Before Dominican

The first incident regarding the decision to stop rebranding was a decision that made a huge impact on the student body. This was because students from both schools had just begun to get adjusted to the new school environment they were placed in, and a lot of that adjustment was because of the new school identity created. The decision to remove that new identity felt like an invalidation to students' feelings and effort to create a better school community that was inclusive of everyone. The outrage resulted in two walkouts to bring attention to the matter. While the name was ultimately reverted back to Analy High School, what progress was made was changing the school colors to red and blue instead of simply blue. The importance of this was that Analy was represented by blue and El Molino, the consolidated school, was represented by red. By changing those school colors, it led to a feeling of triumph. 

For more information, you can read the following articles: 

West County High School students walk out of classes over name change reversal 

West County High School students call for unity, plan walkout

West County High students walk out of classes again over name change reversal 

After the walkouts regarding rebranding had begun to lose steam, another incident emerged on campus. This incident was one that affected the BIPOC community on campus. A white boy had made a promposal to his girlfriend, also Caucasian, that read: "If I was black, I'd be picking cotton, but I'm not, so I'm picking you. Prom?" In a community such as Sebastopol where there's not a lot of diversity, it was especially upsetting because it simply felt like a dismissal of the minority population of students on campus. The blatant disrespect for the BIPOC community as well as the ignorance behind the promposal made sparked frustration and hurt across the whole campus. This resulted in student-led sit-ins, assemblies detailing microaggressions faced on campus, writing letters to administration, and many other actions. 

For more information, you can read the following articles: 

At a Sonoma County High School, Students of Color Demand an End to Racist Harassment  

Rural students of color are fighting back against racism in majority white schools

Does West County High School have a problem with racism? NAACP seems to think so...

West County interim superintendent resigns amid racist 'promposal' backlash

With the topic of racism being talked about on campus, another culturally insensitive piece of the high school was brought to light--that being the plaques at the front of the school donated by the Native Sons of the Golden West (NSGW). At first glance, the plaques seemed relatively harmless. However, it was later revealed by an article sent in and research done on the group's history that they were anything but. The NSGW group had a history of preserving the history of California as a state for the "white people," excluding all ethnic minorities, and especially Japanese Americans. During WWII, the height of Japanese alienation in California, the group had committed anti-Japanese activism and approved a resolution to exclude all "orientals" from California. After learning about the history of the plaques, students were intent on having them removed as they represented values that did not align with the current ones. It was also culturally insensitive to Japanese Americans on campus, whose families had experienced Japanese internment. Through talks at board meetings, announcements, and journalism articles, the WSCUHSD board decided to remove the plaques on campus, ultimately leading to the first step towards a more inclusive campus culture. 

For more information, you can read the following articles: 

An Overview of the Plaques Donated by the Native Sons of the Golden West

West County school district to remove plaques after students voice concerns

West County High activists ask for plaques removal