Students and staff decry racism at River City High; district pledges targeted support

At the Washington Unified School District Board of Education meeting on Feb. 13, students, teachers and community members raised urgent complaints about repeated racist language, safety incidents and understaffing at River City High School, and district leaders said they will move quickly to expand supports.

Several River City students described feeling unsafe and targeted on campus, and asked the board to act. "I have not been treated respectfully," student Tyrone Reed said during public comment. "There has been times in my life I don't feel safe or respected... The n word means to me that they're calling me a coward."

The complaints extended beyond student testimony. Teachers and staff said hate speech, substance use and fights in school bathrooms are ongoing problems. River City teacher Tessa Hernandez told the board that she has seen "a disturbing and unacceptable behavior from students" and that "students are openly using the n word in classes as well as f slurs." Assistant Principal Dr. Elise Versher was named repeatedly by students and staff as someone who has worked to intervene; a group of teachers and staff spoke in support of her work and urged the district not to remove her.

Superintendent Hildreth said the district is treating the reports seriously and described several steps already under way. She said WUSD is a recipient of a REACH Network grant led by UCLA and UC Berkeley researchers; the project is designed to reduce out-of-school suspensions and support relationship-centered approaches that can curb disproportionate discipline for students of color and students with disabilities. Hildreth also said River City has federal community-school funding and that the district submitted an application last Friday seeking an additional $1.4 million in state community schools funding over five years.

Hildreth said the REACH award will bring targeted training and outside expertise and named UCLA's Center for the Transformation of Schools and UC Berkeley faculty who will assist the district. "We are truly at a moment to change and turn this passion into the spark that has been needed for all the adults in our district and our community to come together to be the safe haven that our students need to feel valued, respected, and seen," she told the board.

Union leaders and staff representatives described staffing shortages and safety pressures. A union representative said yard staff and campus security monitors are "literally outnumbered" and that multiple paraprofessionals have resigned because they feel unsafe. The union reported three recent paraprofessional resignations and said more staff turnover is likely unless conditions improve.

Board members and the superintendent said next steps will include district-led training, expanded alternatives to suspension, collaboration with county and university partners under the REACH Network, and follow-up communications with River City families and staff. The superintendent said some measures are constrained by law and district policy, but that the district will prioritize clearer, rapid interventions and expanded staff support where possible.

The board did not take a binding policy vote on River City at the meeting; members said they would return updates to the board and the public as district staff implement the next steps Hildreth outlined.

Ending: The superintendent closed by thanking students and staff for speaking and by saying the district would continue to pursue grants, targeted training and community-school strategies to reduce suspensions, improve safety and address racist incidents.