Second in a series
Re “In Mr. Farris’s Office – Where Fashion Begins”
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Mr. Farris and wife Lindsey, the high school’s cheer coach.
“One of the greatest selling points for Culver City and for Culver City schools is the diversity that exists here,” Dylan Farris, principal of Culver City High School, was saying.
“It is a true diversity. We have representation from all different types of people, not just looking at ethnicity, but at religion, lifestyles, belief systems and socioeconomic status.
“We have people from all walks of life, a situation where our students appreciate one another. They are accepting of each other to a greater degree, I believe, than you will see in other places.”
How and why, because when different types of persons come together, history says it is counter-intuitive to click with each other?
“There are plenty of signs that the students of Culver City High School really have come together. A lot of it has to do with a willingness to allow students to be who they are without being persecuted or ridiculed. A certain freedom for students comes with being at Culver City High School.
“Students can be openly gay at our school. We have had transgender students – our Homecoming King.
“On a surface level, there are indicators kids can come here and be who they are. They will be not only tolerated but accepted here.”
Who is setting the tone to establish this kind of welcoming environment?
“It’s not me, although I would like to take some of that credit. But I can’t. There are longstanding staff members who have contributed to this environment, in every department, every section of the school, individuals and teachers who have fostered this culture, students and teachers, I should say.”
How does it work?
“I will speak to Carlos Valverde, our ASB director. He has developed a course called Multi-Cultural Literature. Recently the title was changed to Inter-Cultural Literature. This was a symbolic move to say that even in the title of the course, we are not just looking at different cultures but at how they complement one another.
“This is a senior level course, and it has become one of our most popular. Students take it for English credit. You can walk in on any day and see our students entrenched in very deep dialogue about issues that face different cultures and the experiences they have to be engaged in in different parts of the world and right here in Culver City.”
(To be continued)
Mr. Farris may be contacted at dylanfarris@ccusd.org
