In a persuasive letter assignment in AP English, students were given the prompt to pick a controversial topic and somehow convince the readers, their peers, to take a stance on the topic. After reading my previous article, “Bringing it to the round table,” Xavier juniors were inspired to address the issue of the round tables in their English class.

My past article explained the different viewpoints of the eight person to a round table rule in Founders Hall and whether or not it promotes the LBF motto, “Let’s Be Friendly” at Xavier. Junior Claire Fable commented on the issue and said, “I feel like the circle tables in Founders Hall exclude girls and make people feel left out because only eight people are allowed to sit at each table.”

In my past article, Sr. Lynn Winsor, a freshman mother and other students discussed their opinions on the tables in Founders Hall. Sr. Lynn explained that the round tables are better for communicating with one another and they are beneficial for bigger events at Xavier. The freshman mother believed the tables exclude girls from groups and create cliques at Xavier. While some students believed the tables encourage cliques, others think the round tables are great because you know who you are sitting with each day.

In the requirements of the AP English assignment, students were supposed to come up with a solution to the problem and persuade the readers to take action. Junior Abby Jones read the article and decided to write her persuasive letter about the tables and whether or not they have the power to exclude girls and create cliques. She explained in her persuasive letter that rectangular tables could encourage an LBF environment at Xavier because more students would be able to sit with whomever they want, wherever they want. She believes a petition would encourage more students and faculty members to think about the issue and take an initiative to change the round tables to rectangular tables.

Junior Bridget Kelly also explored my previous article and wrote about the round tables in Founders Hall in her persuasive letter to her peers. She also had the idea to petition for new rectangular tables at Xavier. Kelly stated, “I ask you all, as Xavier students, to help petition for the purchase of new tables and to reach out to those you know are struggling to find a place in the Xavier community. Challenge yourselves to include others, even in the smallest ways like inviting them to sit with you.”

At the end of her persuasive letter, Kelly went on to say, “New tables are a positive solution to the ever present problem of bullying. I hope you all take the initiative in your day to day life, and reach out to the Xavier faculty to address the issue.”