A student at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts created a petition for Duval County Schools to include hate speech as a disciplinary infraction in the Student Code of Conduct. It has amassed over 1,000 signatures and has captured the attention of students across the City of Jacksonville. It has also come to my attention that the St. John’s County School District Code of Conduct for the 2019-2020 School Year also does not include hate speech as an infraction. This needs to be enacted immediately because hate speech is a zero tolerance offense. It is unacceptable that those using hate speech towards people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and minority groups are getting away with this. This petition is designed to make change, not to receive signatures and move on. Let our voices be heard! The school environment needs change. If this is enacted, the experiences of several groups of students will be enhanced and this will make St. John’s County Schools safe spaces. If this is overlooked, those who feel out of place or discriminated against will continue to spend hours a day in a place they may not feel completely safe in. As a student at a St. John’s County School, it hurts to hear stories of my fellow peers who have been personally affected by hate speech. Thank you for your time.