San Marcos High School students disciplined for blackface TikTok video

Four female students at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara have been disciplined following a viral TikTok video in which they appeared in blackface. The video featured the students with artificially darkened skin, imitating a trend involving AI-generated images of young Black boys. The post included captions and ninja emojis, which are frequently used as online shorthand for racial slurs.

School Principal Dare Holdren stated that the incident was reported through the district’s ‘Safe to Speak Up’ system two weeks prior to the video going viral and that the school has instituted consequences for the students involved. Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldon noted that the matter was handled through established disciplinary processes.

However, the NAACP Santa Barbara branch has condemned the district’s response as inadequate. Connie Alexander, president of the local NAACP, called for more transparent protocols and equitable discipline, arguing that the district has struggled to respond to racial incidents with necessary humanity and clarity.