Palisades High Unity Rally Facilitates Conversation, Spreads Message of Love

By DAYNA DRUM | Reporter

The notes of “Lean on Me,” sung by Palisades Charter High School students, filled Mercer Hall on Saturday morning, April 2, carrying the message of the day’s events.

About 300 people attended the PCHS Unity Rally to discuss moving forward as a school community after a hate-speech vandalism incident that occurred on Sunday, March 13.

Racial slurs and derogatory references to Jewish people, African Americans and the LGBT community were spray painted on various areas in front of the campus.

Two Pali High students were arrested for the vandalism soon after and were released into the custody of their parents. Because they are juveniles, their identities have not been released.

After school officials and neighbors painted over the vandalism shortly after the incident, students took to covering the previously affected area in chalk messages of love and peace.

Also in response to the hate-speech vandalism, on Monday, March 14 hundreds of students staged a sit-in on campus, refusing to go to class in order to talk to school administration.

Pali High principal Pamela Magee told the Palisadian-Post that Saturday’s Unity Rally was scheduled to give the students an opportunity to be formally heard, which is one of the things they had requested during the sit-in.

School administration, city officials, students and parents were each given the opportunity to speak and share their concerns throughout the morning.

“It’s our priority to make sure all our students feel safe and empowered on campus. That’s why I’m here today,” Julia Monkarsh, junior class president and member of the Leadership class, told the Post. 

The responsive action taken by the student body was continually recognized during the rally.

“When this incident occurred, our students showed us the way,” Magee said to the audience.

“Whenever there’s a disruption at a school and the students mobilize to respond and take ownership of the situation and their school, it’s important to be a part of it,” Daniel Tamm, representative for Mayor Eric Garcetti, told the Post. 

Officials’ comments throughout the program carried this same sentiment.

“I’ve never been as proud to represent Pali as in the days following this incident and for the students to come together. When adults follow students’ lead, we build a better future,” Los Angeles Unified School District board member Steve Zimmer said as he addressed the audience.

To close the event, a comment period was opened to allow audience members to share recommendations to officials.

One student spoke about the cost of taking the bus to school and implored Pali High to find transportation in order to add more diversity to the student population.

Returning to the theme of unity, the vice president of the school’s Gender Sexuality Alliance, Jackie Au, told the audience, “Such hatred can only be fought with love.”

—Additional reporting by Frances Sharpe