Governor’s School alumni should work for inclusivity

TO THE EDITOR:

The article dealing with the new tuition charge for the Governor’s School summer program (“Governor’s School fee deters few,” Oct. 6) raised a lot of issues for me.

As a Governor’s School alumna, I believe in the power of Governor’s School to transform lives. I also think this article focused on a narrow population that would not be affected by the tuition — students from the relatively wealthy area that feeds into East Chapel Hill High.

Some of my closest friends from Governor’s School would not have been able to afford to attend if this tuition had been around when I attended. It is a travesty that attacks by state conservative media, in particular the Carolina Journal, have led to decreased funding and the need for this fee.

The basis behind these attacks is homophobia and the unfortunate events surrounding a fellow Carolina student’s attendance at Governor’s School the year before me. I would appreciate it if The Daily Tar Heel would consider the implications of this tuition for students outside of the wealthy Chapel Hill area, for LGBTIQ individuals, in particular, across the state, and for outstanding students who are frequently overlooked in America’s schools. I would love it if all of my fellow alumni could come together to make a statement against homophobia, exclusion and classism by contacting their representatives personally or through the alumni association.



Reva Grace Phillips
Junior
English