NOTE: THIS IS A STUDENT-LED PETITION. Education systems should provide access to education on a non-discriminatory basis, prevent harassment that interferes with their educational mission, and socialize students to live and work in a diverse community. In light of recent events, it has been brought to our attention that the Beaverton School District administration has been unable to provide this to its minority students on the basis that it has no actual policy against hate speech or hate-motivated acts. We, as a collective student body, refuse to stay in a hostile learning environment because we’re no longer learning when every moment we have to worry about people undermining /intimidating /threatening us. In order to create a safe learning environment for students and faculty, here are our demands:

We demand that the Beaverton School District immediately enact a written and enforceable policy that establishes strict consequences against hate speech/abuse of free speech and hate-motivated actions

Creating a clear consequence to students that admonishes them for their hateful behavior will aid in the discontinuation of these actions, and will further acknowledge BSD condemning these events.

• It should be made clear that there is a zero tolerance policy on hate-motivated acts based on the characteristics established in not only the Oregon Penal Code and Education code, but also the actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, mental or physical ability of any individual.
• Recognize that hate motivated acts are to be treated as a separate (yet compounded) issue from general bullying/harassment.
• Include countermeasures against racialized violence in the form of verbal and/or physical assault.

We demand that schools send out a notification to all families of Westview students stating the policy of intolerance towards hate speech when one of these events occur

By notifying the parents of these students, this will allow for continued discussion on these issues. Additionally, it will remind the students of the school’s firm stance

• An email or newsletter will be sent out to parents anytime there is a hate-motivated incident in order to extend a safe environment both in and out of school in which all students feel like their administration is there to support them.
• All staff will be notified as to the students involved in the incident, so as to be informed on the best way to plan around the incident.