Pro: Maddie

We have all heard this statistic float proudly around the Irish Rivera since the professional census in 2010, “Scituate is the most Irish town in America.”  Aside from the stereotypical freckle-faced, red headed and ever present negative stereotypes town that we are known for, what does it really mean to be “the most Irish town in America”?

“It means we have no racial awareness,” said senior Remy Lovell.

With a 95.4% white population, according to the City Data census, Lovell has a valid point. Scituate may not be very culturally rounded.  Spanish teacher Señora Lima said, “It’s hard to teach Spanish in an all Irish town because students don’t get to practice with natives. It’s hard for them to imagine that this country has such a huge Hispanic population since there are few Hispanics in Scituate.”

Although being more than 90% of one race poses some obstacles for our quaint seaside town, we have overall, been able to embrace our ancestry and positively spread the culture that we are so proud of.  Junior Sarah Hollstein, who is Italian, German, and Swedish, said, “I’m not Irish, but I feel like I was raised Irish.”

But what does it mean to be raised Irish?

It means the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, a day in Scituate that all celebrate and enjoy.  A day where the Irish gloat and the non-Irish adopt the culture.  The aroma of corn beef and cabbage fills every kitchen and scaly caps rest on every head.  Front Street is buzzing and live music flows out every crevice at T.K. O’Malley’s.  Senior Carly Martin said, “I like living in a place where everyone mostly has the same culture because we are all unified under something and we all come together to celebrate Irish holidays like St. Patrick’s Day.”

Whether you are Irish or not, if you live in Scituate you have been a part of and have felt the communal pride that unifies our little town.  Scituate embraces the title “Most Irish Town in America,” and with that title comes the acceptance of the Irish culture and traditions by not only Irish descendants, but all of Scituate’s residents.

Being the “Most Irish Town in America” is more than just the exterior looks and stereotypical pastimes. Scituate is a place we all call home.  It is a place that has defined and shaped who we are today. And it is a place where we are raised to respect our heritage, Irish or not.

Con: Hannah

Although the thick Irish heritage is an important part of Scituate’s identity and history, its lack of diversity creates more problems. Often known as “the most Irish town in America” or the “Irish Rivera” by some of the older “townies,” almost half of Scituate’s population is composed of people of Irish descent. St. Patrick’s Day is a day of exceptional pride for people in Scituate, but on any other day of the year, an excessive lack of diversity can be problematic.

Growing up in a town that lacks the diversity of different ethnicities and cultures ultimately leads to ignorance. People have misconstrued perceptions of what life is like in cities because living in a secluded suburban town is all they’ve ever known. This makes it difficult for students to work with different groups of people later on in their life. Diversity is something that students will encounter throughout their careers and life; however, students from Scituate won’t be as prepared and able to cooperate easily with people who think in different ways due to their various experiences.

Diversity enables students to become more open and accepting of other cultures by making them more aware of the world. Almost everyone wants to travel the world at some point in their life, but this dream could be hindered by a lack of acceptance towards other cultures. Lacking diversity is preventing people from experiencing all that the world has to offer. It leaves us in our safety zone, never enabling us to leave what we know and experience new adventures and meet incredible people.

Freshman and a part of the non-Irish minority of Scituate, Zoe Brodsky, agreed and said “diversity teaches you to understand and accept other people.”

The purpose of education is to prepare students to be knowledgeable and open-minded citizens on a local, national and global scale. Without diversity, Scituate High School is lacking the essential learning experiences and cooperation that come with interacting with people from different backgrounds. Diversity enables students to access the opportunities needed for a better future and allows society to progress into future.

There are many ways for SHS students to broaden their horizons and become culturally educated. Many colleges offer study abroad programs and the opportunity to go to school in another country is extremely rewarding. Be sure to utilize the great opportunities SHS offers with the French and Spanish exchanges, and the Guatemala service trip. If you’re interested more so in different areas of the United States, going on the Appalachia Service Project trip could also be an eye-opening experience. Traveling is an important of understanding the world and the various cultures within it.