Community Forum on Race Relations, Education Equality Being Held By Elk Grove School Unified District

January 15, 2018 |  

Following the lead of the City of Elk Grove, the Elk Grove Unified School District will hold a community forum to address questions of unequal treatment of African American students at district schools this Tuesday night. 

Spurred on by several hate incidents in Elk Grove over the last six months, the treatment of African-American students had been part of the discussion at two forums held by the City of Elk Grove. The issue came into greater focus during the recent Christmas holiday.

Over the Holiday school break, a Pleasant Grove High School student posted a video on social media that garnered international attention. In the video, the female student recorded a hate message directed at African Americans.

Aside from gaining widespread condemnation, a story in the Sacramento Bee drew further attention to problems at not only Pleasant Grove High School, which is located in Elk Grove, but to other schools in the district. In that story, a Pleasant Grove High student described an uncaring administration regarding complaints of racially-motivated behavior. 

In a statement for the event, the school district said "The purpose of the meeting is to listen to the voices of the EGUSD community and acknowledge and honor what’s in the hearts and minds of the community members of Elk Grove Unified."

After the video incident, EGUSD Superintendent Christopher Hoffman issued a statement condemning the video contents and promising action.  That statement said, in part "Equity, inclusion and acceptance must be integrated into the mindset, work and lives of every Elk Grove Unified employee, student, family and community member.” 

The meeting is at 6 p.m on Tuesday, January 16 at the Performing Arts Center of Sheldon High School, 8279 Kingsbridge Dr, Sacramento. More information on the event can be viewed here.