Middle School Students Mock Black History Month With Cotton Balls

Mt. Diablo Unified School District Superintendent Adam Clark confirmed Friday that several students mocked the celebrations of Black History month by distributing cotton balls. Clark said he vows to correct the inaction.

The incident occurred last week at the Diablo View Middle School campus in Clayton.  Clark said in a statement to parents that the student has been disciplined, however, others also participated. He also stated the school and District missed an opportunity to turn this bullying and racist incident into a learning opportunity.

Clark further explained Friday how the District and school missed the opportunity to educate.

“This was a form of bullying. The school could have made a statement that bullying is not acceptable on campus. Parents could have been informed about the incident and encouraged to speak with their students regarding hurtful actions,” stated Clark.  “Also, we have over 60 counselors in the District, a few could have assisted students talk this incident through. Often middle school bullying happens under the radar. This was so blatant that the entire action could have been broken down collaboratively by both students and staff.”

When asked how Clark plans on correcting this, he said they needed to first shine a light on it occurring.

“First, I shined a light on this incident and denounced it. I expect that when fights or bullying take place, we do not just apply a punitive response. We follow up when a student returns from suspension to repair the harm and damage. I expect that we try to understand why a fight occurred and how it impacted the student body. We should be proactive to change inappropriate behavior instead of just suspending. We do suspend and expel when necessary but that doesn’t erase the root problem,” said Clark.

Clark said he was unsure of the exact number of students involved in the incident, but they did have additional counselors and District staff at the school. They have created spaces where kids can speak about why they participated, why they did not or why it does or does not bother them.

“This is one strategy to make our schools safe for all,” said Clark.

Letter was sent out by Superintendent Adam Clark:

Dear Diablo View Middle School Community,

It has been brought to my attention that there was an unfortunate event that took place on the Diablo View campus last week. A student brought cotton balls to school and they were distributed by several students as a joke throughout campus in what appeared to be mocking the celebration of Black History Month. Although the student who initially brought the cotton balls to campus was disciplined, there were other students who participated. 

Unfortunately, we as school and District leaders missed a crucial opportunity to turn this bullying and racist incident into a learning opportunity. I will correct that inaction. That said, Mt. Diablo Unified School District is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students. This incident does not represent our values. If we are going to combat bullying in all forms, a whole systems approach needs to be applied. Meaning, we have to directly address and reject all forms of offensive and divisive behavior within our school communities. Students need to be equipped with language to communicate their feelings, needs and emotions in an effective manner. 

I encourage all parents to talk to your students about what kinds of language/actions are acceptable at school. Hopefully, as we work to address this offensive event, safe conversations can take place to prevent any student from feeling unwelcome or intimidated within our schools. I appreciate your cooperation and look forward to future learning activities that truly celebrate the diverse cultures of all families in this District. 

Thank you,

Dr. Adam Clark

For more on the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, visit them at: www.mdusd.org