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VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A radical of 9 leaders from Valley educators, organizers from the LGBTQ+ community, and heads of section churches met astatine the offices of Visalia Unified connected Wednesday day for a closed-door speech centered connected what the schoolhouse territory says is focused connected strengthening assemblage done civility, accountability, and action.
"The speech was rich, honest. And I deliberation there's a statement that much of these types of meetings request to happen," said Tulare County Superintendent of Schools Tim Hire.
The enactment comes aft a photograph posted to societal media earlier this period depicted a radical of 10 Redwood High Senior students wearing shirts with letters and numbers that spell retired what the territory is calling a "hateful homophobic slur."
"We instantly connected with the schoolhouse to truly statesman looking into what was happening; wherefore did this happen, but truly powerfully travel retired and accidental this is not acceptable behavior," said Visalia Unified Superintendent Kirk Shrum.
When Action News asked what subject the students successful the photograph received, this was the district's response:
"I can't truly spell into subject specifically due to the fact that that would beryllium a usurpation of our students' rights but we bash travel our codification of conduct," said Shrum.
The students' behaviour falls nether "hate-motivated behavior" nether the Visalia Unified Board Policy. The consequences led by some committee argumentation and Ed Code 5145.9
Consequences for this benignant of enactment tin see expulsion and/or suspension.
Reactions to the photograph were...
"Concern for students," said Hire.
To...
"A small spot of disbelief," said Shrum.
Others, similar Joseph Correia, who attended connected behalf of College of the Sequoias, said helium was not shocked by the hateful image.
"We person unopen retired DEI... Diversity, inclusion, equity. We're successful an country that shuts that out, truthful it's not terribly astonishing that thing similar that would happen," said Correia.
The Tulare County Superintendent of Schools believes this incidental is portion of a larger issue.
"I deliberation this is simply a taxable that galore of our younker crossed our federation are struggling with," said Hire.
"We judge our campuses to beryllium harmless and unafraid for each students," said Shrum.
That includes members of the LGBTQ+ community.
"Our younker are looking towards are big to marque definite immoderate accountability is taken," said Jose Ruiz-Garcia, who helps pb younker programs astatine The Source LGBTQ+ Center successful Visalia.
A conflict Valley leaders anticipation tin beryllium addressed done conversations similar Wednesday's gathering.
"Accountability is accepting that it happened. Right. We're not shying from it. We're besides taking into information what our adjacent steps are," said Ruiz-Garcia.
That photograph is astatine the halfway of an probe that is present complete, according to Superintendent Shrum.
The Source LGBTQ+ Center held its archetypal of 2 assemblage meetings tonight.
Visalia Unified volition clasp its adjacent schoolhouse committee gathering connected March 10th, with clip allotted for nationalist comment.
For quality and upwind updates, travel Christina Lopez connected X and Instagram.
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