Administrators of Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California are being blasted by African-American leaders for not taking action following the discovery of a hit list targeting black students last fall.
“If we allow this to happen to one community member, we allow it to happen to everyone,” said Ross Pusey of the Alliance Black and Brown Advocates.
“You’re talking about killing people in school. Killing people — you understand,” said Walter Wilson of the African-American Community Service Agency.
The hit list was posted to social media last fall and according to black community leaders the Monta Vista High School, the Fremont Union High School District as well as the sheriff all failed to act appropriately.
“They created a kill list, and on the list were the names of six or seven African-American students in the school.”
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Attorney Richard Richardson filed suit on behalf of one of the students on the list, that student has since left to go to another school. “They gave a specific and credible threat that they would kill her with bullets, and they talked about how many bullets it would take.”
There were other acts of racism perpetrated as well. Just two months ago a message talking about lynching “n-ggers” was posted to Instagram. The students behind the post received no punishment.
“There is no discipline such as detention, such as suspension or expulsion ever considered,” according to Richardson.
The school says they investigated the incident in the fall and took “appropriate disciplinary action.”
The sheriff has said the case has been referred to the district attorney for criminal prosecution and the DA is currently reviewing the case.
