As members of this community, we place a significant amount of implicit trust upon each other. We leave our bags sitting unattended in Main Building, we wear pajamas to the Dining Hall without fear of judgement, we leave our dorm rooms unlocked, and we are allowed to leave campus at any time during the day by simply filling out a form. 

This implicit trust is necessary for the functioning of a residential community such as ours. The major school offenses outlined in The Almanac—including lying, violence, academic dishonesty, sexual misconduct, bullying, and the use of alcohol and drugs—all pertain to violations of this implicit trust. In this vein, we want to address the instances of harassment and misogyny that have pervaded our school culture, especially within the Senior class. These actions, such as the exposure of people’s intimate lives in public and the use of disrespectful and derogatory terms aimed at women, undermine the implicit trust that we value so deeply in our school community. 

However, not all trust is tacit: the school and its students place explicit trust in the leaders of our community. The school chooses proctors with the understanding that they can be trusted to be responsible for their fellow students; we elect our student government with the understanding that they will lead by example and advocate for students. 

The unprecedented resignation of former All-School President Izhaar Rosa ’22 is not only a grave disappointment for the community, but marks the dysfunction that has permeated our school culture. From dorms to clubs to sports teams, it is imperative that we, especially Seniors, lead by example. 

In light of these events, we want to emphasize that respect for each other is crucial to the safety, well being, and health of our community. Let’s stand up for our classmates. Let’s keep private information private. Let’s treat people the way we want to be treated. Seniors: we are role models. We need to set a better example. As students, we must honor both the implicit and explicit trust placed in us.