The Andover community has shown an overdue desire and need to address race and privilege on campus. These topics are personal, sensitive and relevant to every person on this campus, yet many of us lack the vocabulary and knowledge necessary for constructive and inclusive conversation. Recent content in our newspaper, posts on social media, student forums and discussions in classes and dorms have all been well-intended attempts to create an environment that is fair and safe for all; however, they have too often achieved the opposite effect.
Instances of racial insensitivity have become a prevalent issue on Andover’s campus because they are often made possible not by malice, but by a failure to recognize the emotional damage that words and actions can inflict upon our peers. As last week proved, _The Phillipian_ is an example of this.
Our intention never justifies any negative impact the paper may have; nevertheless, it can provide us with a clearer understanding of where we went wrong, and how we can change. The past few weeks have opened our eyes to fact that having a controversial opinion can never justify the publication of content that inherently damages members of our own community.
As a newspaper, we pride ourselves in our independence, and in being an unbiased platform for student opinion. Nevertheless, nothing that questions the collective validity or threatens the well-being of any student at Andover can or will be tolerated in our future publications. Although it is true that there should be no pre-existing political dogma to which Andover students are expected to conform, every student in our community deserves to feel respected, valued and safe. And if that is an orthodoxy, then it is one _The Phillipian_ will strive to uphold.
These editorials represents the views of _The Phillipian_ Editorial Board CXXXVII.
