MOTS: Students react to “Cool Runnings” screening cancellation

On Tuesday, Jan. 30, WHS Principal Allyson Mizoguchi sent an email addressed to the student body explaining why a Winter Week showing of “Cool Runnings” would be canceled. Since then, WHS has received a great deal of local and national attention. Mizoguchi stated that there is “criticism related to racially insensitive portrayals of characters in the movie.” This provoked over 150 “Reply to all” student responses, and many felt very strongly about the cancellation. Shortly after students spoke out, several local news stations began to report on the controversy, and national news followed soon after. Leon Robinson, the star of Cool Runnings, also decided to get involved by posting a video on Twitter in which he questioned Mizoguchi’s decision. WSPN asked some students for their opinions on the controversy.

Josh Goodman, senior

When Mizoguchi sent the email, what was your reaction?

“It didn’t really surprise me because things like this at Wayland High School happen literally all the time. I was like whatever, it’s just another thing we can’t do.”

Do you agree with Mizoguchi?

“I mean yeah, if she was under fire then sure, but I wish it wasn’t for this reason because people were excited for this movie. Even the actor said that it really is a good movie and it is appropriate, but it is what it is.”

How do you think the students reacted?

“Some kids were over the top and it was just funny to read. Some of them actually wanted Ms. Mizoguchi to hear their thoughts and I thought that was respectable, but some of the other kids were just bandwagoning. It was funny to read, but unnecessary, too.”

Do you think that this is worthy of all the press/national news?

“Worthy maybe, but I don’t want it. I don’t think that it reflects positively on Wayland, but I mean I guess it’s just another thing for FOX news to talk about other than Trump.”

Do you believe any further action should be taken from here?

“I hope not, I think we should just let this thing marginate.”

Lauren Hanifin, junior

When Mizoguchi sent the email, what was your reaction?

“I thought the email was kind of one-sided towards not watching [the movie], and I think that the email chain was a little excessive. I don’t think it really [anyone] benefited at all.”

Do you agree with Mizoguchi?

“I don’t agree with her. I haven’t seen the movie, but I think since it is meant for kids younger than us, we should be able to watch it without a problem. “

How do you think the students reacted?

“It was aggressive.”

Do you think that this is worthy of all the press/national news?

“I think for local news it was even a lot, and so national news is too much.”

Do you believe any further action should be taken from here?

“I just hope we watch another movie.”

Jess Reilly, sophomore

When Mizoguchi sent the email, what was your reaction?

“I was really surprised by the number of reactions and the number of emails that were sent. The chain was really long; I think it was about around 300 emails in the end.”

Do you agree with Mizoguchi?

“I don’t. I don’t think they should have canceled the movie, and I don’t think that it was racist.”

How do you think the students reacted?

“I think that it is valid to be upset, but I do think that people overreacted.”

Do you think that this is worthy of all the press/national news?

“No, not at all.”

Do you believe any further action should be taken from here?

“No, I think that it will sort of fade away, and hopefully next year they will try to make it better for Winter Week.”

Luke Tacelli, freshman

When Mizoguchi sent the email, what was your reaction?

“I was pretty disappointed that we couldn’t watch a movie, and I was confused on how it was labeled ‘racially insensitive.’”

Do you agree with Mizoguchi?

“If it did make someone feel uncomfortable and they thought it was racially insensitive, then they have that right, but I just don’t see how it was.”

How do you think the students reacted?

“Not too well. A lot of people wrote really disrespectful things in the emails that I think they shouldn’t have said, and that’s why I didn’t say anything. Some people handled it really well and wrote constructive paragraphs on what they believed and what they had questions about.”

Do you think that this is worthy of all the press/national news?

“No, not at all. I was really shocked when I heard it made national news and when the actor in the movie heard about it and wanted to talk about it.”

Do you believe any further action should be taken from here?

“No, I think it should and will just die down.”

Hilla Almog, freshman

When Mizoguchi sent the email, what was your reaction?

“Well I was just watching Netflix and I didn’t think it was a big deal since it was only one email, but then a ton of other emails started coming in. I clicked on it and read it, but I didn’t really have an opinion.”

Do you agree with Mizoguchi?

“I don’t agree with her. I think it’s kind of extra. I think that only a couple people thought it was racist, and I believe that we still should have been able to watch it.”

How do you think the students reacted?

“I think that in the chain of emails some students wrote thoughtful things, but other students wrote only like two words, which was not good.”

Do you think that this is worthy of all the press/national news?

“No, it makes us seem really extra.”

Do you believe any further action should be taken from here?

“No, I thought this would be over in a day or two, so this is a lot.”