Although a “Rich Out” may never occur in the stands of Gary Kehler Stadium again, lingering questions involving classism still remain. Is the “Rich Out” mentality behind us, or are issues of class still all too real in Westfield?
This is what Social Studies Teacher Mr. Ryan Daly and Graphic Design Teacher Mr. Roy Chambers sought to find out when they held a discussion group, titled “Unpacking the Rich Out,” on Oct. 20. The meeting included ten teachers and administrators, two reporters, and only five students.
“I was hoping we would get some participants here today to share their voices, because their voices definitely need to be heard,” said Daly. “It definitely involves taking a risk to talk about this.”
Social Studies Teacher Ms. Jacqueline Spring expressed that sentiment when she was one of the first to speak in the discussion after several minutes of awkward silence. “This topic is so hard for people to engage in,” Spring said. “Race and gender conversations are easier to discuss, but when we discuss class, the conversation hits a wall.”
While some, like Daly and Chambers, believe that a conversation on class is necessary, many students have expressed their desire to simply move on. Senior Cameron Bremer, who attended the “Rich Out” game but did not attend the meeting, said: “Kids do dumb things. I don’t think the ‘Rich Out’ was a good idea. We weren’t doing it because we actually thought it was true; we did it as a joke. If [Scotch Plains] is going to joke about us being snobby, sometimes you just gotta embrace it.”
Senior Zarya Gaskin, who was one of the few students to attend the meeting, disagreed: “Too many kids in Westfield think that there is nothing wrong with what they did.”
Assistant Principal Dr. Derrick Nelson said the “Rich Out” and the issues it reveals are anything but a joke. “People were saying, ‘That’s just how we deal with Scotch Plains’ or ‘You should hear what they say to us,’” Nelson said. “You need to hold yourself to a higher standard.”
Nelson grew up in Plainfield, where the same “preconceived notions” about Westfield’s wealth were discussed when he went to high school. To help close the gap, Nelson suggested a teacher-and-student exchange program with an urban school district.
Head of Counseling Ms. Maureen Mazzarese said that she has seen first-hand how class affects educational achievement. “If you look at the number of students that have access to private tutors, if you see the different amount of money that can be spent on SAT prep, the amount of money that can be spent on enrichment activities, on high-end summer programs and camps; all those things are money-based,” she said. “A socioeconomic advantage plays out.”
Mazzarese said an important part of her job is leveling the playing field for kids from lower economic backgrounds. The counseling department offers free tutoring programs, student activity fee waivers and electronic devices to students in need of assistance.
“As a counseling department, we need to advocate for all our kids,” Mazzarese said. “We need to make sure every kid has the support and resources they need to reach their aspirations.”