What — if anything — can schools in Fresno, Clovis do about recent racist incidents?
School officials continue to investigate a string of comments made by staff in Fresno and a student in Clovis last week.
The string of Fresno-area incidents comes in the wake of protests related to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for several minutes. Video of the death triggered national protests calling for an end to systemic racism.
In Clovis last week, a Buchanan student posted comments on social media that contained multiple racial slurs, including repeated use of the N-word and ended by suggesting white people should protest violence by “hunting and killing” black people.
In response to the student’s comments, a petition has circulated calling for the student’s expulsion, which has more than 5,700 signatures as of Tuesday.
However, it remains unclear what consequences, if any, the student could face, and privacy laws prohibit the district from discussing any actions it might take.
The district is pursuing consequences “to the fullest extent that the educational code” allows, according to Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell.
When a student posts something to social media not during school hours, they’re under the supervision of their parents, O’Farrell said, and free speech laws prohibit the district from taking action.
O’Farrell said she met with the district’s African American advisory board on Saturday to discuss the incident.
Although O’Farrell could not speak specifically to what will happen to the Buchanan student, generally, the district is looking to use restorative justice practices and documenting behaviors in their disciplinary databases.
Fresno Unified officials have said they’re looking into separate incidents but have provided few details. Over the weekend, the district released a statement saying Hoover High staff members had what the district described as a “racially insensitive” incident during an end-of-year celebration.
Several staff members were involved in the incident. No other details have been released.
“We will not be releasing specifics of the incident as this is a personnel issue,” district spokesperson Nikki Henry told The Bee in an email. “Site leadership was made aware by those in the virtual celebration, site leadership then reached out to district staff.”
The district will also not be releasing information on disciplinary action because its a personal issue, Henry said.
“Our teams are absolutely talking with all those involved,” she added.
Separately, Kings Canyon Middle School teacher Marcy Barlow Barnhart made comments last week on her personal Facebook page, which quickly circulated online before they were taken down.
“Those of you who call yourselves ‘EDUCATORS’ and are on your social media platform supporting the rioting/looting/ criminal behavior going on...... YOU DISGUST ME! I pray to God my students are smarter and less ghetto than you!!”
District officials also have said they were looking into the comments but have not provided further detail.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 10:10 AM.