San Diego Community College District

The San Diego Community College District is shocked and saddened by recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia. While we remain deeply committed to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, it is important for us to reaffirm the District’s position against hate speech and violence. Simply put, there is no place in our society for those who would single out one or more members of our community to be the target of hatred and violent acts. The KKK and White Supremacist groups were out in force in Charlottesville to support the continuing celebration of the Confederacy and its war to keep African Americans enslaved. These groups were joined by Anti-Semitic marchers supporting neo-Nazism. Our nation cannot and should not tolerate such hatred and denigration of any segments of our population.  

The SDCCD community shares the values of diversity, inclusion, tolerance, and social justice. The SDCCD Board of Trustees, Chancellor, and Presidents reaffirmed these values earlier this year by making clear the District’s support for immigrants and all students and employees. We continue to support the District’s “We Are Community” initiative, which provides training and support for students, faculty, and staff to assist them in finding common ground to resolve conflicts and promote mutual respect. We are also a proud sponsor of events such as Restoring Respect, the annual conference aimed at restoring civility to civic dialogue. These actions send important signals to those inside and outside the SDCCD community but they are far more than symbolic; they are a reflection of our shared values and ideals.

As we embark on a new semester, we realize that there may be times when these values are challenged or shaken by events here in our own community or in other parts of the nation. Nevertheless, we remain steadfast in our commitment to equity and equality. Just as the San Diego Community College District stands in support of our immigrant, undocumented, DACA, Muslim, and LGBTQ students who have recently come under federal fire, we will stand to prevent a return to the darkest and most hateful days in American history.

The District will continue to ensure that our campuses remain safe environments for teaching and learning. We wish our faculty, staff, and students a peaceful and productive academic year, and we are grateful to our community for its support.

Constance M. Carroll, Ph.D.
Chancellor
San Diego Community College District
 

Maria Nieto Senour, Ph.D.
President, Board of Trustees
San Diego Community College District