I would like to think of America as a place where people of every race are treated equally, since that's what our constitution says and it is one of the main cornerstones our country takes pride in.
While this may be true in some parts of the country, there are still some places that struggle with segregation.
USA Today recently posted a video about a school in Georgia that still has issues with segregation.
Wilcox County High School in Georgia has two proms and two homecoming dances each year. One for white students only and the other dance is integrated.
USA Today interviewed four girls, two who were white and two who were black. The girls are all close friends, but despite their friendship, the two black girls are not allowed to attend the all white prom with their other friends.
Students were quoted as saying that black students were warned to not show up at 'white prom' and that if they did, police would likely escort them off campus.
In fact, a report said that the police turned a biracial student away from the whites only prom last year.
This year, for the first time ever, Wilcox County High School had only one couple for king and queen instead of two separate couples.
The school chose a black female and a white male as king and queen, however this couple was told that they would have to take separate pictures for the school yearbook instead of being shown together.
The four girls on the video decided that if no one else was going to ask for a change, then they would.
They are planning the integrated prom where everybody will be invited. Despite the girls' best efforts, it is not going smoothly.
They were quoted as saying that students were ripping down their posters for the integrated prom.
My first reaction to the video was shock. This is America we're talking about right? The land of the free?
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there are still places in our country where segregation is an issue.
Another example of segregation, although it is voluntary, can be seen in Greek Life on many campuses throughout the country, including Auburn's Greek Life.
With a few exceptions, most sororities and fraternities on Auburn's campus are either all white or all black students.
Before I went through sorority rush I hadn't realized how segregated the Greek system was.
I was surprised to learn that there are six sororities and fraternities on campus that are only for black students under the National Pan-Hellenic Council and that the majority of the students under Auburn Panhellenic sororities and fraternities are white.
Although we have made great strides in race relations in our country, some places in America still have problems with segregation, whether it is voluntary or forced.
The image of a police officer escorting non-white students away from an all white prom rekindles images from the 1960s when blacks were denied access to so many public venues, simply because of the color of their skin.
Segregation whether it be voluntary or forced should have no place in our society today.
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