Civil Rights Team is a project throughout many schools that aids in the prevention of hate crimes. Civil Rights helps protect others from experiencing crimes like violence or physical force and/or the threat of property damage that is based on another’s race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability and sexual orientations. Civil Rights Teams bring an awareness of these issues in hopes to someday eliminate them all together. It comes down to the issue of respect of others’ beliefs, abilities and property.

At Lisbon High School, the Civil Rights Team meets once a week to discuss ways in which to help others and create awareness in our school and the Lisbon Community. Members brainstorm ideas and put together an action plan. Last fall, the LHS Civil Rights Team, along with teams from Philip W. Sugg Middle and Lisbon Community School traveled to Augusta to attend a Civil Rights conference lead by Assistant Attorney General, Thom Harnett. During the conference, members met with other Civil Rights Teams and learned about the severity of some Civil Rights issues around the state. All teams are planning projects to share at the next Civil Right conference scheduled for May 7 in Augusta.

In preparation of the spring conference, the LHS Civil Rights Team created tee shirts that represent what the team stands for within the school. Colton Jackson, one of the members of the team, designed the logo for the shirts using the abbreviations LHS, CRT, 06-07 with team’s motto “Pugilists of Loathing,” which means to stand up against the violence, negativity, and harassment of others.

Team members have also designed and distributed a school-wide survey asking questions regarding the student/teacher climate at the high school. The survey addressed issues of harassment and discrimination and offered a scale of rating the frequency of these occurrences. Another survey question was the issue of where a student feels the safest in school. Results of the survey are currently being tabulated. Upon completion of the results, members of the CRT will be presenting the findings to students and staff.

Last week in observance of “No Name Calling Week” CRT members distributed buttons to students and staff to remind them of the importance of respecting others. Posters and a bulletin board were created to continue the momentum throughout the school beyond the dedicated week of remembrance. The most recent endeavor, of the bulletin board outside of the Library, represents a vested interest in the team’s commitment to Civil Rights. As one of the designers of the bulletin board, Kaitlyn Hunter, shares “I feel the Civil Rights Team is a good opportunity for people to address discriminatory issues in a positive manner.” With the work of all the team members, bulletin boards, survey results, conference training and weekly meetings, the LHS Civil Rights Team hopes to continuing raising awareness of what Civil Rights is all about and hope to work together a make a difference.

Judith Lashman, LHS Librarian assists students as the Civil Rights Advisor for the high school. Monica Millhime, Community Resource Coordinator for Lisbon School serves as the Community Advisor for all three Civil Rights Teams within the Lisbon School Department.