As news spread Thursday of an investigation into “Seniores and Senoritas” day, held at an Anaheim Hills high school where students dressed up as immigration agents and gang members, Latino activists condemned the activity as “very, very demeaning.”

The event, staged for at least three years at Canyon High School, was for soon-to-be graduates with the word “senior” in “seniores.” Shocked, a former student met with school district officials in June to complain about the insensitivity of the event, leading them to open a probe, a copy of which The Times obtained this week.

The investigation led to suggestions that the event be eliminated, and Latino support groups quickly denounced the activity.

“I’m very surprised that teachers are people who let these kinds of things happen,” said Yvonne Gonzalez-Duncan, president of Anaheim’s chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.

But the event was “not something that just happens overnight,” she said, citing constant disparity in a city known internationally for tourism. While developers get subsidies to build gleaming hotels, she said, the people who toil inside — housekeepers and food servers — see hours and benefits cut, leading to protests in recent years.

Read more at the LA Times