From December 2009:

Although Chamblee High School is considered a culturally diverse environment from an outsider’s point of view, it tells a vastly different story inside.

Students are notoriously known for choosing to self-segregate themselves within the hallways according to their race, and though it may not happen because of blatant racism or prejudice, the separation of races is detrimental to the ability of Chamblee’s numerous ethnic groups to coexist. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally outlawed segregation and was passed over forty years ago, long before any of Chamblee High’s students were even born. So why do students continue this archaic practice?

The voluntary segregation is caused in part by social connections and geography. One’s friends and the area in which one lives have more of an effect on this phenomenon than many people care to note.

“It’s based on who people hang out with,” said Tierra Hunter, an African-American sophomore. “Geography determines who you hang out with and who your friends are, and people get lockers with their friends; it just happens.”

There are, of course, those students who are exceptions to the black-white division. Bryanna Busgith can be seen spending time in both hallways; her friends are not isolated in one place. A first-generation Guyanese, Busgith is neither black nor white, and she knows firsthand how attempts to categorize can fall short.

“We’re diverse,” said Busgith. “We’re all different. As a Guyanese, the government labels me as Hispanic for lack of a better category… but I’m not.”

Most agree that the racial divide stems from social (and socioeconomic) roots. A common explanation amongst the student body is simply comfort. Despite the remarkable progress made in the latter half of the 20th century, cultural differences often seem too significant to overcome. Afraid to step out of their comfort zones and immerse themselves in a culture that is unfamiliar, students are content to remain with those most similar to themselves.

“We’ve come a long way; socially we interact with each other, but there are still some differences,” said Emma Cooke, a white senior. “Maybe it’s the culture; [students] are unwilling to mix and mingle.”

Self-segregation at Chamblee certainly exists, and there are consequences– both immediate and long-term– attached to it. The decision to have your locker on one hallway versus the other carries a heavy stigma with it. There is a clear trend regarding how students in the “black” and “white” hallways are generally perceived.

“Which hallway you’re on doesn’t actually affect your intelligence, but people think all the smart kids are on the white hallway and that the black people are ‘crunk’,” said Hunter. “As far as perceptions go, the black hallway is loud, overcrowded, and noisy, and on the white hallway, people are sleeping, playing guitar, singing songs… square dancing.”

These cultural impressions are seen not only by Chamblee students, but also by the rest of our society. These impressions can ultimately morph into stereotypes that are gross exaggerations and misinterpretations of any race, such as those that are so often seen in the media.

Outside of race, there is another significant factor that plays into the divide between hallways. The effects of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have become more and more apparent in the ever-increasing size of the freshman classes at Chamblee. This influx of new students has had an impact on the demographics of the school as a whole and, in turn, the hallways.

“I don’t think of them as ‘black’ and ‘white’ hallways,” said AP Physics teacher, Marie Johnson. “I think the divide is based more on who is in the magnet program and who isn’t. NCLB’s effects are school-wide, not just limited to the hallways.”

The choices students make in high school have the ability to follow them for the rest of their lives, and making the decision to break off into racially homogeneous groups will only continue the dangerous cycle of society’s de facto segregation upon reaching adulthood.

“Who you hang out with might not necessarily be the people who are best for your future,” said Hunter. “Senior year is when you decide who your real friends are.”

Though many stereotypes exist in all races and cultures, there is no reason for them to reign over our lives and decide with whom students wish to pursue friendships and relationships. Chamblee is an enormous melting pot for people from a number of races, cultures, religions, and social and economic backgrounds. We all have our differences, but what bonds us is far greater and more valuable than what separates us.