Dear community member,
Next week is United Against Hate Week (UAHW), a call for seven days of action against acts of hatred and implicit bias of all kinds.
The COE is continuing to partner with school districts and a coalition of local organizations to recognize UAHW and share educational resources, activities and events. And at its September meeting yesterday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Education renewed a resolution called for schools across our community to recognize UAHW on their campus.
The COE has curated a school community toolkit to share activities and resources, along with a full list of events taking place throughout the week. Events include:
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UAHW Kickoff – Breaking Bread, Building Bridges: 4 p.m. Saturday, RCNV. Registration.
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Bystander Intervention Training: 2 p.m. Saturday, SCPL Aptos Branch. Registration.
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Expressions of Hope Poetry Slam: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Diversity Center. Registration.
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Unite Against Book Bans, Unite Against Hate Panel Discussion: 7 p.m. Thursday, SCPL Capitola Branch. Registration.
The COE is also pleased to be co-sponsoring Bookshop Santa Cruz’s Banned Books Night at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23 (info and registration here).
As educators, ensuring schools provide a place of safety and belonging for students of all identities is a top priority. Yet we know there is still work to be done. We are aware, for instance, of concerning reports about an increase in the use of racial slurs on school campuses, including the n-word. These incidents underscore the need to continue to educate students about the impact of their words and actions. Districts are working hard to provide school staff with the training and resources to appropriately respond and intervene. As always, anyone witnessing or experiencing any act of hate or discrimination should immediately report it to school staff, and can take advantage of counseling and support resources available on every campus.
I want to thank the Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, NAACP Santa Cruz County and all of the other partners and individuals supporting this work. I hope you will all join us next week in standing united against hatred of all kinds, both on campus and across our community.
Yours in education and equity,
Dr. Faris Sabbah
County Superintendent of Schools