A Student Publication of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA

SACMedia

A Student Publication of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA

SACMedia

A Student Publication of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA

SACMedia

Student Involved in Parking Dispute Readmitted

Two years after the parking dispute that had her suspended, one student and a friend demand more from Mt. SAC

One student’s involvement in a parking lot dispute led to her immediate suspension from the school for a year. After some issues regarding the terms of her readmission, she was let back in to the college two years later.

Amani Mubarak was involved in a parking dispute with a female student athlete at around 1:16 p.m. on April 18, 2017 where the two individuals were both trying to get the same parking spot. From there, both the accounts and reports differ.

On the report, the athlete said that they reversed to give the leaving car more space and that Mubarak pulled forward into the space after stopping them from reversing further. The athlete then stated that they exited their vehicle and banged on Mubarak’s trunk before Mubarak exited the vehicle and started shouting. The athlete further said that they yelled back and that Mubarak pointed her finger in their face and that they slapped her hand away. They then stated that Mubarak slapped them across the face, which caused their glasses to come off and their nose to bleed.

Mubarak and a fellow peer, William Hickman, argue that the report and the statement are incorrect.

Mubarak stated on the report that the athlete’s car was too far ahead and that they tried to back up to take the spot, but she would not allow them to back up further because she felt the parking spot was hers. She then stated that the athlete slammed her hand “three to four times” on the trunk while screaming at her. When the two approached each other, Mubarak stated that spit was hitting her face, that she slapped them in the face with her right hand and that the athlete slapped her back, causing her face and jaw to hurt.

Public Safety Officer Kevin House reported that they witnessed blood coming out of the athlete’s nose and redness on Mubarak’s neck, as well as a small laceration on Mubarak’s right hand ring finger. House also stated that both parties declined to file charges or receive medical attention from health services.

The report also states that the witnesses from the car that was exiting had the same statements, and that one of them had recorded the last two minutes of the altercation. The witnesses also state that they exited the vehicle to break up the fight, and according to the report, the athlete and Mubarak were about 20 feet apart when Mt. SAC Police and Public Safety arrived.

The report of this incident was sent to Student Life on April 25, and a letter was mailed to Mubarak two days later notifying her of her hearing on May 10.

The charges against her were for violating sections 1, 11, 12 and 21 of Mt. SAC’s Standards of Conduct, according to the Due Process Summary.

On May 15, Student Services Vice President Audrey Yamagata-Noji concurred with the decision made that Mubarak was suspended for three terms for “physical harm.”

In order to return for the winter 2018 semester, Mubarak was to attend a “Character Development Workshop” and an appointment with Judicial Affairs Officer Isaac Rodriguez Lupercio to “sign a written contract that will specify the conditions of your return,” according to the student conduct hearing results that were sent to Mubarak. Those were to be the only two times she could be on campus, and the document further states she would otherwise be arrested for trespassing if she were to come on campus.

Since then, she has petitioned for readmission, but as a matter of principle refuses to sign any document that would admit fault.

Mubarak said that when she tried to apply for other colleges, they asked if she had been suspended from any college, and that after marking that box, she had decided to not pursue the application further.

She has been on campus since the suspension, but only in 2019, a year after the winter 2018 deadline.

Mubarak had been on campus with Hickman to protest the school’s punishment, and the pair displayed eight frames on Kerr’s Corner. Seven of the frames spelled out “Is Mt. SAC racist,” while the last frame was titled “starving 4 change” and had a day counter. The six signs that spelled out “racist” had a picture of a Mt. SAC administrator next to each letter, and Hickman was starving himself in protest of the decision. Mubarak said she was going to starve herself in the fall as well.

Hickman then brought the protest to the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees on the ninth day of his fast.

“Two years ago, my friend back there, Amani, was attacked in a parking lot by another student,” Hickman said. “She was attacked, and she defended herself.”

Hickman then said the punishment was an eight-month suspension for both parties, but added that the athlete only received six weeks before being readmitted to Mt. SAC. Without the documentation of the athlete’s record, this allegation before the board remains unconfirmed.

“We believe that there was favoritism shown to the other student. We see it this way because the student conduct board skipped straight to giving Amani the maximum punishment allowable,” he added. “They also suspended the other student for eight months, but they try to hide the fact that they let her attacker back in after six weeks of suspension.”

The pair had been advocating for change and said that they heard numerous stories of similar instances while they held their protest.

The latest move was made by Hickman, as he addressed the board again on Sept. 11 and included a list of demands.

Among his demands were requests that certain officials be terminated, that the student conduct hearing be held again, that there be more transparency regarding student’s rights and that the sports program’s policies be enforced. He also requested that there be changes to college policy, an added student oversight committee, investigations of allegations, promises to care for Title IX and Title V complainants, psychological screenings for Public Safety officers and a halt to arm them.

He also requested the California Community Colleges Chancellor and Board of Governors to investigate Mt. SAC and make recommendations to change policies.

Mubarak has since been readmitted to Mt. SAC for the fall 2019 semester but will “stand firm until Mt. SAC’s employees are held accountable for their actions.”

Until individuals/officials that were implicated in Hickman’s demands have been reached for comment, they will not appear in this article under the section that asks for their resignation.

This story will be updated as information is made available.

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About the Contributor
Joshua Sanchez is the former Editor in Chief and News Editor of SAC.Media. He was previously the managing editor of LAHS' student newspaper, The Conqueror. A portfolio of his reporting work can be found at jdjoshsan.wordpress.com.

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