I don't think I need to tell you that sending a kid to college is expensive. If my kid decided to give back a $1,000 scholarship, I think I'd be having a heart attack. But Jeffrey Warren didn't have a lot of options. The California high school graduate is white, and the scholarship was supposed to go to a black kid.
He could have kept it ... legally. But Jeffrey Warren did something that too few kids do these days.
He showed people that it's better to win things "fair and square" than it is to simply "win." That's a pretty hard thing to teach a child. It's not like a mathematical equation where the right answer is directly in front of you.
In this case, Warren didn't know the scholarship was directed toward kids of color. The Martin Luther King Senior Citizens Club had mentioned the scholarship's race stipulation in a letter to his high school guidance counselor, but it wasn't in the wording of the actual scholarship. And the Senior Citizens Club didn't know Warren was white until he stood up during the graduation ceremonies to accept his award.
He says he gave the money back because:
I knew they were trying to do a good deed for the African-American community. I had no trouble giving it back to them at all.
He makes me feel hopeful for the future. And he makes me want to send a letter to his parents asking for tips on raising such a great kid. I am still struggling with how to teach my daughter the concept of being a "bigger person."
Jeffery Warren could have had a cool chunk of change to spend on college. That "seems" right. After all, he applied. He "won" the scholarship. And I'm sure it would have helped his parents financially. But the fact that this kid decided to right a wrong here should help his parents even more ... at least it helps them know that they've done a good job in raising a future member of society.
What would you have done if Jeffrey was your kid winning the scholarship intended for a kid of a different race?
Image via gadgetdude/Flickr
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Comments 26
Excellent points made in the comments, about how it's acceptable to offer something only to blacks, or hispanics, but caucasian-only will cause the villagers to run you out of town with pitch forks.
It's nice this kid gave it back - it says a lot about his character. It's deplorable the club accepted its return. Says a lot about their character, too.
Perhaps if all the students had a chance at all the scholarships, then maybe they would work harder in school and the education system wouldn't be considered failing because of kids not putting forth the effort and still being rewarded for it.
This is admirable. He has a great sense of justice,and any college will be proud to have him. It proves children nowadays do have moral values that can put us parents to shame. I had a terrible time going back to a store to return the extra $ 45.00 the cashier had given me, could have kept it, but a little voice in the back of my brain kept telling me it was not correct, it was easy money for me, but that young cashier would have been in trouble. Also made DD return chewing gum. And my son some toy that was already out of the package and worth about $ 2.00, but the store manager acknowledged his good deed.
this is bullshit. why is it okay for a scholarship to be for only black students??? if there were ones for only white students, it would be considered unfair and racist. how are the ones for only black students any less unfair and any less racist???? he won this scholarship, meaning he was the most qualified. but because he's white, he can't have it. there seems to be a lot of that happening nowadays. and i don't see how it further improves the black community. wouldn't someone want to be the best out of everyone, rather than being the best out of their race? to truly win you have to be better than everyone, not just better than some. so i think it is horrible that people get special treatment because of their race. by doing this, the black community is basically not holding black people to the same standards as others. they're saying, well you only have to be good enough to beat certain people, it doesn't matter if you aren't better than everybody. i really don't understand why it's even allowed to deny certain students just because they are white. that is racist. no way around it. like i said, if a white only scholarship would be racist, than so is this. this double standard has got to end. i thought people wanted true equality? it seems like they only want special consideration and MORE opportunities than white people because of their race. and it's disgusting. and truly disturbing that it's allowed to happen.