The Gonzalez family of Gibbon. Front to Back: Anotonio Gonzalez, José Gonzalez, Lidia Gonzalez, Gabby Gonzales, Natalia Gonzalez, Christian Gonzalez and Jessica Gonzalez.

NEW ULM — On Feb. 20, Jessica Gonzalez of Gibbon emailed the New Ulm school district seeking intervention from a pattern of alleged bullying, racial harassment and retalitory actions directed at her five children and godchildren.

The email listed incidents her family and the Corrales family experienced over the previous five months. The email documented ongoing conflict on the school, violence directed at her 3rd-graders, and the racist comments her daughter and goddaughter experienced every day in sixth grade.

In the email, Gonzalez expressed concerns that if nothing was done, the situation could escalate. She worried her kids might have to fight back.

“If this doesn’t stop soon and my kids start standing up for themselves I’d expect there to be no repercussions for them, as there have been none for these tormentors,” she said in the Feb. 20 email.

Supt. Jeff Bertrang said after the Feb. 20 email, the district looked into the incidents again. He said there were a lot of questions about what was missed.

“There was a lot of chasing our tail,” Bertrang said. “We wanted to know who knew what and when.”

Bertrang said, New Ulm Bus Lines, the School Resource Officer, administrators at each building worked with the parents on resolutions.

Despite continued reporting of harassment, Bertrang said school investigations were unable to confirm any of the family’s claims of bullying on the bus.

The school made attempts to alleviate racial harassment in the middle school, but the family said it only resulted in more retaliatory behavior.

Christian and Gabi Gonzalez continued to attend New Ulm High School in March. The two 10th graders said while they were aware of the bullying their siblings faced, they never experienced any problems until March.

On March 23, Christian was involved in a physical fight with another student in the high school lunchroom. Christian and his sister Gabi, who witnessed the altercation, allege the fight was started by the other student who was spreading rumors about Christian.

“He was just saying negative things and making assumptions about my friends and my family,” Christian said. He alleged this other student was saying Christian and his friends were using drugs in the school bathroom and were going to overdose.

Christian and Gabi allege that before the fight, the student was spreading rumors. Christian and Gabi alleged he asked the other student to stop, but the other student became agitated.

Gabi said the student demanded Christian fight him. Christian said he called the student a name and walked away. Christian and Gabi both claim that after Christian walked away, the other student hit Christian from behind, put him in a headlock and slammed him into a wall. When Christian tried to get away, his assailant bit him.

Christian and the other student were suspended from school for multiple days. Jessica Gonzalez was nformed her son was going to be charged in juvenile court with a petty offense.

The Gonzalez family is uncertain if the student who attacked Christian was also charged. Bertrang said privacy laws prevent the school from revealing information on how a specific student is disciplined. On the legal side, the school has no involvement with the decision to charge and does not know if any other students were charged.

The day after the fight, Saturday, March 25, Jessica emailed the school administration. She was confused as to why her son was being held responsible for provoking a fight and not the bully who spread rumors and threats before throwing the first punch.

In the same email, she indicated her son was still facing threats. She said the friends of Christian’s attacker were spreading a plan to ambush her son on Tuesday when he returned from suspension.

She received no response from the school.

Christian alleged that when he returned to school and was approached by multiple students telling him he was going to be ambushed by the same student who attacked him Thursday.

Christian texted his mom about the threats and told her he was sick of dealing with the threats and wanted it to be over.

A second fight did occur, but instead of Christian being ambushed, he followed the other student into a classroom and initiated the fight.

Once school staff learned of the fight, Christian was suspended again and charged with 5th-degree assault. Christian received a higher charge because he followed the student into another classroom where he was not scheduled to be. Fifth-degree assault is the lowest level assault charge.

The Journal could not confirm if any other students were charged for disseminating threats against Christian or provoking the attack.

Gonzalez does not condone what her son did. She said he should have handled it differently but added the adults in charge of the school took no action to protect him or any of his siblings the last several months.

Before the second fight, Jessica Gonzalez planned to pull Christian from the district, but after the second altercation, she decided to pull Gabi as well.

“My daughter is not safe here,” she said. The bullies who continually promised retaliation against Christian are still attending NUHS. She worried If Christian was no longer at the school, the bully would retaliate against his sister.

Since returning to GFW, Gonzalez has reported no issue with harassment

Ashley Geyens also transferred her daughters Natalie and Sofia back to GFW. Her son still attends New Ulm schools. His experience at the school was positive. Geyens acknowledge his schooling improved since attending New Ulm and was uncertain if he would benefit from returning to GFW.

Asked why their families face such extreme harassment at New Ulm schools, but not GFW, Jessica Gonzalez and Ashley Geyens fear lack of diversity is the main issue. Though Gibbon is a smaller community, there is a relatively high percentage of hispanic students.

Bertrang said schools are a reflection of their communities and New Ulm, as a whole, was not a diverse community. He acknowledged students of color attending the district have reported similar issues in the past.

Over the last year, the New Ulm school district began implementing equity and inclusion policies at the school. Bertrang said these are ongoing efforts and school will never be done working to improve inclusion.

Looking back on the incidents that led to the Gonzalez and Corrales families leaving the district, Supt. Bertrang said, “We can always do better, but we also want to communicate ahead of time.”

Bertrang believed the best way to resolve harassment in schools is for students to speak up because the school cannot solve a problem if they don’t know it is happening.

Shortly after transferring back to GFW, the Gonzalez family was overjoyed to learn the recent GFW referendum passed. On Tuesday, April 11 GFW voters agreed to pass a bond to build a new school. One of the original reasons for transferring to New Ulm was to give her kids greater educational opportunities. They hope the new school will give them that chance.