Over the last five years there has been an influx in the minority population in the south side of Denver. Due to a change in the demographics, the community has experienced tense moments while trying to redefine itself. The tension has been far-reaching and has even begun to manifest itself in the local schools. One school in particular, experienced a decrease in standardized test scores and in attendance rates during this five year period. The School Board was very disturbed by these statistics and subsequently put pressure on the principal to remedy the situation. After an exhaustive search, the principal was able to establish a partnership with a major computer/software company.

The school, South Side, is an urban middle school in the Denver metropolitan area. Together with their corporate sponsor, it has now identified itself as a "School of the Future". The company has provided enough funding so that there is one computer for every five students at South Side. Most importantly, this has enabled every classroom to have access to the Internet, aligning the school with President Clinton's Call to Action. These lucrative benefits have paid off, as can be seen in increased test scores and attendance rates. The media has agreed and proclaimed South Side as the School of the Future.

Many students are attracted to South Side because of its excellent reputation, including Max. When he moved to Denver from New York City with his mother, South Side was the only choice. Max and his mother also felt that he would be comfortable in this environment because of his love for computers. Unfortunately, the transition was harder than either anticipated. Max felt isolated at school and due to his mother's rigorous work schedule, he had no one to talk to.

One day, Max was walking home from school when he saw a group of students skateboarding. He cautiously inched closer to get a better look. He watched them for awhile in envy, remembering the time when he had friends. While walking home alone, Max decided that the next day he would bring his board to school in hopes of being included.

The next day, Max took the same route home and saw the skateboarders. They noticed his cool board and without a moments hestiation, invited him to join them. He was "psyched" and before he knew it, he was part of the group. They met everyday after school to skate and hang out with one another. Max enjoyed being with the group but was concerned with some of the talk he was hearing from the group. Several members of the "skaters" would comment often on Blacks, Hispanics and other ethnic groups different from their own. He became more upset when he heard one member asked him, "Did you see the nigger talking to that wet back?!" Max wanted to fit in and still remain friends with his new group. He responded by immitating the accents of one of the boys being made fun of. The entire group laughed and asked him to do it again and again. Max did not find it as funny as his new friends but he did not want to lose the only group who had accepted him.

The school requires all students to use research from the internet to be incorporated into all major academic research projects. Max was working on a World War II History assignment when he found the web site for W.A.R. (The White Aryan Race) . He printed it out to show his friends. The next day in school Max showed this site to his friends who found it hilarious. From this site they found links to many other cyber-hate sites. During the winter months this group would spend their afternoons reading the updated W.A.R. sites and participating in cyper-hate chat rooms. In the spring they all signed up for a technology class.

At first the teacher was impressed by the dedication and interest Max and his group showed. However, the teacher became concerned when he realized the diverse students in his class seem to have divided themselves to one side of the room or the other. He decided to assign computer partners. Max was assigned to work with a Black student in the club. Max's friends were all assigned to work with White students and poked fun at him for having to work with a Black student. After school they really let Max have it and said he was going to "become one of them." Max was not happy with what his friends were saying!!

The following day Max tried to convince his friends to skip computer class. The school had a strict policy on skipping classes, one week of detention if you were caught. Max's friends said "no way" and started to tease him. They said, "you can't stand up to the Nigger and you are turning into one of them not one of us". "If you are in the group and believe in W.A.R, then you would stand up for your rights and refuse to the work with the Nigger."

Max walked into class angry and upset. He asked his teacher if he could switch partners because his partner smelled. All of Max friends laughed when the teacher said "no." Max's partner walked into class and sat down next to him.

The technology teacher assigned a "team building" experience to the students. The partners were expected to share their favorite Internet site. Max smiled and typed in the address W.A.R. It only took a few seconds for the partner to realize what W.A.R was saying. At first the partner did not know how to react and it wasn't until Max said "What do you think Nigger". The partner stood up and asked "what did you say?" Max jumped up and repeated himself so the entire lab could hear. Everyone was quiet. The partner could no longer hold back his rage and slammed his fist into the keyboard. He had enough of these people and their neo-facist groups. He pushed Max Max pushed back Max's friends surrounded the partner. The students in the lab started to take sides by surrounding the person they supported. By this time everyone was out of their seats yelling and pushing - all "hell" had broken loose - chairs were flying, people were fighting and one person even threw a computer. The teacher tried to settle the class, but when she realized she couldn't, she called for the principal.

The Principal and several other teachers hurried to the class room and when they arrived they found what could only be deemed as war. After feverishly working to bring some sense of calm to the lab. The principal immediately closed the lab and sent the students home. He wandered back to his office with a the lab teacher and the others who had come to help thinking about what would be his course of action. The next morning still contemplating how to handle this new issue, he was met at his school by the media, a number of angry parents and the president of the computer company. What caused him the greatest pain was the comment the president of the computer company said has he approached him, "you clean up this mess or I will pull my sponsorship!"