Local & Community
PSUSD ‘Stands Up to Hate’ With Districtwide Anti-Hate Speech Initiative
The Palm Springs Unified School District is continuing an initiative aimed at addressing hate speech and creating a safer environment for students across its campuses.
“PSUSD Stands Up to Hate” has been part of the district for the past two years. The initiative uses rallies, events and student-led activities as opportunities to start conversations about what constitutes hate speech and why it has no place in schools.
District administrators say they have already seen a cultural shift since the program began.
“We can’t control what happens outside of our district. We can control what happens on our campuses,” a district official said. “We wish to ensure that our students are feeling safe and secure.”
Each school in the district holds different activities, with events led by both staff and students.
For Palm Springs High School senior Samantha Henry, the initiative has added significance because she has personally experienced hate speech. She says having open conversations about language and its impact can help students make changes in their everyday interactions.
Henry says even something as simple as calling out derogatory language when it is used as a joke can make a difference.
The district says the goal goes beyond changing behavior inside the classroom. Staff members hope students take the lessons they learn with them as they enter adulthood.
At Palm Springs High School, educators say creating a safe space allows students to feel comfortable being themselves while giving them the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed.
“PSUSD Stands Up to Hate” continues to serve as a districtwide lesson for students and staff, with administrators saying the initiative is already having a positive impact on school campuses.
By: Brett Rosen
September 15, 2026
Latest Instagram Posts
behind the scenes of The Roggin Report | Blooper Edition 🎬📺 #therogginreport #bloopers #behindthescenes #fyp #nbcpalmsprings
President Donald Trump brought up the idea of renaming the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean during a rally in Clarksville, Tennessee.
A Level 3 of 4 threat of flooding rainfall has been issued for parts of Southern California to southern Nevada, southwest Utah and northwest Arizona, including San Diego and Las Vegas.
BREAKING NEWS 🚨: Calvin Harris officially rescheduled for Head Trip day 2 #headtripfestival #calvinharris #severeweather #tropicalstorm #indio
Attendees are returning to the Empire Polo Grounds for day 2 of the EDM festival, ‘Head Trip’, after performances were stopped last night due to severe weather. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs to see how the weather is affecting festival goers’ plans. #headtripfestival #severeweather #flashfloodalert #760 #nbcpalmsprings
Overnight Flooding Hits Palm Springs Heavy rain brought flooding to Palm Springs overnight, prompting police to shut down Indian Canyon due to flooding. Much of this video shows conditions along the Indian Canyon corridor as water inundated roadways. Drivers are urged to use caution and watch for changing conditions.
BREAKING NEWS: Head Trip Festival in Indio suspended its show Saturday night due to approaching severe weather and lightning. A message displayed on the stage screens announced: “Attention in the festival, this is a lightning alert. The show is suspended due to lightning.” Festivalgoers were told to leave the Empire Polo Club venue and return to their cars and camps. The festival was expected to draw approximately 70,000 attendees overall, though the number asked to leave Saturday night has not been confirmed. It remains unclear when attendees will be allowed back inside or whether scheduled performances, including headliners Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, will proceed as planned. The suspension comes as Tropical Storm Rachel brings rain and potential flooding concerns to Southern California. Stay with NBC Palm Springs for updates. #BreakingNews #HeadTripFestival #Indio #CoachellaValley #TropicalStormRachel WeatherAlert CalvinHarris NBCPalmSprings
BREAKING NEWS: Thalia Hayden and Jerry Steffen break down the latest forecast for Tropical Storm Rachel as it moves through eastern Riverside County Sunday morning. The Coachella Valley could see more than an inch of rain, raising concerns about flooding. The heaviest rainfall is expected from midnight through noon Sunday, with showers tapering off by Sunday evening. Stay with NBC Palm Springs for the latest updates. #TropicalStormRachel #BreakingNews #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #WeatherAlert FloodWarning SouthernCaliforniaWeather NBCPalmSprings ThaliaHayden JerrySteffen
🌧️ Tropical Storm Rachel is bringing the threat of heavy rain and flooding to the Coachella Valley. Thalia and Jerry break down the hour-by-hour forecast, with the heaviest rainfall expected from midnight through Sunday morning and more than an inch possible in parts of the Valley. Flood watches and warnings remain a concern, with showers expected to taper off by Sunday evening. Stay weather-aware and stay with NBC Palm Springs for the latest updates! ⛈️ #TropicalStormRachel #CoachellaValley #WeatherAlert #NBCPalmSprings
🌊 Tropical Storm Rachel is bringing dangerous surf, flooding and destruction to Southern California’s coast. In Long Beach, parts of the boardwalk have been ripped apart, while a badly damaged home is on the verge of collapse. Newport Beach has declared a local emergency after pounding waves flooded at least 10 blocks of the Balboa Peninsula. Officials are urging people to stay away as the threat continues. 🌧️ #HurricaneRachel #SouthernCalifornia #LongBeach #NewportBeach #CoachellaValley