In just the past few weeks, several Bethel students have been either cuffed, criminally charged and/or arrested in two separate incidents at Haury Hall.
To the best of my knowledge, the responses to the two incidents were understandable given the circumstances. But, to paraphrase President Gering, no crisis occurs in a vacuum: there is a before and after to every encounter with the police. These encounters happened in our community and so, we must ask ourselves, what part did we play in this mess?
One group of students involved in the second incident that resulted in a police response expressed that they don’t feel safe at Bethel College. They feel out of place here. They feel unsupported, unwanted and targeted in this community because of their race and background. As the community that recruited these students, it's our responsibility to create conditions where all students can be safe, feel at home, and thrive. Instead, we watch as some fall into the criminal justice system.
This is unacceptable.
There is a better way and we must come together to find it. We have a Student Handbook with restorative policies and procedures. We have the Office of Culture and Belonging. We have KIPCOR and we have Offender-Victim Ministries in Newton. We are fortunate to have this wealth of resources, experience, and expertise. Let’s use it to better support all our students.
Josué Coy Dick