Dear Mr. Perez, Mr. Bunton, and Mr. Kikut,

As alumni of Shasta High School, we feel the need to express our shock and deep concern in hearing about the hurtful “deportation notices” that a Shasta student handed out to minority students this week.

We expect better: as students who once trod the purple-lockered hallways of Shasta, we’ve seen for ourselves how Shasta High’s teachers and administrators care deeply about their students. However, in order to protect the well-being of all students of all backgrounds, we look forward to seeing the administration take further steps to combat racism and prejudice on Shasta High’s campus and to set a good example for schools across the region. Now, more than ever, it’s time to step up and be “the leader of the North” that Redding truly needs.

To the students who were harmed by this action — including those who received the fake notice and to all others who have been targeted by prejudice — we are so sorry. We stand with you. As alumni, we want to ensure that our high school is a safe place for everyone — including students who are Black, Latino/a, Asian, Native, and mixed-race, students who are Muslim and Jewish, students who are undocumented, disabled and LGBTQIA. All students deserve to feel safe and welcome, so the Shasta High community must continually work to defend those who are targeted by their peers because of their identity.

Please do not assume that disciplinary action — no matter how deserved — toward a single student will be enough to build a stronger culture of compassion and empathy across campus. Shasta High School should prioritize and defend the health and safety of its students, and health and safety can never exist where minority students feel threatened. Please realize that all schools must come together every day to actively support the wellbeing of all, especially those who face cruelty and violence because of who they are. To this end, we suggest the following:

1. Provide resources (such as information, discussion spaces, and/or counseling) for students who are affected by prejudice at school. Collect and distribute information on other community resources, such as crisis lines, clinics, mental health resources, and/or community events

2. Support student organizations (such as the Black Student Union, Native Wolfpack, and Stand Up Speak Out) and ask for their feedback in creating a school-wide culture of acceptance. Encourage teachers to take an active role in creating, safe, open classroom environments. Many anti-discrimination organizations (like Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project) have free resources available to educators that cover a wide range of social issues for all grade levels and school subjects.

3. Make clear to students that the school maintains a policy that does not tolerate hate crimes or hate speech.

An inclusive campus is one in which students, teachers, and administrators act on a daily, hourly, and minute-to-minute basis to make people from all backgrounds feel safe and welcome. We will be proud of a Shasta High that is ever-stronger, ever-safer, and ever-more compassionate — proud of a Shasta High of the future.