by Johnny Guatemala
April 27, 2008
JACKSONVILLE--Due to a decision by the city's Board of Education to redistrict traditional school zones due to population shifts within the city, Nesbit High School saw the influx of approximately 12 African-American students from nearby Coverdale High nine months ago. While Nesbit has had several black students over the years, the suburban fringe school has traditionally educated mostly white students (the 12 black students easily surpass the previous record of three in 1978, according to a school librarian).
As a result of the culture shock, the black students have become unspoken-yet-deliberate targets of the white student body for what and what is not truly fashionable and cool. Reactions from the black students vary.
Sophomore DeMario Jefferson, 15, has endured the errant perceptions of how he should act--from assistant principal Steven Stricker lobbying him to become a receiver on the football team without ever seeing him run, to surprising classmate Janie Kurtz in the lunchline by declining the cafeteria's fried chicken for a light turkey croissant sandwich.
"When he said he didn't really like fried chicken, I was like 'what?!' That's like me saying I don't watch Laguna Beach. But I guess people can do whatever they want, especially if they're gay or a freak," said Kurtz.
"I don't know what's the big deal with people here. I just live like I'm used to living and go to school. I didn't know I was supposed to be doing this or that. Frankly, I don't care much. I'm not some role model," said Jefferson, in the vein of Charles Barkley.
But any typecast black demography that Jefferson tries to correct by offering food-for-thought is quickly undone by junior Shantez Billingham, 16, who is more than happy to get attention and fulfill students' expectations of what it means to be young and black in America.
"Shantez is off the chain," said junior Ryan Billingsley. "It's a lot less stiff 'round this joint since he's been 'round. And how else could I find out that wearing 'bling' has been replaced with the phrase 'cappin'?"
Billingham was spotted in the cafeteria before school on Friday with members of the basketball team, discussing how a weekend party was going to be "irate" and how he hoped his "boo-ji ho" wouldn't call him the next morning to go shopping at the mall.
"How many pairs of big hoop earrings a bitch gotta have anyhow? You feel me, right?" said Billingham. The group, wearing newly purchased flat-brimmed baseball caps with holographic stickers and non-traditional colors, laughed loudly although they were unsure just what he was talking about.
Other students clamored excitedly about how the school's dances would be affected by the new black student population.
"I'm really looking forward to the prom. I hope Shantez and DeMario and all those guys go, you know, if they can afford it. The dancing is so stiff. It would be great to see them liven it up with some Stomp In The Yard moves in colorful tuxedos," said senior Megan Applebaum.
"It might even get irate," she added.