Hollywood High’s ‘All-Americans’
I have had just about enough of the recent series of articles bemoaning the passage of “white, all-American teen-agers” from Hollywood High School (Times, April 21). The articles are so blatantly racist and class-conscious as to raise serious doubts about the integrity of the entire journal.
America is a country created by a steady influx of immigrants. A quick check of the backgrounds of Hollywood High’s “all-Americans” would confirm this. It seems painfully apparent from the series of articles that what is most objectionable about Hollywood High’s newest immigrants is that they are, for the most part, nonwhite.
The writer seems to equate whiteness and wealth with academic and social success, and even seems to suggest that only such students can be considered American. This seems to be the attitude of the nostalgic teachers featured in the article as well. There is little wonder that a black student interviewed in the latest article commented that he has trouble convincing immigrant students that he is American.
Articles like the ones on Hollywood High provide a showplace for xenophobia and racism. Perhaps in the future, The Times will exercise a little more discretion in choosing a topic for a continuing series.
LOLITA BUCKNER INNISS
Los Angeles
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