Racist graffiti was found at Castro Valley High School last week, according to local media and social media.

Separately, the Castro Valley Forum reported last week about a “Castro Valley resident who has periodically flown a Nazi flag over his home just off Center Street over the past several months.”

Castro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi provided this statement to Castro Valley Matters:

Thank you for reaching out to offer your assistance and support to our students and school community.

We are deeply disturbed by the incidents involving racist graffiti at Castro Valley High school this past week. When our African American students are attacked, we are all attacked. We have a diverse student body that has helped CVHS build an incredible community. Our teachers and staff work very hard to support our students in that endeavor.

It is our reaction to unfortunate incidents such as these that defines us as a community. Following the incidents last week, our students showed strong character by educating others about the impact of such hate speech on the entire school community. I am extremely proud of them for that.

Our students learn and thrive together. They celebrate one another’s successes, solve problems together and support each other during times of crisis. They are great examples for the rest of us. Hate speech such as that displayed at Castro Valley High School last week has no place in our school community. This sort of racist graffiti results in great harm and has no place in Castro Valley.

We look forward to working with you and various organizations to plan community conversations in light of the recent events, not only at school but also in the larger community, which have been uncharacteristic of the caring people in Castro Valley. My wish is for us to come together as a community, including students, staff, families, and organizations to show our deep commitment to supporting our students.

Regards,

Parvin Ahmadi
Superintendent
Castro Valley Unified School District

Castro Valley Matters will follow this ongoing story and will support the community efforts to respond to it.  If you would like to learn more about how to fight hate in Castro Valley, consider reading Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide, a resource from the Southern Poverty Law Center.