During a Sept. 22 meeting, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District School Board Members Craig Foster and Oscar de la Torre chose to kneel during the Pledge of Allegiance. Their protest brought the national discussion about police conduct when dealing with black Americans to the forefront in Malibu.
It may have enlightened some Malibu residents to national issues, but the protest incited hostility in others.
“Teaching kids to disrespect and hate America is beyond disgraceful. Men like these are part of the problem, not part of the cure,” said an unsigned letter sent to The Malibu Times. The letter continued: “If they think our country is so bad, perhaps they should move out of it. I’d be happy to buy them a one way ticket to Iran or Iraq if they promise never ever to return.”
Comments left on the story about the protest posted to the Malibu Times website expressed similar sentiment, as well as comments shared with local papers in Santa Monica.
The topic garnered enough attention for Malibu Mayor Lou La Monte to comment on it after motioning to adjourn the Oct. 9 city council meeting in memory of Palm Springs officers who were shot and killed earlier this month.
“I respect and support the rights of those who take a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance or the national anthem as a symbol of protest,” La Monte said. “When they do, I hope they also think of these brave officers who have actually paid the ultimate price for protecting us all.”
The mayor’s views were echoed by Mayor Pro Tem Skylar Peak.
“The men that wear a uniform and carry a badge mean a lot to us in our community and they keep our lives safe every day, so let’s just not forget that and appreciate them every day,” Peak said.
Foster said he’s puzzled by the response.
“I totally agree with them,” Foster said. “One of the things that gives me a headache is [the thought that] Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter are in conflict, and they’re not. Nobody wants to see police officers put in danger and nobody wants to see unarmed citizens in danger.”
Foster said he has received some positive feedback from colleagues within the district but also fielded concerns that his protest was “confusing.”
The high tensions surrounding the topic of police conduct could make it difficult for onlookers to immediately understand a protester’s nuanced views.
“The confusion, for me, is part of the conversation we have,” Foster said. “The key thing is we need to figure this out.”
Many comments have suggested protesting the Pledge of Allegiance could teach kids throughout the school district to disrespect American values.
“I don’t think it’s a sign of disrespect; I think it’s trying to shed light on a certain issue,” Malibu High School senior Sophia Beauvoir said. “They’re not trying to say, ‘I hate America;’ they’re saying what’s happening in this country is inappropriate and a lot of that stuff isn’t being addressed.”
Beauvoir had not heard about Foster and de la Torre’s protest prior to speaking to The Malibu Times.
Foster previously cited his daughter as inspiration to begin protesting. His continued protest could provide avenues of discussion that were previously closed for students interested in the topic.
“Even for people who do support Black Lives Matter, they think it’s hard to talk about when they’re the minority in different communities,” Beauvoir said. “It may be hard to talk about when you have such a large group of people who are against it.”
Beauvoir has taken an interest in issues related to the Black Lives Matter movement, but said she hesitates to bring it up in class because her classmates may think she mentions it too often.
The issues central to Foster and De la Torre’s protest may not directly affect Malibu, but Malibu’s community could still have a say in the national discussion.
“I think the people who have the power in our society should take a stand and support the marginalized group of people because they don’t have a voice,” Beauvoir said. “It’s important for them to stand up and defend these people who are going through this thing.”