TUSTIN : School Acts After Racial Incidents

In response to a racial incident at Tustin High School last week, the principal has decided to form an ethnic advisory council as a forum for resolving racial tension.

Principal Duffy Clark said he hopes that the council will eventually have several hundred members who will work to develop awareness of racial issues on campus and also become involved in community service.

Although students usually coexist peacefully, the situation turned ugly last Thursday night during an “air guitar” competition in the gymnasium.

According to students and administrators, blacks and whites yelled racial slurs from the bleachers, calling each other “niggers” and “honkies.”

“I couldn’t believe what was happening,” said junior Rose Silguero, 16. “I was in the middle. I was so panicky my hands were shaking. I just had so much anger in me, I wanted to cry. . . . I thought, ‘Oh my God, why does this have to happen here?’ ”

Some black students felt that a black group dancing and lip-synching to the pop song “Rhythm Nation” by Janet Jackson should have taken first place in the contest instead of a white group performing to “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones.

After the show, two students confronted each other in the parking lot. Although the battle was confined to words and a few shoves, the tension was high, students and school officials agreed.

Although some students and officials deny that there is racial tension at Tustin High’s ethnically diverse campus, sophomore Mark Benjamin disagrees.

“Things are ready to explode,” said Benjamin, 15.

Benjamin added that when he opened a book in English literature class on Thursday, he saw “Niggers can’t read” and “Skinheads rule” scrawled inside. Duffy said he was unaware of that incident.

Last week’s unrest prompted leaders of the school’s predominantly black Society Club to renew their push to change the group’s name to the Black Student Union. The group’s 25 to 30 members work to promote black history, organize seminars, offer tutoring for college entrance exams and sponsor other events.

The students have begun the formal process of changing the club’s name, which requires the approval of the Associated Student Body, the school principal and the Tustin Unified School District board.

“The Koreans have a Korean Club, and other groups have their own clubs,” said Charleton Long, 17, Society Club president. “We feel we have pride in our culture and we should call (the club) the Black Student Union.”

Josh Belden, 16, a white football player and member of the track team, recently decided to join the Society Club.

“The racial problems are out of hand, and I want to get involved,” said Belden, who is also interested in being a part of the ethnic advisory council.