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Santa Barbara Unified Board of Education approves action plan in support of Black student leaders

Santa Barbara Unified School District
Santa Barbara Unified School District

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Unified Board of Education has approved a Board Resolution in support of Black student leaders.

The students presented the district with a series of demands aimed at combating institutional racism and its effects on the lives of Black families and students.

On Tuesday, the Board unanimously approved the resolution and voted to fully endorse an Action Plan which outlines ways the district will respond to the specific concerns brought forward through the demands.

The Board also voted to approve the content of two new Ethnic Studies courses launching this fall - helping to satisfy the district’s new mandatory high school graduation requirement for the class of 2024. So far, 1,100 students have enrolled in Ethnic Studies courses.

School board member Kate Ford worked with board colleague Wendy Simms-Moten, community and student leaders, and district staff in developing the resolution.

“The overall lesson that we learned over these past few weeks is that it is important that we listen and learn, and I hope that whoever reads this resolution will see that we are listening and we are learning,” Ford said.

Black Student Youth SB (BSYSB) member Talia Hamilton is one of the students who presented the demands to district leaders. "We need to teach our youth that there is no room for racism. It’s not one and done. This will be a process,” said Hamilton.

To read the full Action Plan, click here.

To read the Board Resolution, click here.

Article Topic Follows: Santa Barbara - South County

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Genelle Padilla

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