Opinion: New Bloomfield Hills High School has cutting edge plan to eliminate racism

Late last fall, Bloomfield Hills Schools were in quandary.

Hundreds of students at Bloomfield Hills High School left their books behind and picked up signs that read “Legalize Being Black” to protest what they saw as the school district's feeble response to hate messages targeting Black and gay students. They cited recent incidents in which unknown perpetrators scrawled racist graffiti on a bathroom wall and circulated Snapchat posts that used the N-word, made use of Ku Klux Klan imagery, and advertised a $10 bounty for the capture of a gay pride flag.

The same day, a parent of a 15-year-old student filed a $150 million lawsuit against the school district, superintendent Patrick Watson and high school principal Charlie Hollerith. Among the allegations was that a red-lipped black doll was hung by a noose over a second-floor banister, dangled down into the main hallway for all to see. A white teacher allegedly said it was part of a science project.

On Nov. 19, students and staff held a sit in demanding that the district do more.

The district knew it needed to make a dramatic change, and in early February, the district made good on its promise when Lawrence Stroughter started as the new Bloomfield Hills High School principal. Stroughter, an African-American man, is writing his doctoral thesis on anti-racist leadership.

The district had to shake things up. Hiring a man whose philosophy is leadership that rids institutions of racism is a step toward healing.

Stroughter, an educator for almost 25 years, was previously principal at Farmington Hills Harrison High School. He has served as assistant principal at two other schools.

Stroughter said while he leads the school day-to-day, he's also focused on the future, with a 10-year plan to unify the community.

“I want everyone to feel like Bloomfield Hills High School is their school. They belong there, because that sense of belonging allows them to then react and behave differently in the space of Bloomfield Hills High School,” said Stroughter, who started Feb. 7. The high school is 73% white.

“If it's my school, I'm not going to treat it a certain way. But if it's your school and I happen to be a visitor here, I might treat it in a way that's disrespectful. So if I own it and it's my school, I'm going to take care of it. And I'm going to put a little pressure on those that might mistreat my space.”

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Stroughter wants students to treat Bloomfield Hills High School like their homes. But by extension, homes only appreciate in value by what’s around it. Strong homes and neighbors make outstanding communities. That’s what Stroughter is trying to build, a high school that is truly a community, where all students feel welcome.

Stroughter, a Detroit native who graduated from Cass Tech, isn’t lost in the moment of taking over one of the state’s best districts. He's optimistic about the future.

But he’s clear that rooting out the problems exposed last fall is his top priority.

“We’re going to spend time intentionally trying to unearth these issues, (then) talk about it — because once we see it and understand it, there are plenty of capable and talented people in the building that would know what to do,” Stroughter said. “But as long as the problem is invisible to us — and we don't even know that it is a problem — then we won't be able to solve it. So my work in the next couple of weeks will be uncovering and making those blind spots perfectly clear.”

Time will tell whether Stroughter will be successful. But at first blush, I like his message and plan.

He's focused on eliminating the distractions that keep students' heads anywhere other than academics. His five-year plan is thoughtful and intentional in making the sense of belonging pervasive throughout the community.

“Our actions, the culture of the building would be such that everyone feels belonging, and it's not something we have to work at intentionally," he said.

In a decade, Stroughter envisions Bloomfield High as a model nationally for other districts hoping to build such a harmonious environment.

It’s his dissertation in action.

And that’s what makes his academic thoughts cutting edge: getting rid of racial predictability.

“Many times we take standardized tests, and we can almost predict it along racial lines,” Stroughter said. “Ten years from now, I would like to completely erase any predictability on standardized tests or any other kinds of any other means of evaluating students’ success and achievement.”

It means a school where there’s a true colorblind academic setting and standard.

When faced with the must crucial of circumstances, the Bloomfield School district swung for the fences.

It took a helluva lot of courage to do what most won’t: put aside personal differences or agendas and listen to students, teachers and other community stakeholders.

That’s strong leadership, even if it took the young adults' protest to push the district.

Now, it’s on Stroughter to turn his leadership philosophy into reality.

Stroughter knows he doesn't have all the answers. But he's eager to begin the process.

“For me, Bloomfield Hills High School became a match made in heaven. When you start looking around Bloomfield Hills and when you start looking at the resources that are there, the people, the opportunity is probably unlike any other," Stroughter said.

“They did their homework and saw me as the best candidate. But it was an incredibly brave and courageous act to name me their principal.”

Darren A. Nichols is a contributing columnist at the Free Press. He can be reached at darren@dnick-media.com or his Twitter handle @dnick12.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Opinion: Principal at Bloomfield Hills H.S. wants to end school racism