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California children may first experience hate speech at school

by Natalie Hanson
posted Oct. 31

Schools across California see increasing rates of bullying, hate speech and discrimination, placing children from marginalized communities at risk. (See story on new NorCal Anti-Racism Coalition here.)

In an Oct. 27 Ethnic Media Services panel, several experts and California students said that many children face a “culture of hate” in schools where bullying can be inescapable. They pointed to social media’s role, as bullies can use these platforms to anonymously target and harass peers, perpetuating harmful, false stereotypes about others.

Award-winning journalist Dashka Slater — who has written for The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, Salon, and Mother Jones — said that three in four Americans aged 15-25 have seen extremist content online, half of it focusing on race or ethnicity. About 1.3 million students have been bullied on the basis of their identity through the 2019 school year, with half being targeted because of their race. read more

Chico parents form anti-racism coalition

Chico Unified parents who demand that their school district crafts stronger protections for students and faculty against hate speech say they are forming an anti-racism coalition.

Mele Benz is one of numerous parents in Chico who say they want children to have better protection from discrimination and hate speech. She is one of three parents who head the board of what is now the NorCal Anti-Racism Coalition, which represents about 100 family members and allies. It asks that Chico Unified School District (CUSD) demonstrate no tolerance for hate speech or discrimination on its campuses. (See sidebar on increased bullying in California schools here.) read more

New lawsuit filed against City in Tyler Rushing case

Scott and Paula Rushing have spent six years fighting the City of Chico over its role in the killing of their son, Tyler.

Now, the Rushings face yet another hurdle -— they’ve been denied police records about the 2017 shooting and tasering of Tyler.

Scott Rushing, a Ventura resident, has filed a lawsuit claiming the City of Chico violated California’s public transparency laws by refusing to provide Chico Police Department records.

It is not the first time Rushing has claimed the City withheld records of his son’s death from his family.

“I feel that I am being punished by City officials,” Rushing said. “This is a retaliation tactic by the City against my wife and I for pursuing a jury trial for the Chico PD officers involved in killing our son. The need to hire a costly attorney to sue the City of Chico to release public records, to obey state laws, and to be transparent should be unnecessary.” read more

Housing Element gets nod from both state and Council

Chico’s City Council has adopted an eight-year housing plan after finally winning approval from the state with its fourth draft of the required document.

The Sept. 19 City Council unanimous vote sealed the eight-year plan, the Housing Element, that outlines the development strategy for long-term residential growth and includes an assessment of current housing stock and available funding.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) had rejected previous drafts and required revisions to meet the state’s complex requirements. The Housing Element was required to cover the period from 2022 to June 2030, ensuring that the City would comply with new legislation by developing a comprehensive strategy to promote “safe, decent and affordable housing.” read more

Affordable housing comes on line in Butte

photo by Leslie Layton

Butte County Housing Authority Executive Director Ed Mayer at the play area of North Creek Crossings, an affordable housing complex.

Affordable housing for low-income renters is growing increasingly available across Butte County -– even as the population of unhoused people grows.

There has been progress on the housing gap as new affordable housing developments come on line, and more expensive homes free up units for those qualifying for low-income units, said Butte County Housing Authority Executive Director Ed Mayer.

However, Mayer’s skeptical that the 3,056 new, affordable homes that are planned, under construction or recently opened can put more than a dent in demand in this county of about 200,000 residents.

The region’s housing crisis has been exacerbated by wildfires, as well as the huge discrepancy between average incomes and rents and home prices. Two years ago, in an interview with ChicoSol, Mayer estimated that 6,000 units were needed. read more

State will help California cities prepare for heat

Cities like Chico are under growing pressure to protect people from harm and death as waves of extreme heat become more commonplace — and after California faced its hottest month on record.

The state, meanwhile, says it is launching a new program to help vulnerable communities — particularly the unhoused and aging populations — face increasingly hot seasons. Several experts on a recent Ethnic Media Services panel said cities must look for ways to manage extreme heat waves that will last longer and pose more risk than ever before.

In Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, the state is launching a grant-based community resilience program to help counties and nonprofits across the state face this new reality, said program manager Braden Kay. read more