The Shocking Truth Behind Black Youth Movements

Updates Regarding the River Ridge High School Black Student Union Justice Seekers.

Negotiations went well for the majority of the four-hour meeting between the BSU leadership, their trusted advisor, the North Thurston Public School District, School Board leadership. Also in the meeting was a neutral mediator, and two parents, (I was one of the parents).

5 out of 7 short term goals were addressed during the meeting. The school board seemed willing to meet the demands, but a few disturbing points of contention need to be addressed in the email.

All points are listed below.

1.       On Friday February 7th 2022. The District sent out a School Board approved email stating the protest “particularly impacted the Life-Skills students” (These are the Special Needs students). And for that reason, they were concerned about the safety of students and prohibited the protest.

This email infuriated ALL of the Life-Skills teachers. They emailed a rebuttal calling the district's statements a fallacy. The Life -Skills teachers stated the only reason their students were “particularly impacted” resulted from a lockdown- (the school knew about the night before in the form of a shooting threat against the BSU Justice Seekers.)  Both the District’s accusations and The Life-Skills rebuttal are attached.

2.       During the negotiation, all dangerous, misleading, manipulative emails were brought up with a focus on the (one) mentioned above. The district and School Board leadership were made aware of how dangerous they were making the BSU Justice Seekers look in the eyes of the community- and some parents, which has already resulted in (one), parent showing up and aggressively approaching the Justice Seekers, while yelling racist, and homophobic slurs at them and Lacey PD. That angry racist parent was kicked of the premises, but not before threatening “There will be blood”

3.        Although the school board leadership apologized for the emails and their dangerous sentiment. they sent their Public Relations manager Courtney Schrieve to interview with a local news station and repeat the exact same lie about the Life-Skills students being “particularly impacted.”  I made sure I was also interviewed to state the truth. (Both interviews happened this morning February 7th 2022)

4.       One of the students demands was to ensure students would not be negatively impacted or retaliated against for their participation in the “Strike” BUT, today after the meeting, the students found out that their ONLY TRUSTED ADVISOR, was placed on suspension while they investigate the use of her leave. The students are now placed in a position where if they react to Ms. Trans suspension, they fear she will face double retaliation.

5.       THESE ARE THE TACTICS THE BSU JUSTICE SEEKERS ARE FACING. STUDENTS ARE FACING A BOARD OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP WHO SAYS THEY WANT WHAT’S BEST FOR THE STUDENTS, BUT RESORT TO ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED BEHAVIOR THAT MAKES STUDENTS FEEL UN-TRUSTING OF THE SCHOOL AND DISTRICT.

Lastly. The Black Student Union (which includes all races and genders and gives safe space and voice for all Anti-racists, Anti-sexists, and all those who have suffered from racism and sexual violence). The BSU remains committed to building safe schools throughout the entire district, despite having to battle the establishment that’s supposed to protect and nurture them and their futures.

Also, the District and School board leadership agreed to apologize for their misleading, dangerous, unsafe, emails and portrayal of the BSU Justice Seekers, but as you see, they would rather send out emails detailing how well they did today during negotiations.

"We don't want to be like you adults who learned to accept injustice" -BSU