A Message from Principal Miguel Perez

Dear Squalicum families,

As you may have heard, about 200 Squalicum students exercised their freedom of assembly today in a planned walkout to protest sexual assault and criticize school staff’s alleged response to a reported incident from 2021. Some students also shared concerns and accusations related to sexual assault beyond the citations related to our assistant principals, and the prevalence of mental health issues and suicidal ideation among peers.

We share students’ concerns and the need for all students to feel safe at school and in the community, and we are proud of them when they advocate for what is important to them, even if it is difficult to hear.

We also want to share that we have three to five additional staff and administrators supporting Squalicum each day this week, including mental health staff and our student safety specialist.

More than 10 school and district staff monitored the event for safety. The event was also attended by local media, who were accompanied by district staff. Most students returned to class at the end of STORM while some students remained outside. At one point, staff needed to address an adult visitor who attended the protest but did not follow our visitor protocols and who refused to leave campus. Student safety is our first priority, and it was not appropriate for adults to be on a school campus participating in an event without following our visitor policy.

Student voice is very important, and students expressed serious concerns today. We will continue to work with our students to listen to their concerns, support them and connect them with law enforcement and other organizations when appropriate.

We are taking the following steps:

• We will continue to meet with students, including protest organizers, to hear their suggestions and honor their requests for actions at our school.
• We will bring local victim advocacy agencies, such as Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County (DVSAS), to campus to provide additional support and services for students who need it.
• We will meet with local victim advocacy representatives and law enforcement to improve upon our training for all staff.

If your child or anyone they know needs support dealing with or reporting an experience of sexual assault or suicidal thoughts, we want to share some community resources available:

• Talk to a trusted adult at Squalicum or use our tip line for information, tips, or concerns regarding a safety issue in our schools. You can text or call 844-310-9560 or visit bellinghamschools.org/safe for confidential, anonymous, two-way communication with our safety staff.
• Talking to children and teens about sexual assault - from RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization
• Resources from Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County
• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 (call or text)

Thank you, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Miguel Perez

Principal, Squalicum High School