Four months after a racist incident shook the school community, Saratoga High School students and staff recounted their experience responding to the situation at a countywide panel on hate incidents on school campuses.
Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Superintendent Bill Sanderson, trustee Theresa Bond and Saratoga High students Sarah Thomas and Aneri Shah spoke during the Santa Clara County School Boards Association’s panel March 22, attended by representatives from all districts in the county.
Last November, school officials found a Black doll hanging from a noose tied to a tree in the main quad of campus. The school is working with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office to identify who hung the doll via security camera footage.
Dolls were also found at Prospect High School and Redwood Middle School last year. The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is open and ongoing.
Sanderson said in an email at the time that the “horrific incident” is not representative of the students or school values.
“I recommend leaning in to your school community and being there as a support and collaborative guide,” Sanderson said during the panel discussion. “We are fortunate to have a very strong principal (at Saratoga High) who understands his parent community and supports the advocacy of his students.”
Saratoga High School’s Anti-Racism Task Force held a rally after the November incident where several students spoke up about their experiences.
Thomas joined the task force her freshman year as a way to bring in more inclusive literature into the curriculum. She said that grew into a student-led effort to maintain a sense of belonging and unity on campus.
“Any Anti-Racism Task Force needs to be student led and an effort put forth by the student community,” Thomas said during the panel discussion. “Our students would be so excited to talk to other schools in the area who may be interested in forming” a task force.
“Speak up, ensure a positive community culture and put in the work for inclusion,” Shah said . “Don’t just say you’re going to be inclusive. Unity and healing may not be easy to achieve, but it’s worth the work.”
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