100 Witnesses Don’t Matter

 The appeal deadline passed a few days ago. I scan documents. The equity representative for North Kitsap School District sent me this three-page letter, stating, “You have a right to appeal the findings by the School District (eg, that there has been only one violation of the WAC provisions applicable to your complaints) should you wish to do so. You can appeal pursuant to WAC 392-190-075, which provides the right to appeal to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.”

Out of 90 complaints, only one is within my right to appeal, according to her. I had 10 short days to look through hundreds of pages of documents, while the district took almost one year to give any response. Their team of lawyers requested additional time to investigate, returning to me short paragraphs as a response to each complaint. I did not appeal – here is why.

I stop at email (complaint) #4.

Wow. I know this story. Multiple times she bravely shared her story publicly.

My skin is hot, cheeks flush, anger at the injustice. The system, comprised of humans – likely our neighbors, turn their faces away from our stories, from this student’s vulnerable sharing, as well.

 Thump. Thump. Thump.

It is almost a year, I think.

Not too distant memories fall into a pattern. October 6th, 2022, my husband Luis and I attended a zoom meeting with many administrative staff from the district to address personal stories our children had of racism in the district. I gathered local education advocates, pastor, and Latina professor to come to the meeting with us. We needed witnesses. My heart pounded then, too. We waited months for a meeting. Months.

The District’s leader changed the schedule the day before without asking myself or husband, adjusting it by an hour. Hurriedly, I called, emailed and texted our advocates to let them know the last minute change of the time. These dear people with schedules, and work commitments still attended the meeting despite the impact on their lives. She did not show up to the meeting.

Only one appeal is applicable…

Do any of us matter?

We are meant to forget the stories…

Many of the 90 complaints, read, “Anonymous” with particular details easily identifiable in a public records request. Additionally, at the November 22, 2022 meeting, a community member took detailed notes, gathered signatures with contact information – all provided to the North Kitsap School District the following week.

 At our February 7, 2023 meeting, we again documented the meeting with notes, contact information, written stories. None of the folks that took these notes were interviewed.

I am attaching the photo of email #4 which is about an "anonymous statement".  I did some digging into public records requests and was able to find the name of the complainant, who I won’t name in this space. Her name is known by District staff.

My friend calls. She has read the investigative reports. She attended the Town Hall.

The student in email #4, spoke in front of everyone, on February 7, 2023, at the Town Hall. She also submitted this story to the school board meeting on May 18th, 2023 for public record.

There were over 100 witnesses to her story on February 7, 2023.

She cried while sharing. The translator tried to keep up. Her tears carried the weight of absent justice, absent acknowledgement of her story, absent resolution. She felt targeted. The weapon: her native tongue, and the insult, often not even used for enemies.

Not one of them were interviewed.

The May 18th, 2023 school board meeting was video recorded by many community members, which the Superintendent and School Board knew because they were publicly posted to social media.

It’s true, the investigator did not reach out to her. The North Kitsap School District, who received Email #4, did not send information to the investigator, according to the investigator statements. Her story can disappear, hidden behind powerful administrators who departed Kingston High School.

Alas, besides this, the investigator states, "Additionally, Ms. ** teaches high school Spanish, which necessarily includes conversational Spanish including slang and potentially offensive words. Thus, even if the investigator assumes without any context that the Spanish words attributed to Ms. ** were said, without context, the investigator cannot conclude that the words were said to harass or discriminate against Latino students as alleged."

There is no reason for my children, whether in Spanish or English, to find it necessary to use words meant to depict the power over another within their historical context of 400 years (because the majority Africans were trafficked to Latin America as well). Therefore, there are words that we know, within their historically significant context, but don’t speak directed at other humans.

A CALL TO ACTION

Questions to Email the District (email provided below):

1. What is your policy of saying the "N-word" in Spanish"?

2. What is your policy for using slang in Spanish equivalent to the "N-word" by teachers and students?

3. Do you allow your Spanish speaking staff to use "necessary" language including these slang words, which are culturally known to be the equivalent as the "N-word" or degrading? 

4. Do you allow English teachers to use the "N-word" or the "B-word" to refer to African Americans or Mexicans in English class? Are these necessary terms in North Kitsap School District?

I ask the North Kitsap School District these questions, and I encourage you to do the same. Please email Rachel Davenport, Executive Director of Human Resources, and ask her for the answer to these questions. Her email is rdavenport@nkschools.org .