The Howard Group, an organization working to combat hate speech, has given presentations Sept. 2-9, in Anderson Hall to students to promote the development of a friendly environment in school.

The group aims to create socially responsible communities, bringing people together under inclusion and kindness. They usually operate in educational districts and settings in order to articulate the dangers of hate speech. With their presentations, the Howard Group engages with the students through questions and interactive slideshows.

In school, many students often overlook the cruciality of the words they use towards their peers. This social overlook fosters hostile environments which instill fear among students whose objective is to learn at school rather than be hurt. The Howard Group reflects on hate speech as a factor which extends outside of school life. It seeps into one’s day-to-day life.

Recently, The Howard Group visited the school to further their support for anti-hate speech. Reaching students from ninth to twelfth grade, their presentations define hate speech as spreading hateful speech or symbols which can be hurtful, repeating false ideas claiming some are inferior, and cruel actions such as bullying and harassment.

Their presentation raises awareness regarding the realities of hate speech; as a result, students will be informed on what to look out for to prevent bystanding. They report about statistics which portray how hate crimes occur in educational facilities, and attempt to reduce these numbers. In their presentation, the group emphasized that these hateful words result in negative emotions such as anxiety, so they encouraged the students to speak up if they are experiencing harassment.

The Howard Group sheds light to an overlooked issue which continues to prevail, helping the school maintain its reputation as an inviting and welcoming place.