It's no secret that the racism within Sandy High School is pervasive and unaddressed. Members of the community know of it, as do other schools around the state. Students within our halls proudly use racial slurs, make racist jokes, and wear hate symbols without reprimand. In this year alone I documented 13 different uses of the confederate flag within our student body. This environment not only encourages students to think this behavior is acceptable but also, in its compliancy, makes students of color feel unsafe and unvalued.

This petition supports adding an amendment to the student handbook and dress code banning hate symbols within the campus of Sandy High. Further, we wish to address how racism that has been perpetuated by Oregon law and educate the student body on this issue. Most of the student body knows very little about Oregons heavily racist laws and how past legislation has perpetuated systemic racism within our state. This is something that we believe MUST be addressed in order to begin working towards ample reform. 

We also demand that a student leadership position be added for the sole purpose of addressing racial inequity within school activities and to give more ample representation to students of color.  The diversity officer (or officers) would be an electable position.