2 October 2004
5 years ago today, almost to the minute, the soccer team completed its 6-0 loss against CND.
We came off the field, completely defeated, wearing our black uniforms.
We did not care about the loss.
We did not care about the game.
We wanted to know...we needed to know the decision.
We saw Dean Green standing off to the side and the expressions on our fellow sisters' faces.
We knew, but could not believe.
The Board made their decision. They did not care about the protests. They did not care about our "home"; our "family". They made their decision and their decision changed our lives, and the lives of all future Wellsians, forever. Our beloved school was no longer single-sex. It was no longer our sanctuary.
That day I earned the sacred game ball for playing my hardest at the game of soccer. I hate that the Board took that moment away from me. They had just destroyed my home and that was my only concern.
I have very rarely felt so completely broken as I did at that moment and the many moments that followed.
My mother was there. She came to see the game. She came to hear the decision. She snuck her recording equipment in to document the lies spewed forth from President Ryerson's mouth. She truly had the inside scoop and helped us document the truth and spread the word.
We fought. I am thankful that we fought. At least we know we tried everything. I will remember that moment and that fight forever. I will always mourn the loss of the one place I felt I could truly be myself. Wells was and will always be my home, but I will never be able to see it in the same way. I will never be able to return without feeling both the joy of being home and the bitter sadness of losing the beauty it had.
We came off the field, completely defeated, wearing our black uniforms.
We did not care about the loss.
We did not care about the game.
We wanted to know...we needed to know the decision.
We saw Dean Green standing off to the side and the expressions on our fellow sisters' faces.
We knew, but could not believe.
The Board made their decision. They did not care about the protests. They did not care about our "home"; our "family". They made their decision and their decision changed our lives, and the lives of all future Wellsians, forever. Our beloved school was no longer single-sex. It was no longer our sanctuary.
That day I earned the sacred game ball for playing my hardest at the game of soccer. I hate that the Board took that moment away from me. They had just destroyed my home and that was my only concern.
I have very rarely felt so completely broken as I did at that moment and the many moments that followed.
My mother was there. She came to see the game. She came to hear the decision. She snuck her recording equipment in to document the lies spewed forth from President Ryerson's mouth. She truly had the inside scoop and helped us document the truth and spread the word.
We fought. I am thankful that we fought. At least we know we tried everything. I will remember that moment and that fight forever. I will always mourn the loss of the one place I felt I could truly be myself. Wells was and will always be my home, but I will never be able to see it in the same way. I will never be able to return without feeling both the joy of being home and the bitter sadness of losing the beauty it had.