The latest racist incident at San Marcos High School and the mishandling of the response by school and district officials exemplifies the types of racial violence that have left invisible scars on generations of Black students in Santa Barbara schools.
Our leaders’ decisions about downtown vitality, special events, housing, short-term rentals, and taxation are community issues. Decisions that help make Santa Barbara safe, vibrant, welcoming, and economically healthy for residents also strengthen our appeal as a destination.
Here in Santa Barbara County, we have the opportunity to decide what kind of community we want to be. Do we continue responding after a young person has already experienced violence? Or do we invest earlier?
