Palomar College Erases Its Anti-Racism Policy — and Sparks Outrage

Palomar College in San Marcos, CA

By San Diego Monitor News Staff

SAN MARCOS — A decision by the Palomar College Board of Trustees to repeal its anti-racism policy has drawn sharp condemnation from students, faculty, and community members, who say the move undermines years of progress toward equity and inclusion on campus.

In a 3-2 vote earlier this month, trustees Yvette Acosta, Jacqueline Kaiser, and Holly Hamilton-Bleakley voted to strike down Board Policy 3000, the college’s formal anti-racism statement adopted in 2021. Trustees Judy Patacsil and Robert Rodriguez voted against the repeal.

The board majority framed the decision as a matter of legal prudence and efficiency. Acosta called the policy “performative,” arguing that Palomar already operates under state and federal anti-discrimination laws. “No other community college in California has such a policy,” she said, suggesting the document was symbolic rather than practical. Hamilton-Bleakley echoed those sentiments, citing possible legal exposure from what she described as “overly politicized” language. But to many on campus, the symbolism mattered deeply.

The anti-racism policy was crafted in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the nationwide reckoning over racial injustice. It committed the college to addressing systemic racism, promoting equity in hiring and curriculum, and fostering a sense of belonging for historically marginalized groups. For students like Jaren Harris, vice president of finance for the Associated Student Government, removing the policy feels like a betrayal. “This decision sends a message — intentional or not — that safety, equality, and belonging are no longer priorities at this institution,” he said. Timothy Swan, another student leader, described the repeal as “disrespectful” and “blatantly racist.”

Faculty members and staff echoed those concerns during a heated public comment period. Communication professor Holland Smith said that striking anti-racism language from the books “erases the words that name” inequity and leaves marginalized students less visible. “Words matter,” Smith said. “When we remove the language that recognizes oppression, we risk pretending it doesn’t exist.”

Trustee Rodriguez, one of the two dissenting votes, called for more dialogue before dismantling the policy. “The message that we’re sending to our students by simply deleting this is going to be devastating,” he said, adding that such changes should not happen without consultation with the campus community. Even the student trustee, Ariel Fridman — whose vote is advisory — weighed in against the repeal, noting that “not a single person” spoke in favor of it during the meeting.

The debate is part of a larger national trend as colleges across the U.S. face mounting challenges to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Recent legal rulings, political campaigns, and cultural shifts have put such programs under scrutiny, often framing them as divisive or politically motivated.

Locally, Palomar’s decision comes just months after the same board majority voted to end the college’s practice of reciting a land acknowledgment at meetings — another move criticized as erasing marginalized voices. Critics say the pattern suggests a deliberate retreat from social justice commitments once central to the college’s identity. In the meeting’s aftermath, the board agreed to form a subcommittee to “re-examine” how Palomar might pursue diversity and equity goals without BP 3000. But many observers question whether that will amount to more than damage control. “You can’t delete anti-racism from your policies and still claim to be an anti-racist institution,” said one faculty member after the meeting. For now, uncertainty hangs over the campus. Faculty unions and student organizations are discussing next steps, and a petition circulating among employees calls for the policy’s reinstatement. Meanwhile, administrators face a growing challenge: how to assure the campus community that the college remains committed to fairness and inclusion even as the language of those commitments is stripped away.

In San Diego’s North County, Palomar College has long prided itself on being a “community-centered institution.” But this latest vote has left many wondering whose community, and whose voices, the college will center moving forward.