Students Speaking Up at Salinas Union High School District
It was a disturbing instance of racism that went viral after a student captured it on social media and shared it – students at an early-season football game disfiguring and stomping on a Black baby doll. Outrage and horror rightly ensued. But days later, hundreds of students appeared at a meeting of the SUHSD board of trustees to speak and demand accountability – and they were brilliant, bold, articulate, powerful rising leaders. They put in perspective any excuses grown-ups tried to make. And they saw the big picture. “We must open our eyes to the root cause and culture that is unfolding before us,” one student said. And a plea from another to the adults in the room: “You just need to fix this because this isn’t right and it’s just not acceptable anymore.”