Reaghan Mulligan | Newsroom Manager
February 25, 2022
San Clemente High School’s student body fosters a category of clubs and organizations with an important common goal: to promote equity and education on campus. Some of these clubs are directly affiliated with the school—with meetings on campus during lunch and tables at Club Rush each semester—such as the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA). Other organizations are district or nationwide coalitions that have a sub-group of student representatives from San Clemente High School.
SCHS students and teachers make up a subcommittee of the Anti-Defamation League called No Place for Hate (NPFH), co-led by Ms. Kang and Ms. Brislen. With over thirty student members and a handful of teacher advisers, the organization meets throughout the school year to delegate lessons and activities on campus. Through this, No Place for Hate introduces new discussions within classrooms and potentially opens up further insight from the student body on ways the campus can work to become more inclusive and equitable.
“The goal of NPFH is to educate students and staff about the diverse populations that make up San Clemente High School and foster a brave space on our campus where students can stand up for what is right,” co-leader of NPFH and English teacher Ms. Kang said.
San Clemente High School Against Racism (SCHSAR), co-led by seniors Bethany Padilla and Kanei Padhya, is an extension of Capistrano Unified (CUSD) Against Racism (CUSDAR) and meets bi-monthly to organize a student facilitated program that works to provide the rest of the student body with relevant information regarding a variety of topics such as race and intersectionality.
“SCHSAR runs social media content and keeps a supportive presence on campus through our outreach club and service opportunities,” senior and co-lead of SCHS Against Racism Bethany Padilla said. “We keep close with our teachers and administration to work together to create a more inclusive environment.”
The SCHS Against Racism task force actively posts digestible information, news, and spotlights on their Instagram (@schsagainstracism) —giving students, faculty, and the community exposure to informative material.
“We are devoted to combating racism and amplifying Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) voices in the Capistrano Unified School District,” co-lead and senior Kanei Padhya said. “We support and defend all identities and experiences, and we are here for your present and your future.”
Throughout the duration of February’s Black History Month, SCHS Against Racism has posted spotlights of Civil Rights Activists such as Pauli Murray and Bayard Rustin, whose contributions to the advancement of Black and queer rights had a deeply felt impact on the Civil Rights movement. By distributing complex topics through the simple structure of social media posts, the club urges its audience to delve deeper into research on their own and bring vital conversations to light on nationwide issues.
The organization offers numerous interactive leadership positions and allows students to associate their strengths with their activism. With multiple branches—social media, research, and outreach/voter mobilization—any and all voices are welcome and encouraged.
A smaller program involving San Clemente High School students, the Diversity, Inclusion, and Racial Healing program (DIRHA) with University of California Irvine is an organization made up of coalitions of county-wide representatives. At least once a month these individual high school groups come together to listen to lectures by UCI professors and other impactful speakers that spark important dialogue between the groups. At this moment, San Clemente’s DIRHA program is assessing the action items for SCHS itself based on a survey sent out to the student body attempting to gain a larger perspective into the needs of the school.
Student leadership takes a fundamental role in the establishment and continuation of these organizations, demonstrating the need for student-driven change. Those participating in the academics and social life on campus experience a different environment than the teachers and provide an unequivocally unique perspective on interactions and potential improvements at San Clemente High School.
“The students plan out activities for the whole year and their ideas and leadership drive the entire program,” Ms. Kang added. “Staff members provide the structural support to implement the activities, but the ideas and passion all come from the students. Our NPFH students have learned a great deal about teamwork, leadership, and how to create an inclusive space for everyone which will definitely help them as they move on in their education and careers.”
Allowing students to find a voice on their campus and giving inspired activists a platform to share those voices creates a school community that truly listens and responds to the diverse needs of the student population.
“We believe that the best way to combat racism is through education,” Padhya said. “Through this organization [SCHSAR], we are continuously striving to try to make CUSD an inclusive environment for all people to thrive in.”
Students interested in being a part of the San Clemente High School Against Racism task force can contact Bethany Padilla for more information.
Students looking to join No Place for Hate can contact Ms. Kang at [email protected] or Ms. Brislen at [email protected].
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