Opinion: Inspiration, But at What Cost?

By Liam Malakoff 

With Contribution From Lauren McCracken

Dr. Michael Miller started out as a juvenile delinquent and teenage father in Baltimore, Maryland, but in a matter of years transformed his life to become a doctor, author, and inspiration to disadvantaged youth across the nation. His speech at T.C. on December 4th was meant to inspire minority youth to achieve great things, to tell them (according to Academy 1 Principal Marla Philpot) “You can have an awesome life.”

      I have no doubt that many of the students who saw Dr. Miller speak were inspired, and he may even have changed a life. But along the way, he crossed certain lines. In an attempt to approach students “at their level” he reinforced stereotypes and some students who saw him speak compared his speaking style to preaching. The following have been the most common complaints:  

-Miller called atheists “ignorant” 

-He repeatedly enforced stereotypes, drawing connections between: 

-Jews and the diamond industry 

-Italians and cooking 

-Germans and cars 

-African-Americans and fried chicken 

-Took a divisive tone by comparing Tupac Shakur with William Shakespeare and President Bill Clinton with President Barack Obama 

-Used the term “part-time retarded” (in a self-deprecatory sense)        

One of the most commonly defended laws in this country is that which makes a public school, such as T.C. Williams, a place free from preaching or other religious influence. Said one junior who saw Miller speak, “It’s just plain offensive to call atheists ignorant.”  But Miller apparently took no issue with joking about Catholics either, saying in his greetings, “To all you Catholics out there, sprinkle sprinkle!” while miming the motion of a priest sprinkling holy water.

      It is clear that Miller’s heart is in the right place. And I admire ACPS for bringing such a role model to the school. I only wish that the organizers of this event might have spoken with Dr. Miller beforehand about what was expected in a public school setting. His comments, while questionable even in an informal or small group setting, do not seem readily defensible in any context. If a student, black or white, had said what Dr. Miller did, they would have been reprimanded, or at the very least reminded to be more respectful. I hope T.C. administration had a word with Dr. Miller afterwards about his conduct.

      Plenty of black students I talked to at T.C. did not feel offended by Miller’s talk, but understood why others might be. When talking with Philpot, I heard another view of the speech: Dr. Miller’s overall message of hope was far more important than the way he chose to say it. “Would I have preferred that he didn’t use the term ‘retarded’?” said Philpot, who also heads Special Education. “Of course… but his message is still powerful.” But when was the last time someone heard President Obama or any other effective and inspirational speaker use such sweeping generalizations? It is possible to talk to students in a way they understand while also setting an example of eloquence.

      In the interest of fairness, I called Miller to hear his side of the story. I expected to hear something along the lines of Philpot’s justification: the remarks were made with the intention of getting students to sit up and actually listen. What I did not expect was that, when given the chance to comment, Miller flatly denied making any of the previously mentioned statements, and even said he found “the whole situation really funny.” Less than an hour later, Principal William Clendaniel acknowledged that Miller did indeed make the comments. “Some of the things he said made me squirm,” added Clendaniel, who is a Catholic, in reference to Miller’s “sprinkle sprinkle” greeting. But Clendaniel too agreed that getting students’ attention was Miller’s goal, an idea I do not challenge. I believe that extreme political correctness can stifle creativity and the ability to have honest discussions. Honesty is a key word here though. How can Miller, in good conscience, deny saying what over a hundred students, and their principal, heard him say?

      I understand the use of humor to connect to students. But using stereotypes to build bridges within communities can also help to build walls between cultures. We do not live in a colorblind society, but tactics like Dr. Miller’s turn up the contrast.