As Malibu slowly recovers from the destruction of the Woolsey Fire and the global attention from the events that devastated our town last November, our community was once again in the spotlight recently for another event not quite as devastating, but could have potentially harmful long term effects on our community if action is not immediately taken.
Recently, a school yard basketball game at Malibu Middle School turned ugly as students engaged in a scuffle, involving some particularly bad behavior on school grounds.
The details are still very convoluted, with finger pointing in both directions as to who and what truly started the fight. However, one thing is very clear, this incident was NOT “racially motivated” as characterized by a family member of the student who spoke out on social media.
What this incident did do is bring to light a much larger issue, bullying.
It also exposed the neglect by Malibu High/Middle School Administration and the SMMUSD, who have ignored this problem for many years.
Witnesses, and a full assessment of all three videos, include name calling and pushing, on school grounds, with no supervision during school hours. The incident took place on the basketball court which Athletic Director Chris Neier, oversees.
This is not the first time Neier has had an issue like this transpire under his watch. In fact, Neier has a history of neglect of duty and parents have repeatedly filed complaints with School Administration and the District, yet the school district has allowed theses complaints to fall on deaf ears.
This incident is a result of a clear lack of supervision, as well as responsible parenting of some of the students involved. This situation would not have escalated to the point it did had there been a teacher on the court supervising.
Further, had the administration employed a holistic approach to these behavioral issues and actually engaged students when they report relational difficulties, and/or provide resources when a situation ensues, events like this would be managed better by students and parents alike.
However, because of multiple underlying issues and agendas of the students and their family members, and unresponsiveness of the administration, this schoolyard brawl turned into a completely different situation altogether needlessly and falsely. A family member of one of the students posted on social media, escalating the incident to what she characterized as a”racially bullying”, thereby reverberating throughout the community, when in fact this was not the case at all.
Instead of parents taking responsibility for their teenager’s behavior, it was magnified into a news event and affected not only those involved, but also the entire school and community negatively.
Malibu happens to be a community of many faiths, races, and cultures that have peacefully co existed for decades. There has never been a racial incident at MHS, and this incident is not one either.
The Local Malibu reached out to the district as well as Lt. Jennifer Seetoo of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department who said “deputies wrote a report regarding the incident and the incident is currently being looked into by Malibu/Lost Hills Detective Bureau. Also, the Malibu/Lost Hills Station’s Juvenile Team (J-Team) is in contact with the school and the school reiterated that they are handling the situation and do not need law enforcement at this time.”
SMMUSD responded to our publication with the following statement:
“We are aware of an incident at Malibu High School on May 8th involving some students who were initially playing basketball. We take all incidents involving students on campus seriously and investigate. In some cases law enforcement is called in to investigate as well. We are unable to speak to the details of this incident, due to privacy laws. We can assure the community that any students found in violation of any policy or Education Code will be disciplined as outlined in California Education Code. The district follows Education Code consistently and with equity based on evidence and speaking to the students, along with review of law enforcement’s investigation, if applicable. This incident is still under investigation.”
Sasha Alvarez, a student at the school called for a protest to express the voice of the student body to “Bring attention to the injustice…of my peers”, however, the protest turned more attention to a cry for racial equality, rather than a rally to promote peace and resources for students, which was the intent.
Many have valid concerns about the inaction of Dr. Nye and the district’s refusal to do more than reprimand students instead of implementing restorative processes has led students to take situations into their own hands. The district, without knowing, supported that theory in their own words to The Local Malibu’s inquiries, stating:
“Today, we began the first of many conversations with our students. We engaged a group of students in the restorative justice approach to gain a better insight of our campus climate.”
Why haven’t these conversations taken place before?
Clearly, the students concerns about the inaction of the district appear to be valid.
The district’s neglect in providing a restorative justice program and mediator on site at the Malibu High School campus for the last few years is evident in the climate that exists at MHS/MMS and demonstrated by this event and how it has been dealt with.
Dr. Nye’s contract was not renewed next year and Patrick Miller will be returning as Principal, after a short run at Webster.
Dr. Nye and the district have had the opportunity to implement restorative justice programs and resources offered, yet declined. Non for profit ONE Peace and Restorative Justice Center offered the program Justice 4 Youth, directed by Dr. Amora Rachelle, J.D, Ph.D, M.D.R. and mental health resources were offered by Roots for Wings, directed by Dr. Jennifer Johnston-Jones. These services were offered to the district and to all schools more than two years ago, and the district tabled it.
“With the support of our Restorative Justice Coordinator for the district, we had a collaborative conversation centered around experiences on the MHS campus.” said the District in their email to The Local Malibu. It appears as though the lingo is being used for restorative justice, but not the actual processes and or services continually at MHS/MMS.
The school’s statement confirms that a restorative justice coordinator comes only when called to MHS/MMS, and is not there all the time, which parents, PTA, and students have advocated for since 2017.
The district hired Robert Howard, with no degree, and placed him at Santa Monica High School. He was seldom in the area, let alone Malibu High School and, the District is placating the student body by insinuating that he was. Having conversations with students and then with teachers, once in a while, or when there is a crisis, is not a restorative justice philosophy, nor is it offering restorative justice methods, programs, processes, and services to the students and staff.
The school promoted its school psychologist and therapist at the Boys and Girls Club Wellness Program. While they are important resources at school, this issue is about bullying, students inability to manage conflict, lack of staffing, and failure of the administration to implement restorative justice philosophies and services to its students on a consistent basis.
While the district took administration on a tour of successful schools implementing restorative justice, they failed to implement the philosophy. Training included a trip to museums, which does not prepare staff for restorative justice processes in the school. This is similar to the districts facade of providing trauma resources after the Woolsey fires, with therapy dogs, however this service only were provided a few days and lasted only a few weeks. Youth need ongoing trauma support from the fires and floods, that led to 600 homes lost in Malibu and more then 6 weeks of school closed.
With a history of bullying behavior rampant in these schools, Malibu High School and Middle School could have been provided with these important resources needed to address life conflict and stressors. Each program has been independently successful in multiple schools, both public and private. Recently, Roots and Wings and ONE Justice collaborated providing mental health services, restorative justice processes, staff training and parenting programs to a private school. There are even youth at MMS and MHS who came with the benefit of these programs and promoted them at MMS and MHS. Staff even wanted to assist in making it happen in the Malibu Schools. Nye simply denied any support or effort towards it and she was unwilling to provide behavioral intervention rather then to suspend students time and time again. Dr. Weismann was supportive of the Class proposed by Dr. Amora on Tolerance and Leadership, but Nye had no interest and student Sasha Alvarez added, “I first handedly experienced administration overlooking a problem I had with my peers.”she said specifically about this incident that went viral on social media.
“This incident is a bullying issue and lack of proper role modeling. Parents and professionals need to work together to change the culture of conflict in schools and the community as a whole.” says Dr. Amora. “Conflict will always exist and youth need the resources to manage conflict in a more socially acceptable and successful way.”
Social Media’s role in this incident is an equally disturbing one. Parents are not monitoring their children, and the manipulation and doctoring of the videos excluding the initial altercation was uploaded without assent of the students nor the consent of their parents and could lead to litigation. A video posted posted on YouTube was removed after complaints were filed.
The truth is evident in the distribution of the videos and how they were released that there is an agenda at play. A senior at Malibu High School posted the video of the students involved and racist claims with lack of true facts and with the intention of igniting this as a racially motivated issue, when in reality it wasn’t.
That’s when death threats were received by the students who were unfairly labeled as the initial aggressors. Threats were also received by the siblings of the students involved.
Parents need to be positive role models and take a proactive parenting style to raise adults with character and integrity. Other parents, like the one who posted online, appeared at the rally and even used the opportunity to self promote their business and or child.
Students should not have been videoing other students during school hours unless it was authorized by a teacher for a school project, and especially in this incident, do not demonstrate respect or boundaries towards their fellow classmates.
While Malibu High School is only one example of may schools with a social media and bullying problem, this incident was a serious wake up call. “The community as a whole needs to focus on prevention rather than response” says Dr. Amora, “the school district needs to take local advocacy efforts seriously, and implement successful resources readily available in Malibu to our schools, to benefit our children and staff.”
Lt. Seetoo has been working on a school threat mitigation program since the horrific attack at a high school in Parkland Florida. Her program addresses school violence, anti-bulling and child suicide. Lt. Seetoo said, “This is a whole community approach involving the school district, mental health, law enforcement, non-profits, parents, and the most importantly the students. Two key non-profits I am working with is the Sandy Hook Promise and All Star Nation Tours.” said Lt. Seetoo who was recently invited by Las Virgenes Unified School District Superintendent, Dan Stepenosky, to speak to parents regarding her program. She is hopeful her program will be implemented in the Las Virgenes Unified School District as a pilot for the rest the nation to emulate.
The Sandy Hook Promise is supported by the Attorney general Eric Holder, and Secretary Duncan initiative on collaborative projects to address disciplinary policies and practices to foster safe and productive learning environments. “Our proposal is in alignment with the Attorney General’s goal of supportive school discipline initiatives promoting positive disciplinary options and improving the climate for learning.” said Dr. Amora.
California and the nation at large is advocating for holistic and restorative justice resources and programs to be implemented into schools and Malibu High School administration should be seeking to provide these programs with the same motivation schools across the state have.
This event is a demonstration of failure by the district and the staff they employ. When they have the resources to implement the most innovative programs available to students and don’t, the outrage of the community is valid. “Dr. Drati wants to build 21st Century schools, however that begins with 21st Century leadership, character, and values.” says Dr. Amora. ”We are hopeful that administration will move ahead and begin providing essential life skills, character building and conflict resolution and leadership education, beginning at the elementary level up to the high school.” Thankfully, Miller has shown interest in the past with anti-bullying initiatives and the Malibu Community along with Lt. Seetoo and Dr. Amora are hopeful that Miller will work with them to swiftly implement the preventative holistic initiatives for students, especially in light of this incident.
Together with the district, parents, youth, and non for profits like ONE Justice Center and Roots and Wings, our community will benefit from the initiative geared to prevent school violence, bullying and suicide.”
“ School climate is not a therapy or school psychologist issue, it is an important aspect of school culture based on positive learning, right relationships, conflict managment, and an attention to tolerance and leadership. Youth need to learn and practice these life skills within their classes. Teachers and staff require ongoing training and support to learn restorative justice processes and philosophies to engage students effectively, engage in mediating school based situations and to promote a positive climate. Unless the school provides a holistic school wide program, with the presence of a full time experienced restorative justice professional and mediator, the school culture will not shift. It is imperative that fundamental changes are made from the ground up to the administration and district, for school climate to transform”. – Dr. Amora
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