On November 12, Wallingford police responded to reports of flyers reading “IT’S OKAY TO BE WHITE” posted on stop signs and street lights throughout town, concentrated primarily on Christian and Center Streets. According to Wallingford Police Chief William Wright, “A call came into the Dispatch Center from a resident in town who stated that they had seen a few postings on town-owned utility posts.” Wallingford police officers subsequently removed the posters from their locations.
The Wallingford Town Council has formally condemned the behavior as an act of racism. In a statement released on behalf of the Town Council, Chairman Vincent Cervoni wrote, “We who are Wallingford do not support any discrimination based upon race, color, creed, or national origin.”
At the moment, the Wallingford police department has not identified the organization responsible for the posters. “There was some sense that these posters have been seen nationwide,” said Chief Wright. However, even if the culprit is identified, the department will not be able to charge them with a hate crime because the posters technically do not target a group of people.
After the Wallingford police removed the flyers, the Choate Equity and Inclusion Team worked closely with the Wallingford police to speak out against the actions and ensure the safety of students. On the collaboration, Chief Wright said that he and Ms. Alison Cady, the School’s Director of Strategic Planning and Communications “had conversations about the posters on more than one occasion … Alison expressed the concerns of the Choate community to us, and I gave her some information that I believed would be helpful.”
Following these conversations, Director of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Keith Hinderlie wrote in a school-wide email, “[The phrase] is a message designed to provoke reactions, promote white nationalism, and instill fear among people of color.” He emphasized, “We unequivocally condemn these acts and stand firmly against all forms of racism.” The School has received no further reports of intolerant transgressions following the incident.
The Wallingford Police Department has assured the School that there is no reason to believe that the posters are directed at the Choate community, despite their proximity to campus. Nevertheless, Dr. Hinderlie urged students, especially day students who travel through town regularly, to remain vigilant of their surroundings. Chief Wright noted that students who feel uncomfortable traveling through town can always contact the police department for support. He said, “I am hopeful that this incident, or these two incidents, don’t deter the Choate community from coming into the downtown area.”
“IT’S OK TO BE WHITE” originates from white supremacist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi parties. According to The Guardian, “[The phrase] was appearing on white supremacist fliers as long ago as 2005.”
The incident is not the first manifestation of racial intolerance in Wallingford’s recent past. According to the New Haven Register, “In 2001, Matthew Hale, head of the racist and anti-sematic group World Church of the Creator, held a rally in town. Two years earlier, white supremacist literature promoting a group founded by David Duke [former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan] was found posted on a bulletin in Town Hall.”
Chief Wright has stressed that these events do not represent the Wallingford community. “From my interactions with our community, [residents] have been firm in their belief that, first, they’re not going to tolerate this, and, second, there’s no room for it,” said Chief Wright.
Dr. Hinderlie urged students to contact a member of the Equity and Inclusion team, a trusted adult, or him if they feel uncomfortable about the incident or witness further acts of racism in town.
