Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, Students, and Community Members,
We have learned that hateful and racist text messages targeting Hispanic / Latinx students have been circulating in communities across the country. While we have not received reports of any students in our district being directly affected, we want to make it clear that such messages, aimed at spreading fear and division, are unacceptable and have no place in our society or schools. This follows last week’s news of racist texts directed at Black / African American students.
SMMUSD is committed to ensuring that all students in our district feel safe, valued, and respected. Acts of racism and xenophobia are harmful and go against everything we believe in as a community. We stand united against hate and will continue to foster a welcoming, inclusive environment for all.
The SMMUSD Board of Education and I reaffirm our belief that all school-aged students should have access to an excellent education and the opportunities that education provides without regard to their immigration status or the immigration status of their parents. As outlined in our Board of Education resolution dated December 15, 2016, our campuses will continue to be “safe zones.” Read the full resolution by the SMMUSD school board.
SMMUSD continues to protect values that are close to our parents, students, teachers, staff and the communities of Santa Monica and Malibu. Values that include treating one another with mutual respect, dignity, trust and fairness, regardless of immigration status, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, disability or sexual orientation. We continue to offer equity and access to an excellent education to ALL students.
If anyone in our community experiences or witnesses a hate-motivated incident, we encourage you to report it to your local police department. For Santa Monica, please contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491. Malibu families should reach out to the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station at 818-878-1808.
The SMMUSD Board of Education passed a resolution against hate on September 19, 2024. We are here to support our students who are experiencing a racist or any hate-motivated incident. Together, we will continue to build a community of respect, understanding, and unity for every student and family.
Sincerely,
Dr. Antonio Shelton, Superintendent
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