California Students Face Discipline for Homophobic Slur Photo | Redwood High School Incident
Visalia Unified School District officials confirmed Monday that disciplinary action has been taken against students at Redwood High School following the circulation of a photograph depicting a homophobic slur spelled out on the bleachers. The incident, which occurred last Thursday, has prompted condemnation from school officials and community organizations.
The photograph, which surfaced on social media, shows approximately ten Redwood High School seniors wearing shirts with letters and numbers arranged to form a derogatory term. According to the district, the students initially posed for a photograph spelling out “Class of 2026 Always Legit” during a senior class photo shoot. Following the official photo, they repositioned themselves to create the offensive message, utilizing the number “6” to mimic a letter in the slur.
“A lot of people at school, including the senior class, are really upset about the ignorant and rash actions of people who were in the photo,” an unnamed Redwood High senior told KFSN-TV. Several of the students involved are reported to be leaders within the school community, holding positions in student government and other clubs, intensifying the backlash.
Visalia Unified Superintendent Kirk Shrum released a statement Friday night stating that “appropriate disciplinary action has taken in accordance with district policy.” The district did not disclose the specific consequences imposed on the students, citing student privacy laws. Board policy stipulates that students found to have engaged in discriminatory harassment or hate speech may face suspension or expulsion, particularly in cases of severe or pervasive behavior.
Natali Garza, Executive Director of Student Services for the Visalia Unified School District, emphasized the seriousness of the incident. “We want the whole community to know that Here’s not representative of our values or the values of any of our school campuses. We also want families to know that there will be consequences for this very serious behavior,” Garza said.
The Source LGBT+ Center in Visalia issued a statement condemning the display, characterizing it as more than a “harmless joke.” The organization stated that the act “reinforces stigma, normalizes hate, and harms LGBTQ+ students’ sense of safety and belonging.”
District officials announced that additional “social emotional support on campus” will be made available to students in the wake of the incident. The investigation into the matter remains closed, with the district declining to provide further details regarding the disciplinary measures taken.