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Parents and students urge action after alleged racial attack at Leonardo da Vinci
Summary
Parents and students testified to the Sacramento City Unified School District board that a seventh-/eighth-grade student was targeted with racist slurs in class and that school administrators allowed the accused students to attend graduation; speakers asked the board and superintendent to hold staff and students accountable and demanded clearer discipline and communication.
Cinella Barnes told the board that on June 8 her child, a student at Leonardo da Vinci, was the victim of an attack of "hate speech, racial violence, and bullying" during second-period history class and that the school’s response left her family feeling unsafe. "No one else called me. Where were the adults in the scenario?" Barnes asked, saying administrators described the episode as a "first incident" and told her both accused students could still participate in graduation.
Barnes said Assistant Principal Tiffany Ballard confirmed that one student admitted using a racial slur and another repeated it. She said she asked Principal Devin Davis which Education Code provision had been cited to justify allowing the students to remain in school, and that Davis was unable to provide an explanation: "She went silent," Barnes said. Barnes asked the board and superintendent to "hold Devin Davis, Tiffany Ballard, and the racial abusers accountable."
A student who identified herself as Mary Grace Herald also spoke, saying she had been a victim of racial bullying and that the experience had left her scared to attend school. "I want justice because it should not be okay for people to be bullied … based on the color of their skin," she said.
Terrence Gladney and other public commenters framed the incident as part of a broader pattern the district must address. Gladney said past efforts, including a task force and consultant work, had produced recommendations but not lasting change, and he urged the board to adopt intentional policies and stronger accountability at every campus.
Board members acknowledged the seriousness of the reports. President Jean and other trustees said they would work to ensure students are protected, and reiterated the district’s commitment to equity and outreach. Several trustees pointed to policy and organizational changes planned for the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) redesign, which staff said would move into the academic office and prioritize clearer monitoring and community engagement.
The board did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting; public commenters asked for a meeting with the superintendent and the board and for clearer communication about what steps the district will take. Staff and several trustees said they would follow up with additional details about next steps and timelines.
