The School That Stood Up to Hate

    Hateful words can hurt people. 

    It recently happened at Tamalpais High School in California. It was a warm summer day. Graffiti was found on a school building. The graffiti was made up of three words. The words were written in black paint. The first word was the n-word. The next words were “J.C. Farr.” He is the school’s African American principal.

    The next day, students, parents, and teachers got together. They protested. They carried signs. The signs said, “Hate Has No Place at Tam.” But the racist graffiti had already hurt people. “I never expected anything like this to happen,” said Noah Haynesworth. He is African American. He is a student at Tam High. “It made many of us feel unsafe.”

    Sometimes a few words can cause great pain. 

    The students at Tamalpais High School in California recently experienced this. On a warm summer day, three words written in black paint were found on a school building. The graffiti included the n-word followed by the name of the school’s African American principal, J.C. Farr.

    The following day, students, parents, and teachers protested the hateful action by carrying signs that read, “Hate Has No Place at Tam.” But the racist graffiti had made its mark. “I never expected anything like this to happen,” said Noah Haynesworth, an African American student at Tam High. “It made many of us feel unsafe.”

    Students at Tam High are not alone. Hate incidents are on the rise in schools around the country. Hate incidents are hateful words or acts that unfairly target people because of their race, religion, or another part of who they are. 

    Every month, dozens of hurtful acts like the one at Tam High are reported in newspapers. Dozens more never make the news. In one survey, 25 percent of kids said they had seen hateful graffiti at school. 

    Hate incidents in schools take many different forms. And they target many different groups. Last fall, swastikas were found on school walls in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. (The swastika is a symbol of hatred against Jewish people.) In Massachusetts, a Muslim student received a threatening note. And in New Jersey, fans at a school soccer game yelled at Latino players to “speak English.”

    Students at other schools are experiencing hate too. Hate incidents are on the rise. A hate incident is a hateful word or act. It unfairly targets people because of their race, religion, or another part of who they are. 

    Every month, many hateful acts at schools are in the news. But many more don’t make the news. A survey showed that one in four kids had seen hateful graffiti at school.

    Hate incidents in schools can happen in different ways. And they can target different groups. Last fall, swastikas were found on school walls in three states. (The swastika is a symbol. It shows hatred against Jewish people.) In Massachusetts, someone gave a Muslim student a hateful note. And in New Jersey, fans at a school soccer game yelled at the Latino players. The fans yelled, “Speak English.”

    Students at Tam High are not alone—hate incidents are on the rise in schools around the country. Hate incidents are hateful words or acts that unfairly target people because of their race, religion, or another part of who they are. 

    Every month, dozens of hurtful acts like the one at Tam High are reported in newspapers. However, dozens more never make the news. In one survey, 25 percent of kids said they had seen hateful graffiti at school. 

    Hate incidents in schools take many different forms, and they target many different groups. Last fall, swastikas were discovered on school walls in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. (The swastika is a symbol of hatred against Jewish people.) In Massachusetts, a Muslim student received a threatening note, and in New Jersey, fans at a school soccer game yelled at Latino players to “speak English.”

    What should you do if you see a hate incident? Experts say you should show that you don’t like it. You can tell a bully, “That’s not cool.” Or you can talk to the person who is targeted. This can help them feel less alone.  

    Some students have planned protests. Others have started diversity groups. At Tam High, there was a meeting about the graffiti. Noah spoke up. He wanted students of color to have a voice. “There isn’t a ton of diversity at Tam,” he says. “Speaking up allowed us to give other students a perspective unlike their own.”

    What should you do if you witness a hate incident? Experts say it’s important to make it clear that hate is not welcome in your school. Sometimes, that means telling a bully, “That’s not cool.” But that isn’t always easy, so you can also simply talk to the person who is targeted and help them feel less alone.  

    In some cases, students have organized protests. Others have formed diversity groups that meet after school. At the public meeting about the graffiti at Tam High, Noah made sure he spoke up. To him, students of color having a voice was important. “There isn’t a ton of diversity at Tam,” he says. “Speaking up allowed us to give other students a perspective unlike their own.”

    At Tam High, students found another way to make their voices heard. When school opened after the incident, a new kind of graffiti decorated the school’s pathways. Students had drawn rainbows and flowers in chalk. And there were messages: “TAM UNITY,” “NO HATE.”

    Glo Robinson is a student of color who helped make the chalk drawings. Since the incident, she has organized meetings about diversity in her community. “We have to let people know that tolerance is important,” she says.

    At Tam High, students spoke up in another way. When the school opened after the incident, there was a new kind of graffiti on the sidewalks. Students had drawn rainbows and flowers in chalk. There were words too: “TAM UNITY,” “NO HATE.”

    Glo Robinson is a student of color at Tam. She helped make the chalk drawings. She also planned meetings about diversity. “We have to let people know that tolerance is important,” she says. 

    At Tam High, students made their voices heard in another way too. When school opened after the incident, a new kind of graffiti decorated the school’s pathways. Students had drawn rainbows and flowers in chalk, along with positive messages, such as “TAM UNITY” and “NO HATE.”

    Glo Robinson is a student of color who helped make the chalk drawings and who has also organized meetings about diversity in her community. “We have to let people know that tolerance is important,” she says.