For Immediate Release: Lowell High School Unity March
Contact: Lowell High School Black Student Union
Email: AfrikanBlackCoalition@gmail.com
San Francisco, CA- February 23, 2016
On February 5, 2016 a poster was found hanging on the Lowell High School library door that read, “Happy Black History Month #Gang” (image above). Black student are outraged by the use of “#gang” as it refers to Black students and Black history month negatively. Of the 2700 students that make up the Lowell High School student body, only 60 are Black, making up approximately 2% of the school. In response to this clear anti-Blackness, past incidents of racism, and an uncomfortable climate for Black students, the Black Student Union (BSU) has scheduled a walk-out for today, February 23rd, 2016 at 9am.
The BSU is asking students to walk out of their classrooms in order to visibly show their support for Black students. The aim of this march is to express discontent with the unsafe environment for Black students, and the administration’s negligence in addressing the BSU’s concerns.
Following the walk-out there will be a rally outside of SF City Hall at 11am. The students will reconvene at 6pm for the San Francisco Unified School District’s School board meeting, and the BSU will release its demands to School Board members at the meeting. The SFSUD Board of Education meeting agenda is available here. Students will speak during the public comment section of the meeting.
Read more on the incident at TheLowell.org
Kadijah Means
Communications Chief of Staff
