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Student leaders prompt board to adopt resolution banning n-word and other hate speech
Summary
After a student presentation, the Santa Cruz County Board of Education unanimously adopted Resolution 26‑15 to eliminate use of the n‑word and other hate speech in COE contexts and to align nondiscrimination policy; trustees discussed education and restorative responses alongside policy language.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Education adopted Resolution 26‑15, which directs the county office to eliminate use of the n‑word and other hate speech in COE schools and to align board nondiscrimination policy with that commitment.
The resolution was introduced by the board's community outreach/equity committee and presented at the meeting with testimony from students who helped draft the language. Amara Anderson, president of the Black Student Union at Santa Cruz High, told the board: "Language shapes culture at our schools," and urged adoption of both the resolution and accompanying educational materials. Trustees and staff emphasized that adopting a policy must be paired with instruction, bystander intervention training and restorative practices.
Trustees discussed student-created materials — slogans, pledges, and a planned PSA — and plans to incorporate presentations and training for younger grades as well as professional learning for staff on how to intervene. The board noted that interventions should be restorative and include follow-up with students and families. After a motion and roll-call vote the resolution passed.
The board also placed an amendment to board policy 5145.3 on the agenda to align the policy language with Resolution 26‑15 and moved forward with that policy update.
What happens next: staff will incorporate the resolution language into the COE nondiscrimination policy and develop rollout materials (student PSAs, posters, and teacher learning-community supports) for implementation at schools; trustees called for close monitoring and community engagement around the training and curriculum.
