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On Thursdays, Sequoia High School staff members can be spotted wearing the same black T-shirts across campus. On the front it says, “Never Say the N-word,” but as they turn around a bold red message faces the students: “This word is not acceptable at our school. This word will not be used at Sequoia High School.”
The shirts are the start to the Redwood City high school’s “Never Say the N-Word campaign,” an initiative started by the Black Student Union to stop the excessive use of the N-word on campus.
The racial slur can be heard in hallways and classrooms, mostly by students outside of the Black community, said students and teachers. Some BSU students said they have removed themselves from friend groups that use the word, explaining that they didn’t want to be associated with people who used it.
“Part of the reason why I like this campaign is that I don’t feel like I have to go up there and police it, because I don’t want to be the person going around saying ‘you can’t do that,” said BSU Co-president Joella Gaddini. “This is safer and effective too.”
The campaign launched with the T-shirts in the beginning of October and within weeks the word had diminished from Sequoia’s hallways, Gaddini added.
The BSU meets every Thursday at lunch and on that day, staff members show support for the campaign by sporting the shirt to school. With about 80% of staff wearing the shirts, the message is displayed like a “billboard” throughout the campus, said Black Student Union Advisor Adili Skillin.
The use of the N-word among students has long been an issue within the Sequoia Union High School District and Sequoia’s success has been noticed by other campuses. Skillin said teachers from other schools have been asking about the shirts.
“There’s a very different message that’s sent when every single teacher, every single staff member, puts the same message forward simultaneously,” said Sequoia Principal Sean Priest. “It’s very powerful, especially when it’s on a cool T-shirt.”
Prior to the campaign, students such as Gaddini would do their part to encourage their peers to not use the word and would often face mixed reactions. Some students would argue and others would apologize but walk away and say it again.
Kamara explained that although she is not afraid to speak up, it can feel bothersome to repeat herself every time she hears the N-word.
Spanish teacher Scott Stalder-Skarmoutsos greets students while wearing a “Never Say the N-Word” shirt at Sequoia High School in Redwood City on Nov. 6, 2025. Photo by Seeger Gray. 
Social studies and special education teacher Adili Skillin and Joella Gaddini, a junior at Sequoia High School, speak during a Black Student Union meeting at the school in Redwood City on Nov. 6, 2025. Skillin is the Black Student Union’s advisor and Gaddini is one of the group’s presidents. Photo by Seeger Gray.
“This is not their job to police the students. It’s my job,” Skillin added.
The campaign starts with the staff, he explained. When he first presented the idea during a staff meeting, everybody was on board. Although teachers receive sensitivity training, discussions about the N-word can be difficult for people to have, but with the T-shirts, “you don’t have to say anything,” he said.
A BSU student added that the campaign has created space for more open conversations about the word. While others may still be timid about whether it’s appropriate to ask certain questions, she said it’s becoming a form of education.
“What’s happening is that you’re affirming what the overwhelming majority of students and staff already know and in doing so you’re empowering people to do the right thing,” said Priest. “That’s consistent with the values of our community.”
The T-shirts are just the start to creating a bigger movement that promotes healing and community. The initiative is a reflection of the school’s values and its expectations around the use of language, students safety and respect, Priest added.
“This school has a great community, everyone is on board, and that’s how you move the needle,” said Skillin. “You make it a cultural change at your school. And because everybody wants it, it’s already there, we’re giving it that nudge that it needs to make it happen.”
Guest Opinion: Has the Sequoia Union High School District Board of Trustees lost its way?February 1, 2026 1:50 pm
What happens if a student of color uses the word?
Applauds to the positive and productive work this school is doing, and together with the teachers make a strong statement.