Gunn Together Times
An Update from Gunn Administration, August 20, 2020
Zoom Security
Dear Students, Parents and Staff of Gunn High School,
We, the Gunn High School Administrative Team, are writing to notify you that In the past couple of days, three classes were interrupted by hackers (appearing to be external to our system) who made racist, sexist and anti-semitic attacks. These attacks took place in both the chat box, and in the zoom classrooms. Once teachers realized what was occurring, they quickly removed the uninvited participants.
All teachers were immediately reminded to use the proper security settings when setting up their classes. While these settings cause some delay in beginning class, they ensure that no one from outside of our system can enter the Zoom.
The physical and emotional wellbeing of every staff member, student and family is our top priority, and making sure that every member of our community feels safe and welcomed in our schools and offices, is our obligation. There is absolutely no place in our schools for bullying, harassment, racism or bigotry in any form, toward any member of our community. Gunn staff and the student body unequivocally denounce the hateful acts that took place in the sacred learning space of our remote classrooms and take all acts of racism and bigotry seriously.
An investigation occurred to identify the individuals responsible for the class interruptions and measures were taken to ensure that our zoom rooms are safe places to learn. The CEO of Zoom assigned his Senior Corporate Counsel of Trust & Safety and Law Enforcement to review the interruptions. Four individuals, external to our school, were identified through their review of the meta-data. Zoom found that the same four individuals were responsible for all of the class interruptions. Zoom blocked all of them from their platform.
Here at Gunn, we have taken steps to support students and staff. We are also working with the PAUSD Office of Equity and Student Affairs to identify opportunities to increase awareness and ensure that our school community is inclusive and respectful and values diversity as a source of our strength. In addition, our student leadership created a task force to address hate speech of any kind on campus.
We are encouraging our students and staff impacted by exposure or knowledge of the recent events to seek support in our virtual wellness center. Our Wellness Center has been alerted to support any students who may need time to process their experiences.
You can help us by reminding your children of the things we all share: our humanity, the desire for safety, and the need we humans have of being valued and respected.
We value all our staff, students and families and are here to help if you need us.