Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Is the Clovis City Council’s Proclamation to End Racism Enough?
Opinion
By Opinion
Published 4 years ago on
October 23, 2020

Share

While the proclamation is a start in taking a stand against racism, we do not believe it resolves the issue. To resolve racism, we must identify where the problem is most transparent and intervene in that area. The proclamation to condemn racism was initiated by the Clovis City Council in response to the recent hate crime against Chanel Wapner, who runs the only black-owned business in Old Town Clovis. Her shop Just my Essentials was vandalized with racial slurs graffitied across the walls and an X through BLM on the floor which stands for Black Lives Matter.

Shiela Yingwangkay and Nancy Cortez

Opinion

Reaction to Black Lives Matter Movement

With the BLM mark, we can see that whoever did this was reacting to the recent national Black Lives Movement that broke out in response to the wrongful death of George Floyd earlier this year. This blatant act is the first to gain city officials’ attention and to take action in eliminating racism in Clovis and within Fresno County. Given the recent national protests across America and its message against hate crimes, it’s no wonder city officials responded. However, this does not resolve racism.

We decided to look at newspaper coverage of racism within Fresno County to determine where acts of racism are most transparent in media but not escalated to be considered a hate crime. Clovis Unified School District has been mentioned numerous times with allegations of racism towards minority students.

Racism Allegations Within Clovis Unified

In February 2018, CUSD came under attack when a student group Snapchat was leaked revealing racist conversations between students making jokes about Black slavery. During the same month, a biracial Hispanic-Laotian high school student was verbally attacked by her teacher who told her to go back to her country for not standing during the pledge of allegiance. Furthermore, parents began addressing the concern of their children’s experience of racism at school.

Danell teNyenhuis Black went as far as to reveal her nieces’ and nephews’ names to publish an opinion of their experiences in being targeted for being biracial. She mentions that her nephew was nicknamed Token by his cross country team and no one from the school addressed that it was a racist remark. Her niece had classmates throwing pencils and paper in her hair and was told “that black people had a certain smell.”

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint against the Clovis Unified School District in September, alleging the district has created a “racially hostile climate” for African-American students. (GV Wire/Jahz Tello)

ACLU Complaint Against District

Most recently, the American Civil Liberty Union filed a complaint against CUSD regarding a student’s racial trauma that exacerbated his mental illness from multiple racist incidents for several years and “requests policy changes to make Clovis Unified teachers culturally competent. Nevertheless, the CUSD spokesperson continually assures the press that these acts don’t reflect their efforts and that their system is one that promotes respect for students’ race and culture. Racism amongst and against youth minorities within CUSD is most prevalent in Fresno County.

​To eradicate racism and find justice for those affected within the community, we must start with the school districts. Racism is most transparent amongst these youth. School districts must implement policies to address cultural competency amongst the faculty, staff, and student body. The school districts must also educate them on diversity in school starting at junior high and continuing into high school. Further, Fresno County must make more of an effort to celebrate diversity months such as Black History Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month.

Only by implementing intervention amongst these youth will we resolve the issue of racism in the county.

About the Authors

Sheila Yingwangkay and Nancy Cortez are graduate students at the University of Southern California. Yingwangkay works as a graduate research assistant at California State University, Fresno. Cortez is a case manager at Arroyo Vista Family Health Center in Southern California.   

[activecampaign form=19]

DON'T MISS

Merced Police Chief: Local Sexual Assault Exams ‘Worth’ Higher Cost

DON'T MISS

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes to Headline Chukchansi’s Summer Series with ‘Family Reunion Tour’

DON'T MISS

Sue or Hold Back? The University of California Does Both as It Faces Trump’s Wrath

DON'T MISS

Central Unified Takes Additional Steps To Protect Undocumented Students

DON'T MISS

Americans Trade Michelin Stars for Mac and Cheese

DON'T MISS

Dueling Protests Clash at Fresno Tesla Dealership

DON'T MISS

Hamas Says It Accepts New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal but Israel Makes Counter-Offer

DON'T MISS

Andrew Tate’s Ex-Girlfriend Accuses Him of Sexual Assault and Battery in New Lawsuit

DON'T MISS

Protesters Rebelling Against Elon Musk’s Purge of US Government Swarm Tesla Showrooms

DON'T MISS

Plastics Are Seeping Into Farm Fields, Food and Eventually Human Bodies

UP NEXT

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes to Headline Chukchansi’s Summer Series with ‘Family Reunion Tour’

UP NEXT

Sue or Hold Back? The University of California Does Both as It Faces Trump’s Wrath

UP NEXT

Central Unified Takes Additional Steps To Protect Undocumented Students

UP NEXT

Americans Trade Michelin Stars for Mac and Cheese

UP NEXT

Dueling Protests Clash at Fresno Tesla Dealership

UP NEXT

Hamas Says It Accepts New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal but Israel Makes Counter-Offer

UP NEXT

Andrew Tate’s Ex-Girlfriend Accuses Him of Sexual Assault and Battery in New Lawsuit

UP NEXT

Protesters Rebelling Against Elon Musk’s Purge of US Government Swarm Tesla Showrooms

UP NEXT

Plastics Are Seeping Into Farm Fields, Food and Eventually Human Bodies

UP NEXT

Myanmar’s Earthquake Death Toll Jumps to 1,644 as More Bodies Are Recovered From the Rubble

Central Unified Takes Additional Steps To Protect Undocumented Students

21 hours ago

Americans Trade Michelin Stars for Mac and Cheese

22 hours ago

Dueling Protests Clash at Fresno Tesla Dealership

1 day ago

Hamas Says It Accepts New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal but Israel Makes Counter-Offer

2 days ago

Andrew Tate’s Ex-Girlfriend Accuses Him of Sexual Assault and Battery in New Lawsuit

2 days ago

Protesters Rebelling Against Elon Musk’s Purge of US Government Swarm Tesla Showrooms

2 days ago

Plastics Are Seeping Into Farm Fields, Food and Eventually Human Bodies

2 days ago

Myanmar’s Earthquake Death Toll Jumps to 1,644 as More Bodies Are Recovered From the Rubble

2 days ago

Top Vaccine Official Resigns From FDA, Criticizes RFK Jr. for Promoting Misinformation, Lies

2 days ago

If You Want to Ski Affordably Next Season, Buy Now

2 days ago

Merced Police Chief: Local Sexual Assault Exams ‘Worth’ Higher Cost

Last year, The Merced FOCUS reported that for the first time in over a decade, a crucial service for survivors of sexual assault would be of...

20 hours ago

20 hours ago

Merced Police Chief: Local Sexual Assault Exams ‘Worth’ Higher Cost

20 hours ago

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes to Headline Chukchansi’s Summer Series with ‘Family Reunion Tour’

21 hours ago

Sue or Hold Back? The University of California Does Both as It Faces Trump’s Wrath

21 hours ago

Central Unified Takes Additional Steps To Protect Undocumented Students

22 hours ago

Americans Trade Michelin Stars for Mac and Cheese

1 day ago

Dueling Protests Clash at Fresno Tesla Dealership

2 days ago

Hamas Says It Accepts New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal but Israel Makes Counter-Offer

2 days ago

Andrew Tate’s Ex-Girlfriend Accuses Him of Sexual Assault and Battery in New Lawsuit

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend