On May 13, youth leaders from PICO affiliate Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) in San Bernardino held a town hall meeting with the Mayor's Director of Community Safety and Violence Prevention, the President of the local school board, and the principal of San Bernardino High School, asking them to take steps to address youth violence after a district-wide survey of high school students showed that the city's schools are plagued by racial strife and violence.

Over 300 community members attended the meeting at San Bernardino High School, where ICUC youth leaders revealed the results of three extensive research projects carried out together with university partners, including of a survey on community violence and youth assets that they administered in February to over 8,700 high schools students, more than half of the total student population. The results were startling: less than 20 percent of students report feeling safe at school; over 85 percent hear racist remarks at school; and over 45 percent have been harassed because of their race.

Based on the results of this survey, and a similar survey administered in 2007, the youth made a number of specific proposals to address the situation, including: the implementation of a pilot program at San Bernardino High aimed at reducing racial conflict in schools; the creation of a Project Labor Agreement covering a $600 million school bond that will apprentice youth in construction trades and build schools with local labor; and the development of a city-wide Strategic Plan for Youth, with the participation of independent evaluator to assure public accountability. The Mayor's Director of Community Safety, the president of the school board, and the principal of San Bernardino High all committed to implementing ICUC's proposals and continuing to work closely with the youth.

Since 2005, youth leaders from ICUC have been working to curb youth violence in San Bernardino. While the city has largely responded by increasing funding for law enforcement, the youth have been calling for more preventative measures such as youth and afterschool programming and job creation.

For more information on Inland Congregations United for Change, visit www.icucpico.org

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