Paso Robles students of color are being called racial slurs by their peers as young as the second grade, and, according to district Assistant Superintendent Erin Haley, the staff doesn’t know how to address the problem.
“We need you to see us; I need you to see those kids at that school. They are being mentally abused. It’s all over the campus,” resident Juanetta Perkins said during public comment at the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District board meeting on Oct. 8.
The district is trying to tackle these behavioral issues by implementing an Academic Inclusion and Excellence Training contracted through Denise Isom, Cal Poly interim vice president for diversity and inclusion. The $58,000 training, funded through a grant, went to the board for approval on Oct. 8, evoking emotional testimonies from the public and board members about what it means to be a person of color in the city of Paso Robles.
Jennifer Loftus, the district’s new superintendent, said she was hesitant to jump into something like this, referring to the district’s past contentious discussions, such as those about critical race theory and diverse curriculum.
“I know that we do have a history in Paso Robles of feeling very passionate about these topics. I also know that some of these views and feelings can be driven by our political views or our personal beliefs,” Loftus said. “But I am here to tell you that our PK-12 public schools are not intended to be the arena for political grandstanding. Educators need to be able to engage in conversations about the needs of our students, and we need to do so while keeping our political viewpoints to ourselves.”
According to Haley, Paso educators aren’t engaging in conversations about race because they don’t feel equipped to. The proposed training would help Paso Robles High School and middle school staff address cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness among students, a need that was also brought to light through previous student, parent, and staff input.
At the meeting’s public comment, resident and mother Perkins spoke in favor of the training, naming it a “baby step” in the right direction. Having also gone through the Paso Robles School District, she talked about her and her daughter’s experience as Black students.
“My daughter, who I was excited to have in the school district, in the second grade was reminded of the color of her skin because she was called a ‘nigger’ by a little white girl. That was my worst nightmare. I felt like a failure because this is generational racism,” she said. “All the Black people in this room will tell you the same story—at one time they were called a ‘nigger’—mine was in the second grade.”
Resident Camille Kats asked board members what they were afraid of if they didn’t support the training.
“Maybe we get a little more educated on being more sensitive to people that might look different than us. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,” she said. “I say give it a shot. Give it a shot for Paso to be better and not have the reputation of the county of being the racist part of the county. … I think Paso is now more diverse and more accepting, but let’s prove that here at school too.”
Kellen Haney felt differently, however, and said that the district has other pressing issues to spend its dollars on and suggested the community fund the training if it really wants to.
“I’m not one that feels qualified to speak on the Black experience,” Haney said. “That being said, I don’t think we should be as focused on, I wouldn’t say a narrow topic, but I think we have issues with how we treat each other across the board regardless of race. … I’m not saying there’s not a race issue in Paso, there’s racism—there’s racism everywhere.”
Vanessa Tucker countered Haney’s points by saying that people simply don’t care about other people.
“There is nothing narrow about the Black experience in Paso Robles,” she said.
Board member Dorian Baker said she was unsure about the training and feels that it “furthers a broader diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda.”
“I do not believe that focusing on a plethora of identity groups is the best way to achieve [belonging], and that is what this program has presented,” Baker said.
She added that she felt that focusing on cultural differences would create less connection among students.
Board member Sondra Williams disagreed and said that bullying about skin color is a “different kind of bully,” and that for years she has had to tell her children that change would eventually come.
“And it just didn’t come, Dorian,” she said, choking back tears. “I understand your concerns, but we are doing our students a disservice and not just our students of color.”
“I agree with the things, and I understand, and I am willing to support this,” Baker said in response. “I want politically charged cultural ever-changing stuff out.”
Board member Laurene McCoy said she feels minimized as a culture in Paso Robles.
“It’s not your struggle, because it’s not your reality,” she said, her voice breaking. “You may not fully understand but you can get a glimpse. If you haven’t gotten a glimpse tonight by the people who have spoken at that podium that look like me, then I don’t know if you will ever get it. But it’s a problem that needs to be addressed, it’s a problem that our kids are suffering from.”
McCoy then connected the way students were behaving in school to their home life.
“Y’all need to get educated. It starts with the parents,” she said.
Board member Kenney Enney said the most troubling thing he heard throughout the meeting was that educators couldn’t address the issue of “hearing the N-word,” adding that when he was a child, kids knew not to say that word in class or they would be punished.
“I question whether they should be a teacher, frankly,” he said. “I can’t grasp that concept, I really can’t.”
Assistant Superintendent Haley said the sensitivity that’s needed is more about changing the culture than disciplining someone.
“I think this is racial slurs and language that we need to provide training and knowledge and skill set to our staff to feel confident to intervene in those situations, and I think it happens quite often,” Haley said. “This is about changing a culture by providing the training to everybody.”
Enney said he believed the stories about how people were being treated, but he doesn’t think training is the solution.
“It’s not rocket science; you treat people with respect,” Enney said.
The board voted to approve the training 6-1 with Enney dissenting, under the stipulation the board will increase its efforts to include parents within the district’s efforts.
“It starts with the families,” McCoy said, “some way this needs to be open to families, and they need to participate.” Δ
Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Oct 17-27, 2024.
After reading the article “confronting racism” by Libby Hampton, I was surprised that more people didn’t talk about how our teachers are role models, especially for our younger children.
If a teacher overheard one child calling another the N-word and walked away or turned away and didn’t stop right then and there and make a correction then that teacher is not doing their job.
I was taught and taught my child that if you hear or see something and fail to speak up or turn away, then your actions of doing nothing means you agree with what you heard or saw.
If an educator heard or saw something that is wrong and says nothing, this sends the message to everyone who heard or saw that behavior there was nothing wrong with the behavior that was heard or seen.
I agree with one board member’s statement questioning whether educators who couldn’t address the issue of hearing the N-word should be a teacher.
If an educator heard one child calling another child the N-word and that educator says nothing to the child who called the slur, the educator might as well have said the slur. Using the N-word, calling someone a retard, a fag…..the list goes on.
Deborah Shaw
Paso Robles
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me. There. Now pay me.