Maya Peterson; a former black student body president at Princeton New Jersey Lawrenceville school was forced to resign from her leadership position after posting a photo depicting [as she describes] the typical male, white student at the prestigous school.
In the “controversial” photo Peterson is shown wearing Yale University sweatshirt, a collard shirt, LL. Bean duck boots while holding a hockey stick. Peterson says the photo represented the typical “Lawrencville Boi” along with the following hashtags #romney2016 #confederate, and #peakedinhighschool.
Peterson spoke with media site Buzzfeed where she explained that her intent was to poke fun at the students who issued complaints about her senior photos. Peterson and ten of her friends “raised their fists in a ‘Black Power’ salute for their senior photos and she says their was much backlash.
Peterson tells Buzzfeed:
” I understand why I hurt people’s feelings, but I didn’t become president to make sure rich white guys had more representation on campus. Let’s be honest. They’re not the ones that feel uncomfortable here.”
Peterson also replied the statements one of which a student wrote ‘You’re the student body president, you’re mocking and blatantly insulting a large group of the school’s male population. Another student question Peterson’s initial enrollment at the school. The tuition cost per year total close to 53K and Peterson’s family pays the full tuition out of pocket.
Peterson replies:
” Yes I am making mockery of the right-wing, confederate-flag hanging, openly misogynistic Lawrentians. If that’s a large portion of the school’s male population, then I think the issue is not with my bringing attention to it in a lighthearted way, but rather why no one has brought attention to it before. “
Peterson, an open outted lesbian has face personal attacks as well. One student sent photos of the former body president smoking marijuana, another student issued naked photos of Peterson [which Peterson is currently disputing the school re: their privacy rules]
Peterson also faced harsh criticism over a post she issued during the President Obama’s 2012 re-election after writing:
” As a black and latino, gay woman in the United States of America, today is a momentous day. I’m sorry to all the rich white men who have failed to elect a president that endorses their greed.”
There are many opinions on this issue. Peterson’s actions allegedly do not reflect the so called actions of a student body president, while other students who are in support of Peterson say that the Lawrenceville failed on many attempts to address numerous complaints and concern of racial epitomes that exist within the private institution.
Feel free to head over Buzzfeed.com to read the full article.