San Diego County Office of Education held “Black Student Summit” that promoted racial identity to young students

On April 17, 2025, the San Diego County Office of Education hosted a “Black Student Summit” for students that appeared to be political in nature. The event was for students in the sixth grade through the eighth grade. The description for the event stated:

The annual theme is: Our Voice, Our Power, Our Future. The summit addresses the achievement of Black students in K-12 and beyond, in addition to educating students about the Black diaspora experience by engaging them in interactive sessions related to college preparation, leadership, social justice, and black empowerment.

One workshop at this event was titled “These Books Ain’t For Me” that appeared to explain to black students that they should read different books than everyone else:

“Do you like to read?” When this answer is ‘no’, it is almost always tied to not being handed literature that speaks to you as the student and the lack of opportunity to see yourselves. In this workshop, we will dive into what literacy truly means, the history behind our ancestors’ fight for the right to read and a breakdown of some books that every Black person should read through interactive discussion, writing, and answering insightful questions.

Another workshop is titled “Mind Over Matter: Building Resilience and Self-Care for Black Excellence.” This workshop included “exploring how black identity and community support mental health” and “encouraging open discussions about mental health in a culturally affirming way.”