Upland 6th graders accused of making racist drawings, giving them to Black students

Upland parents demand answers and action after sixth graders passed out handmade cards covered with racist remarks to Black students.

"The words really hurt," said Parent-Teacher Association President Robin Allen. "These are words that hurt. They're racist and derogatory terms." 

The cards had messages such as "to my favorite cotton picker" and calling another student someone's "favorite monkey."

In addition to the hateful cards, parent Rome Douglas said his child received a card of a Black person hanging from a tree. 

His 12-year-old daughter was one of the several biracial and Black students at Pepper Tree Elementary to be taunted with these notes. Additionally, his son said he hears other students echoing monkey noises at him. 

Parents of at least three of the sixth graders that received the racist cards have pulled them out of school for more than a week. 

"I've pulled them out until we feel it's safe," said Douglas.

Parents went to the school board demanding action. However, so far at least, the district has announced any disciplinary action.

"I want to make it clear the district will implement discipline without hesitation," said Sherman Garnett, board president of Upland Unified School District. 

The statement from Garnett displeased Allen. 

"What does that mean?" she said. "Because it means different things to different people."

The school has not identified the students who sent the cards or the motivation behind them, only stating "racial slurs have no place at Pepper Tree Elementary" in a statement. 

"Although students may not understand the deep meaning of their words and actions, it is vital to emphasize that hate speech, discriminatory behavior and racial slurs have no place at Pepper Tree Elementary," the school stated.