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OPEN THE FILES, PRESIDENT HARDESTY:
4-H HAS NOTHING TO HIDE
By Ryan B. Frankenberry
“Any prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich.” West Virginians,
especially those of us involved in the State 4-H Program, now know more
fully what that funny saying means. After hearing the reasons why Dr.
Larry Cote - and by extension, WVU President David Hardesty - have decided
single-handedly to shut down 80 years of solid education through the use
of some Native American imagery at West Virginia’s 4-H Camps, the
words “trumped up” come
to mind.
While details are sketchy-again, thanks to Hardesty and Cote-the essence
of the story behind the now infamous complaint of one “Mr. Harris”
in Roane County appears to be this: Harris was convinced that, after five
full days at the Roane County 4-H Camp, his child had been turned into
a “racist.”
When Harris took his complaint all the way to the USDA, WVU’s parent
federal program, Cote commissioned a team of “experts” to look
into the charges. Those of us associated with the West Virginia 4-H Program
in one way or another would no doubt find it hard to believe that any
of our programs would cause someone to become a racist. That is, after
all, antithetical to the mission of the WV 4-H Camping Program, in particular
with the use of Native American imagery. This imagery-tribes, high council,
and the like-has been used most respectfully for eight decades, with no
complaints until now, to teach our campers to have greater understanding
and acceptance of cultures not their own.
By any measuring stick, the program has been an enormous success. Nevertheless,
if Cote deemed an investigation into the matter prudent, we have no argument
with that: as long as he gave his own 4-H Program, one built for many
years by the 4-H volunteers and paid staff from WVU, the chance to defend
itself and answer the charges made. Any program that has received only
one complaint out of tens of thousands of campers over the years on this
matter deserves at least that much, don’t you think?
Instead, a very small committee of two Native American activists, one
WVU professor, and Harris faced off against just one Extension Agent who
had performed some of the high council rites respectfully for years at
4-H Camps in West Virginia. Dr. Cote himself, for some reason, did not
show up for the final program hearing on the subject; perhaps it was because
he already
knew the outcome?
One of Cote’s Native American activists said that the sometimes somber,
sometimes enthusiastic high council ceremonies were offensive to Native
Americans. These two experts had a habit of speaking as if their opinions
spoke for all Native Americans. Shouting enthusiastically at less somber
parts of the high council ceremony would be like shouting hymns to one
another in a church service” one of the “experts” said.
But noted Native American expert Rev. Stacy Groscup laughs at such an
opinion. On Metronews “Talkline,” Groscup explained that Native
Americans are spiritual about everything they do, from worship to play.
This can include having both at one high council circle, Groscup says.
Far from the stereotype of the stoic and wooden Indian, Groscup says that
the Native Americans he’s known-and he’s known many-evoke a
wide range of emotions at
appropriate times at their high councils-just as the 4-Hers do. Dr. Cote
and President Hardesty did not get to hear that side of the story, maybe
because they just did not want to hear it. Other Native Americans across
West Virginia have already voiced offense towards WVU for the two
Native American activists Cote put on the committee to essentially speak
for ALL Native Americans here in West Virginia.
A great number of these Native Americans have advised various county and
state 4-H camping programs over the years and have long appreciated 4-H’s
attempts to foster understanding and awareness of their peoples in a respectful
and educational way.
Do Dr. Cote and President Hardesty care about these Native Americans,
who after all, have a much greater likelihood of belonging to one of the
four tribes who used to walk West Virginia: Cherokee, Seneca, Mingo, and
Delaware? You would think that WVU would want to respect the opinions
of some of our own Native Americans, right here in West Virginia? But
perhaps
they were not invited to serve on Cote’s committee, because Cote
did not know their opinion ahead of time.
Here’s another disenfranchised group: West Virginia University alumni.
Many of us are asking: just why does WVU have such self-hatred for one
of its very best programs. Why does WVU insist on running away from a
program that has gained national recognition for its character development,
its respect for Native American people and their traditions, and its uncanny
ability to integrate solid traditions with new, relevant additions as
times change?
Just where would West Virginia be without this program, teaching all those
young 4-H campers to appreciate and understand what different cultures
have to offer us all? We should all think carefully about that question
before we allow this decision to stand. After all, we are talking about
one of the most successful youth programs left in our state.
When one small, narrow committee’s misread of such an exemplary program
can end that program’s distinctiveness and personality, then WVU
is most certainly cutting off its nose to spite West Virginia’s face.
Worse, WVU is also spitting in the face of the many Native Americans of
West Virginia whose testimony was not sought out. This, while claiming
to be “sensitive” to Native American issues. Now that’s
a heck of a note!
At the very least, this time-tested program deserves a real chance to
rebut Harris’s claims and to prove to the world that any “racist”
actions, which may or may not have been evident in his child’s behavior
did not come from the WV 4-H Camping program.
Dr. Cote and President Hardesty: Re-open this file. 4-H has nothing to
hide.
Then please explain to us all why you decided to tie 4-H’s hands
from defending its sterling good name. Fairness requires this to be done.Finally,
if Roane County’s 4-H Camping Program was engaging in any racist
conduct, where are all the other parental complaints? Complaints should
be taken seriously, of course, but they should also be evaluated thoroughly
from every important angle. Otherwise, Dr. Cote, you may find that the
ham sandwich you indicted so vigorously was innocent all along.
Ryan B. Frankenberry
Berkeley County, WV
Ryan Frankenberry
was a 14 year Berkeley County 4-H member and currently serves as a volunteer
leader of his local club. He is a former Tri-County and Alpha I Delaware
Chief, 4-H All Star, and has been a camp counselor every year after his
age required him to stop being a camper, including serving as Big Chief
of Tri-County Older 4-H Camp his last year of camping eligibility. He
can be reached at Ryan@rbfsolutions.com.
