Essay contest to address racism in Vt. schools

RUTLAND — In honor of Black History Month in February, the Rutland Area branch of the NAACP is holding an essay contest for high school students in Rutland, Bennington, and Addison counties. Students can write 150-500 words, directed toward other young people, on the topic of antiracism — their own commitment to it, or encouraging their peers to undertake its practice. Winners will receive a Visa gift card, with $250 going to first place, $200 to second and $150 to third. Along with this contest, the branch … (read more)

I am incredibly disappointed by the discussion around the BLM flag at Mt Abe, and feel compelled to speak up. This is about holding our institutions accountable. This is about taking responsibility for our words and actions. And while it may seem extreme … (read more)

MIDDLEBURY — The members of the Middlebury selectboard asked for a tutorial on white supremacy and the root causes of racism. And that’s just what they got on Oct. 13 — a thorough primer that left town officials moved and searching for more information in … (read more)

MIDDLEBURY — Brandon resident Bashiru Abdulaziz on Sept. 3 met up with the two Middlebury police officers who had ordered him to “raise your hands” during their investigation of a false report they’d received about an armed Black man detaining a woman at … (read more)

For too long, white Vermonters have thought of ourselves as untouched by racism: It’s taken several high-profile and despicable actions for us to really understand how vicious racism is right here in Vermont. The age of denying that we have an issue is ov … (read more)

For most people in Vermont (by most here, I mean white) racism is something you know exists, but it’s easy to think it doesn’t happen here and isn’t something you have to be concerned about. The fact that Vermont has such a small population of People of C … (read more)

VERGENNES — The last of the Vergennes anti-racism Voices in the Park gatherings of the summer is planned for the city green this Saturday, Aug. 29, from 4 to 5 p.m. Vergennes resident Rose Archer, who has spoken at the earlier events, will speak again thi … (read more)

On Aug. 18, Donald Trump posthumously pardoned Susan B. Anthony. who voted illegally in 1872, well before the 19th amendment granted some women that right in 1920. I wonder if he would have pardoned her if she were black. For decades, Anthony fought shoul … (read more)

We have written previously about the racist history of policing in our country and how police are doing exactly what they were created to do: protecting property over human lives. It might feel good to tell ourselves that Middlebury is different, but the … (read more)

At Rokeby Museum, where I am a trustee, we have embarked on the challenge of adding advocacy for social and racial justice to our mission. In light of renewed efforts to disrupt and dispel white supremacy after the murder of George Floyd, I have been thin … (read more)

MIDDLEBURY — Police in Middlebury are investigating more incidents of leaving racist messages in public places, or of stealing anti-racist messages. The latest is a series of posters supporting the “Patriot Front,” a white supremacist group. Citizens foun … (read more)

The history of the police may seem like it was a long time ago, and it is tempting to think that we should focus only on the present. However, the history of police is not only a relic. Even the star shape of the police badge, which originated from the fi … (read more)

When Chief Hanley stated, “I reject completely the notion that Middlebury PD engages in systemic racism and I’m not going to engage in a debate over it,” in a previous article (“‘Defund the police’ arrives in Middlebury,” 6/25/20), it further confirms tha … (read more)

Editor’s note: The writer responds to an item in the July 30 edition of the Independent with a poem. From “Statement on Hacking Incident at Middlebury Selectboard Meeting” July 28: “For the second time in as many weeks the Town has been confronted with th … (read more)

Editor’s note: This message came from Brian R. Carpenter, chair of the Middlebury selectboard. In the early moments of the Middlebury selectboard’s July 28 meeting, which was being conducted via Zoom, an unidentified participant hacked into a live PowerPo … (read more)