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Students and staff press Washington Unified for faster action on racial harassment and campus safety at River City High School
Summary
Students, teachers and union leaders told the Washington Unified School District board the use of racial slurs and rising safety incidents at River City High School are harming students’ learning and wellbeing. School staff and the superintendent described steps under way and called for more community collaboration.
Students, teachers and union leaders pressed the Washington Unified School District board on Feb. 13 to act after sustained complaints about racial harassment, hate speech and safety problems at River City High School.
During the public-comment period, multiple River City students described repeated use of the n‑word and other slurs on campus, said they feel unsafe and urged the board and district to take immediate, visible steps. “The n‑word means to me that they’re calling me a coward,” student Tyrone Reed said. “This is only beginning to our solution. We need to end with a better solution before people hate on each other.” Justice Spencer, another River City student, said students experience “exclusionary discipline just because of our skin color” and called for fairer enforcement of rules.
Teachers and staff backed the students’ accounts and named administrators who have supported anti‑racism work. River City teacher Tessa Hernandez called assistant principal Dr. Elise Versher “the only administrator I have seen take any meaningful action,” and said Versher’s efforts to address hate speech have made staff and students feel safer. More than 60 teachers signed a petition in support of Versher, public speakers said.
District leaders and labor representatives told the board they are working on both immediate responses and longer‑term strategies. Superintendent Dr. Hildreth said she has met with students and staff and called the comments “impactful and personal,” and pledged to make the changes students are asking for a priority. Hildreth described partnerships the district has pursued — including participation in the REACH Network (a UCLA and UC Berkeley effort to reduce exclusionary discipline) — and noted the district applied for additional community school funding for River City that could bring up to $1.4 million over five years if awarded.
Union leaders described personnel and safety strains at multiple campuses. A CSEA representative told the board that several paraeducators had resigned recently, citing unsafe conditions, and a union speaker said “3 more Paras are resigning” this week. WSTA President Kurt Castro and CSEA representatives emphasized community outreach and increased staffing as part of the solution.
Board members acknowledged the urgency. Several trustees and the superintendent said the district will follow up with staff and community meetings, additional training for employees, and continued collaboration with the county office of education and outside partners. Superintendent Hildreth said the district will prioritize “hard and uncomfortable conversations about race and identity” and staff will report back on specific next steps.
Ending
Speakers urged the board to move beyond statements and implement concrete policy and staffing changes to reduce hate speech and improve campus safety. The board directed staff to follow up with specific actions and community outreach; the district also said it will report progress at future meetings.
