goal, but rather that the goal

12
was for the Black community to support themselves independently. Malcom X and Martin
Luther King had different approaches in their efforts for liberation, Malcolm X had even
criticized MLK's approach and considered it to be too submissive to the white man.
However, as time passed Malcom X shifted his position and began to support the Civil
Rights Movement as he then believed that both Martin Luther King Jr. and himself were
fighting for the same cause.

-16th Street Bombing of 1963: The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing of 1963 is not addressed
in the Morton curriculum. The 16th Street Baptist Church was a church located in
Birmingham, a predominantly black community and was often used by civil right activists
to organize and rally. In 1963, the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed leaving 4 girls
dead and another permanently blinded. Shortly after, Dr. King sent out a telegram to the
Alabama governor stating, “the blood of our little children is on your hands”. Two months
later after this bombing, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. These two outrageous
events helped push for the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

-Summer of 1964: The Summer of 1964 is only briefly discussed in the Morton curriculum and
lacks depth. The Summer of 1964 was an effort by civil rights activists to integrate
Mississippi’s political system. Black Mississippi residents were not allowed to vote or hold
public office, due to this they held their own Freedom Election and organized to register
Black Americans to vote. This project was opposed by Mississippi's elected officials, business
owners, and white supremacist groups. Many of the civil rights activists working for this
cause were brutally murdered and attacked. These attacks on Black Americans created a
consciousness about the treatment of Black Americans and helped pass the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Many Black Mississippi residents were
disappointed with the violent oppression towards peaceful protesters and began to adopt
ideologies similar to those of Malcom X.
-Voting Rights Act of 1965: The importance of this Act was heavily watered down by the
Morton curriculum, many students are not aware of what this voting act accomplished for all
POC communities. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a major achievement of the Civil
Rights Movement. This act enforced the voting rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Amendments which granted citizenship to anyone “born or naturalized in the
United States” and prohibited states from suppressing votes “on account of race, color, or
previous condition of servitude,” however even with the Voting rights act of 1965 barriers
such as language were still pitted against voters. Many individuals were denied their right to
vote for not being able to read, write, or understand English. Finally, in 1975, 10 years after the
voting rights act of 1965, language minorities (such as Latino communities) were finally
given the fully secured right to vote with the amendment made by President Gerald Ford.

-Black Panthers: The Black Panthers are only briefly discussed in the Morton curriculum and
heavily watered down. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, two political activists from
California, were disappointed with the failure of the Civil Rights Movement to improve
treatment towards the Black community. In 1966, the Black Panther Party was established
to fight against government oppression imposed by police and empower the community.
The Black Panther Party organized programs such as the Free Breakfast Program which
provided for 20,000 children daily and free food programs for families and the elderly. The

13
Black Panthers also sponsored schools, legal aid offices, and health clinics for low income
communities. The Black Panthers campaigned for prison reform and helped open voter
registration drives. Additionally, the Black Panthers established free health clinics in a
dozen cities which served thousands of individuals and created freedom schools in 9 cities.

-Chicano Movement: The Chicano Movement is heavily watered down in the Morton
curriculum. Mexican Americans or Chicanos, established their movement in the sixties, this
movement called for the rights, freedom, and self-determination of Mexican Americans and
the Latino community. The Chicano movement consisted of multiple organizations such as the
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) which had represented Mexican-
Americans since 1921, the UFW Boycott Strike of 1965-1975 led by Cesar Chavez who
partnered with Filipino American workers to improve worker conditions and organized
more than a thousand strikes and boycotts, and La Raza Unida party of 1970- 1974.

-Brown Berets: The Brown Berets are not addressed in the Morton Curriculum. The Brown
Berets formed in Los Angeles in 1967, they were a Chicano Liberation organization similar
to that of the Black Panther Party. The Brown Berets were Chicano revolutionaries that
fought for self-determination and were against government oppression, police brutality,
bad school conditions and racist educational systems. The Brown Berets were the first to run
out of high schools yelling “walk out” in order to demand better school conditions in areas where
the population primarily consisted of People of Color. The Brown Berets supported several other
Chicano movements and protested the Vietnam War due to the high casualty rate of Chicanos in
service. They often allied themselves with groups such as the Black Panther Party. The
Brown Berets helped promote a movement of cultural awareness and pride in Chicano
history.

- Disability Rights Movement: The Disability Rights Movement is omitted from the Morton
curriculum. The Disability Rights Movement began in the 1960's and 1970's in response to
the negative stereotypes and discrimination towards the disabled community. POC
individuals with disabilities struggled immensely as a so-called “minority within a
minority” and found themselves to be a marginalized community. Disable rights activists
organized acts of civil disobedience and demanded a change. This movement saw multiple
victories such as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, which prohibited architectural
barriers in all federally owned or leased buildings, the Urban Mass Transit Act of 1970 that
required all new mass transit vehicles to be equipped with wheelchair lifts, the Education of All
Handicapped Children Act of 1975, which required free and appropriate public education
possible for children with disabilities, and most importantly the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(specifically Title 5 Section 504). The Rehab Act of 1973 prohibited discrimination from
federal programs and services and all other programs or services that received federal
funding. Due to this act, for the first time in American history discrimination towards
people with disabilities was recognized and prohibited.

- Stonewall Riots: The Stonewall Riots are not addressed in the Morton curriculum. The
Stonewall Riots occurred on June 28th 1969 and lasted for a span of six days. During this
time period in history gay behavior in public was illegal. Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in
Greenwich Village in New York City, was raided by police officers. Both employees and patrons

14
were forcefully dragged out and the police initiated violence. Outraged by the constant
discrimination by the police towards the LGBT+ community a riot initiated. Marsha P.
Johnson and Silvia Rivera, two transgender women of color were the first to resist against
the police. The Stonewall Riots initiated a movement of visibility for the LGBT+
community and was vital in creating LGBT+ political activism and inspiring numerous gay
rights organizations to form such as The Gay Liberation Front, The Human Rights
Campaign, GLADD, PFLAG, and others. Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera went on to
co-found STAR, an organization dedicated to helping trans women of color and homeless
youth drag queens. Every year the Stonewall Riots are commemorated with Pride Month.

➢ 1980’s & Modern History: The 80’s and Modern History are still developing parts of
the Morton curriculum. Due to this we understand that it has not been fully completed.
However, we have compiled the following events that should be included:

o The War on Drugs (1970’s to Present)

o The MOVE Bombing (1985)

o The Rodney King Riots (1992)

A Focus on Mental Health

We demand a focus on mental health. Within the last few years, Morton has lost 4
students to battles against mental health. These losses were felt immensely by the student body
and are still mourned to this day. We will never forget the peers we lost. While there are several
factors involved in mental health, if Morton can just provide a sense of security within its walls
and create an environment of awareness for its students, we will have succeeded. The goal of a
focus on mental health is to help ease the pressures that many students face. Morton must make a
commitment to focus on the mental health of all its students. Although Morton provides
guidance and counseling through social workers and therapists, many students are not aware of
this information. Additionally, the therapists provided by the Youth Crossroads program are
professionals who have benefitted many of the students at Morton. This program is free and does
not always require parental permission. We also believe that a focus on mental health will help
diminish violent outbreaks between students and lower the risk of gun threats. We suggest that
Morton emphasize the existence of these programs during new student orientations and
throughout the first week of a new school year. We also suggest that Morton hold assemblies
focusing on mental health. Apart from this, we’d like to request Morton to honor the students
that passed away with the permission of their families by recognizing them during graduation
events, whether it be either leaving an extra seat open during the graduation ceremony, or simply
mentioning their name.

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A System of Equity
We demand a system of equity. Equity is defined as the quality of being fair. While a
majority of Morton staff are wonderful professionals who uplift their students and do their best
to understand student circumstances, other staff members have been largely complained about.
These staff members are often those who belittle and demean students for being CORE students
or due to other educational difficulties. Our CORE students should not be treated as less capable
students as it encourages the mindset that CORE students are less intelligent. All young minds in
District 201 are valid and should be treated fairly. Additionally, within the student body, ableist
attitudes are common. Ableism is the discrimination towards those with disabilities. Morton’s
Special Education program serves phenomenal students who deserve to be treated with the same
respect as their abled peers. In order to end these discriminatory attitudes towards our students,
we suggest reminding staff to treat their students in a considerate and respectful manner, as well
as holding harmful staff members accountable for their actions. We also suggest educating the
student body about the circumstances that the disabled community faces. Apart from this, we
suggest creating an official complaint system available to both students and staff that will aid in
documenting unfair treatment towards students.

Zero-Tolerance Policy for Hateful and Bigoted Speech,

Behaviour, and/or Social Media Posts.

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 We demand a Zero-Tolerance Policy for Hateful and Bigoted Speech, Behavior, and/or
Social Media Posts. The image in the previous page is an extreme example of the bigotry still
present within our community. Blackface is a hateful and demeaning act that can never be
justified. Apart from this post, there were several Morton students online expressing anti-black
sentiments and insensitive comments towards the Black community. In more recent events, a
Staff member posted an image of her with a “Women for Trump” shirt. Donald Trump himself
has on numerous occasions spoken against Latino and other POC communities. Trump’s policies
are also very anti-immigrant. District 201 is home to many Latino individuals (including
undocumented) students who found this post to be highly offensive and hurtful towards the
community. A vote for Trump is synonymous to a vote against the Latino students in our
community and to know that a staff member carries those sentiments makes many students feel
unsafe. Within Morton’s walls slurs are also commonplace amongst students. Slurs remain
highly offensive to many and while the communities affected by slurs have the ability to reclaim
them, slurs said by those outside of these communities remain hurtful. Due to this, we ask that
Morton not tolerate the derogatory use of the N-Slur, the F-Slur, the R-Slur, the term w**back,
and the term bea*er. Freedom of expression does not mean freedom from consequence. We must
create a culture of accountability in our community so that further offenses are not made. We
suggest that Morton implement a policy where all students and staff who contribute to hateful
and bigoted speech, behavior, and/or social media must write out a public apology. Also
depending on the severity of the offense, we ask that Morton consider ISS, Detention,
Suspension, Expulsion, or Firing. Bullying is also a struggle for many students and we ask that
Morton take these incidents seriously the first time they are addressed so that victims of bullying
will not have to deal with severe trauma.

17
 Anonymous Student Testimonials
We asked students to come forward with their experiences at Morton. All these testimonials will
remain anonymous in order to respect the identities of those who wrote them.

Student 1: “I hate that Morton doesn’t do more to care for students and their mental
health. One of my closest friends literally od’d recently and someone I’ve known since
elementary school committed suicide last year. Countless people I know, including myself, have
attempted suicide throughout their years in high school, but Morton doesn’t do anything about it.
I wish they brought more attention to their psychologist services because there’s so many people
who came up to me and told me they had never heard of the social worker’s office or their public
facility at East. Its just so sad. What is the point of hiring more social workers and school
psychologists the past couple of years if they weren’t going to let their students know?”

Student 2: “Hello, I am an alumni from Morton East High School, class of 2019. I am a
nonbinary pansexual student who was popular and intelligent. I struggled with mental health and
3 years of suppressing my sexuality and gender identity, throughout my four years at Morton the
homophobic, transphobic, and racist nature of my peers was absolutely disgusting. I would hear
them say homophobic slurs about my friends. One time, a friend of mine went to the higher ups
about a homophobic threat made by another student. I don’t think the consequences were
enough. It was just a slap on the wrist. The environment of the school was the reason why I
stayed in the closet for so long and why I was extremely depressed, because I knew if I outed
myself as gay, I would easily become a target.”

Student 3: “Y’all act like a predominately Hispanic/ minority community isn’t going to
go berserk over finding out someone in the administration supports Trump. You don’t get a say
in what offends them, hearing that probably has them terrified of going to that high school now.
Of course, we react the way we do because there’s no way around supporting an oppressive and
disgusting racist.”

Student 4: “The Youth Cross Roads Program is very kind and patient. They have
programs to support LGBTQ+ Students, one on one therapies, and group therapies. I’m so glad I
found them; I wish that they had more recognition because I had no clue The Youth Cross Roads
program even existed until my senior year. They only ever really talk about this program once
someone has already committed suicide. This program is really great and necessary and I wish
Morton would acknowledge them more.”

Student 5: “As a recent graduate of Morton East, there are many problems I've seen
throughout my entire high school career. Many of these problems urge for POC inclusion.
Although Morton tries their best to recognize their student’s ethnic backgrounds, we can always
push for better representation of our communities. Assemblies can help educate the student body,
but it isn’t always enough. Morton should prioritize holding their students accountable for their

18
actions. In the past couple of weeks amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, a student posted a
picture in blackface. This is highly inappropriate and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Morton has a
history of not properly disciplining such behavior and I think I can speak for most of the student
body when I say that is embarrassing. We ALL know this behavior is only given a warning, but
we’re urging that there should be a consequence for exhibiting racist and hateful behavior.”

Student 6: “Morton West High School can be a school with diversity and a proud family for
many. However, for some of us it is a place where you face the real world. One where they judge
you for who you are. Personally, I have faced some comments that were completely ignorant and
deep down hurt me. One girl in my Chemistry class said “I’m glad no one is Black here.” I was
next to her. Even though I did not react since she thought I was Hispanic little did she know I am
Black. It's not just the students at school but also some teachers that have said unforgivable
things. For example, a teacher of mine would get upset if we didn’t stand for the Pledge of
Allegiance. I don't stand up for the Pledge because there is no liberty or justice for my people
(People of Color). I felt disrespected by that teacher because he does not face many of the
problems that POC do. Not to mention that I have the right to express my feelings and I'm not
doing so in a negative way. I felt that the teacher’s response was insulting and disrespectful.

Additionally, since freshman year, I have been friends with a boy that has special needs
and he had told me many times that he was suffering from bullying at school. I told him to tell a
teacher and he said he did many times, but they did nothing. The bullying only got worse as he
was trying to get help from adults. I even offered myself to talk to the PE teacher since the
bullying was in the school locker rooms, but he said that he had already told the teacher and it
had only gotten WORSE. He asked for help so many times, but no one listened to him until it
was too late. Around our Junior year, three years after the continuous bullying he was beaten so
badly that half his face was covered in bruises. And I just asked myself, if it was necessary to get
up to that point so the school could do something about it? Bullying should not be tolerated at
school. This was bullying from freshman year up to his junior year and I'm not even sure if it
continues now. The school should have done something about it. In conclusion, Morton West
High School tolerates bullying and racist comments. This SHOULD change as fast as possible.
Morton West should NOT tolerate bullying, racist comments, and MUST respect our feelings
and rights.”

Student 7: “The amount of people at Morton who say the N-word and aren’t black is
outrageous. If you aren’t black then don’t say it! If you aren’t gay don’t say the F-slur!”

Student 8: “It’s people like Trump and his supporters who call us Latinos rapists and
criminals. Freedom of expression doesn’t cut it when you’re working in a POC community
where your entire purpose is to help us. By voting for Trump, Kirby is voting against all her
undocumented students. I can’t even imagine how scared and unsafe those students will feel in
her class. It’s absolutely disgusting and don’t get me started on her threatening to sue students
for something she posted online! Once you post something online its there forever for public use.
Kirby should be fired for her unprofessionalism.”

Student 9: “I’m a Morton alumni and was a gym leader who worked with Ms. Kirby.
While working with her she would sometimes call her students a waste of space. Now that she

19
has posted about Trump and the way she threatened to sue students shows how little she actually
cares about her students.”

Student 10: “Finally! People want to speak out! Honestly, the main thing that annoyed
me was how everyone says the N-Word and the teachers won’t say anything about it. Students
will even causally post the N- Word on their Snapchats and Instagram’s.

Student 11: “Okay, I won’t say names, but I have confronted this person during the time this
event occurred. I’ve tried, but the person wouldn’t listen. Let’s call this person Steve. We went to
Morton West.

A group of friends and I decided to go on a trip in Michigan and camp out. Steve was a part of
that group. Of course, some of our parents came along just to ensure safety. Steve was my tent
partner and it was alright for a while. Steve then realized that he was able to obtain cell service
where we camped out. To be funny, he found a song that constantly said “I don’t like (n-word).”
This song was on repeat for the rest of the trip whenever he got the chance to play it. Let me
remind you that Steve is a white male and had no problem singing along with the song word by
word. The rest of the guys, including me, had told him many times to stop saying the word and
stop playing the song overall. This only made him higher the volume even more, meaning he
thought this was just a joke overall. I, for one, and other guys decided to leave Steve and walked
away. That way, we wouldn’t get in trouble if Steve were to get caught. Since we were at a
campsite alone and the parents that came along were Steve’s parents, he didn’t get in trouble.

Fast forward a couple of days, one of the guys got sick and we had to go into town. We decided
to go to a minute clinic at Walgreens since it’s convenient and cheaper. Steve’s parents took us
and attended the sick person during the appointment. Steve’s parents thought it would be best if
we stayed in the car since a group of teenage boys at a store isn’t a good idea. It was a minivan
and Steve sat in the passenger's seat. This allowed Steve to have total control of the car and the
car’s speakers. Now, we weren’t very diverse. We were just a mix of Latinos and Americans.
Steve thought it would be funny to roll down the windows all the way and lock the doors. He
turned up the volume and pressed play on the song he had on repeat. Luckily, we were in a small
town, so not a lot of people were in public. Everybody besides Steve felt very uncomfortable and
tried to hide from any window. Steve got caught blasting this song. We told him again to turn it
off and it was inappropriate, but it just went right through his head. We have told Steve again
that saying the n-word is very racist if you’re not a part of the race, yet he just didn’t listen. His
justification was “it’s just a word,” which is the same justification for them convincing me to
swear with them. All of the boys tried very hard, but it didn’t work. This is probably one of the
most memorable times where I faced racism head on. I wasn’t targeted, yet I still felt it was
wrong and felt discomfort during the time. This occurred a year ago. We were all in high
school.”

Student 12: “I was extremely depressed my entire four years at Morton. I wasn’t aware of
the programs they offered for mental health. I genuinely wonder if I could’ve gotten help faster if
I had known. Maybe I would have had a better high school experience.”

20
 Final Statement
We truly believe that District 201 wants its students to succeed, so we hope this feedback
will help implement a healthier schooling environment for all future students. Our community
desperately needs these changes in order to empower our children and encourage the bright
minds of tomorrow. The struggles we have addressed are struggles that multiple communities
throughout the United States face, however we believe that Morton District 201 can lead in the
change for a better future. In this following week, we encourage our community to come forward
and show Morton how much we need these changes. Together we are all Mustangs for a Better
Future. Thankyou for taking the time to read this document.

• We demand that POC (People of Color) History in America be taught with the
same importance as white American history in all American history courses.

• We demand a focus on mental health.

• We demand a system of equity.

• We demand a Zero- Tolerance Policy for bigoted and hateful speech, behaviour,
and/or social posts for both students and staff.

21
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