A Lost Hills Sheriffs’ deputy’s use of the “n” word during a speech to Calabasas High students sparked outrage from the Black Student Union. The word was used during a discussion by the Sheriff’s Juvenile Intervention Team about how students tend to act like “they are from the hood.” A statement on the BSU Instagram said, “You may think we might be overreacting but we are not. This happens way too frequently and the weight of a cop saying it is even more damaging. It is beyond shocking that no one in administration… stepped in to stop him from continuing talking.” On Thursday Bennett Wutkee, CHS Principal, issued his own statement, saying, “Given this word’s historical and emotionally charged nature, we immediately addressed this with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. We are grateful for their swift and immediate response to provide clear direction, education, and growth of their staff. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator, Courtney Peoples, was on-site during the assembly and took the stage to address the incident with the students in attendance… and shared with the students that this presented an opportunity to educate the officer on our District Policy as it relates to hate-motivated language as well as the insensitivities of using the word.”
