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Parents and pediatrician urge Greenfield schools to create indigenous clubs, improve language access after bullying reports
Summary
At a Greenfield Union School District board meeting, parents and a community pediatrician described bullying of students who identify as indigenous and called for indigenous cultural clubs and better interpreter support at schools.
Parents and a community pediatrician told the Greenfield Union School District Board of Trustees on Thursday that students who identify as indigenous or who speak languages other than English are experiencing exclusion and bullying, and they urged the district to create indigenous clubs and improve language access at school sites.
Feliciana Cruz Perez, who identified herself as working with Centrobi Nacional and First 5, told the board the parent group that has met with district staff wants “indigenous clubs at the school sites as well as cultural, cultural activities.” She said parents have been advocating for those programs for months and hope the new school year will bring implementation.
Dr. Ivan Marquez, a community pediatrician who said he cares for more than 1,400 children in the Salinas area and treats patients who attend Greenfield schools, described a recent patient who missed school frequently and later reported prolonged teasing about language, smell and appearance. “There’s very good evidence that the antidote to the negative physical and psychological effects of bullying is fostering a sense of belonging,” Marquez said, urging the board to listen to families and support programs that celebrate language and culture.
Several parents at the meeting also described difficulties communicating with school staff when they receive calls from the school. One parent said she was called when her daughter was bothered by another student but could not understand what school staff were telling her because an interpreter was not available; she described relying on her husband, who works, to come to school to help translate. Another parent asked that interpreters be made available at school sites and that staff help families who cannot use district apps.
Why it matters: board members and staff said the district wants to increase family engagement and reduce bullying, and speakers tied cultural programming and language access to those goals. Several trustees thanked parents and community partners for their involvement during public comment, and interim superintendent Cortez and other staff acknowledged the concerns and noted willingness to work with community groups.
The board did not take formal action on the requests during the meeting. Public comment closed before the agenda’s school-site presentation and subsequent business.
