Molloy High School creates Council for Diversity and
Inclusion after reports of current and past racism, sexism
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.10 COM | OCT. 16-OCT. 22, 2020
A city boy through and through, Ford
was born in Manhattan October 21, 1928
and grew up in Astoria, Queens, later
graduating the Manhattan High School
of Aviation Trades – so naturally the
Yankees signed Whitey as an amateur
free agent in 1947.
The lefty, fastball and curve-style
pitcher had a particularly fond friendship
with outfielder Mickey Mantle during
his playing career and a similar rapport
with manager Billy Martin.
It was fitting that both Whitey and the
Mick were inducted into Cooperstown in
1974, Ford earning 77 percent of votes on
his second ballot; he was immortalized
in Monument Park on August 1, 1987.
City Councilman Costa Constantinides,
who represents the neighborhood
Ford grew up in, shared his condolences
Friday.
“Today, New York City lost one of Astoria’s
proudest sons and one of the greatest
Yankees of all time. Edward Charles
“Whitey” Ford represented the best of
this hard-working community, where
kids of modest means can grow up to
be legends,” Constantinides said. “That
legacy will live on every time an Astoria
kid swings a bat at Whitey Ford Field
and when every Yankee dons the pinstripes.
As an Astoria native and a proud
Yankees fan, my heart is heavy today. I
want to send my deepest condolences to
Whitey Ford’s family, who I’ve had the
honor to get to know in recent years.”
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford, arguably
the New York Yankees’ greatest
franchise pitcher, passed away at the age
of 91 on Oct. 8 in his Long Island home.
His cause of death has not yet been
announced.
Known as the pressure thriving and
slick “Chairman of the Board” during
many of his sixteen seasons throwing
for the Bombers from 1950 to 1967, Ford’s
accomplishments in pinstripes are fantasies
to even the most outstanding pitchers
of the modern day.
He was a six time World Series champion,
1961 Cy Young winner and World
Series MVP, plus a ten time all star who
put his major league career on hold to
fight in the U.S. Army during the Korean
War from 1951-1952.
The great number 16 also surpassed
the consecutive scoreless World Series
innings record previously held by Babe
Ruth during the Bambino’s time with the
Boston Red Sox.
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
Archbishop Molloy High
School announced the creation
of the Council for Diversity
and Inclusion, following backlash
from current students and
alumni over a lack of an initial
response to George Floyd’s
killing and the ensuing Black
Lives Matter protests that took
place over the summer.
The council was created as
a direct response to the reports
of racism and sexism past and
present students experienced
while at the Briarwood private
institution.
The Catholic Marist school,
with a mission to “foster an
exemplary education in the
mind, body and spirit for a
diverse college-bound population,”
came under fire in June
when students and alumni
began contacting the school
for not addressing the Floyd
protests impacting the nation
as well as some of their own
students.
Shortly after those calls,
Archbishop Molloy high
school shared a response on
their Instagram page that was
later deleted.
In their statement, they
wrote, “Like you, all of us
at Archbishop Molloy High
School are distressed by current
events that reflect the racism
and bigotry that unfortunately
exist in our society.”
Following their statement,
though, students and alumni
flooded the comment section
with criticisms and personal
stories of racism and bigotry
that they’ve experienced by
their own teachers and peers
that were overlooked by the
administration.
Then, a “Not for School But
for Black Lives” protest took
place in front of the school.
Archbishop Molloy High
School has more than 1,500 students.
The largest ethnic group
is white at 51 percent, followed
by Hispanic students at 24 percent,
Asian students at nearly
12 percent and Black students
at 10 percent, according to the
schools’ 2020-21 data.
Demographics for the
school’s administration wasn’t
readily searchable on their
public data.
Their Council for Diversity
and Inclusion is an independent
advisory group that will
work with Molloy’s School
Board and Administration to
share insights and make recommendations
about policies
and procedures pertaining to
diversity and inclusion.
It will be driven by a group
of alumni, parents, faculty,
staff and industry experts
who are committed to cultivating
a truly inclusive
institutional culture at the
high school.
“Called by founder St.
Marcellin Champagnat to
care for the ‘least favored,’
and rooted in shared Catholic
Marist Charism, Molloy and
the Council are committed to
creating a school community
where everyone can succeed,
especially those from communities
who have been marginalized
by society,” a press release
sent by the school reads.
“The hope of Molloy and the
Council is to build a community
where students, faculty,
and staff of every race, ethnicity,
nationality, culture,
immigration status, academic
learning style, gender, sexual
orientation, religion, and socioeconomic
background can
thrive.”
To learn more about the
Council, including information
about each member and
will feature ongoing updates
related to diversity and inclusion
at the high school, visit
www.molloyhs.org/diversity.
Photo courtesy of Archbishop Molloy High School
Hall of Famer Whitey Ford tips his cap during introductions for the 65th Old Timers’
Day in 2011. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine
Yankees legend Whitey Ford,
an Astoria native, dead at 91
/diversity
/diversity
