The Black Student Union (BSU) is a club focused on creating a safe and comfortable environment for black students at South. This group celebrates black culture and shares facets of it with South’s community. It is one of many clubs that celebrates culture at South, and the creation of clubs of this nature are oftentimes encouraged. However, this is not the case when it comes off as an attack towards another culture. In November, an unofficial group was created on Instagram called the “White Student Union”. While dismantled quickly, it came across as a microagression towards BSU.
One of the largest concerns about the formation of these groups is that it undermines the work that students are intentionally doing to create a safe space at South. Morgan Duff ’26, the three-year president of BSU, is proud of the important work BSU does and the safe space it gives black students.
“We like to have a space where we can come together and kind of just share experiences,” Duff said. “We’ve all experienced different things, but they’re all like, under the same school and in a predominantly white school, it’s hard to just kind of be yourself as a black student.”
The “White Student Union” Instagram account that was created appeared to target the BSU. It directly copied BSU’s bio, followed them and everyone on their follower list. Syrianna Ibekwe ’26, co-president of BSU, feels strongly about the occurrence.
“The account was made in mockery and ridicule of the Black Student Union, and it was very hurtful,” Ibekwe said. “It’s important for us to have that safe space, and then to be mocked and humiliated. It’s disrespectful.”
Besides the direct copying of BSU’s Instagram account, the “White Student Union” account also distracts from the work BSU has done. Chloe Craig ’26, BSU’s secretary, emphasizes that BSU works hard to prioritize intentionality.
“This is a predominantly white school; we’re not really surrounded by different cultures,” Craig said. “I think it’s really important to be able to have spaces to talk about our cultures, and then also for other white people to educate themselves on other cultures.”
BSU has tried to involve the school when faced with racial microaggressions, but these incidents have not been pursued as extensively as they would have liked.
“There have been multiple times where some of the members have gone to the faculty, telling them about things that have happened, and there’s no response,” Duff said. “One of the members personally, something happened to them, and they went to the school, and they said, ‘We’ll look into it.’ And then nothing happened.”
BSU is a welcoming space for every kind of student to learn about black culture, and most importantly ensure all students know they belong here at South.
“I think that this helped me find so many different people who experience the same things as me, especially going to a predominantly white school,” Craig said.
