To the editor:

We are writing to express outrage, anger, and sadness regarding the hateful and abusive acts committed by New Ulm High School students toward another student, from a different town, who recently came out as gay. This student had to endure verbal and physical abuse on the basketball court. While we are disappointed, we unfortunately cannot say that we are shocked. Growing up in a town where clinging to history, heritage and customs has always been more celebrated than diversity and acceptance, we are not surprised that students found it acceptable to give horrible treatment to someone they view as different than themselves.

Quite frankly, we are tired. We are tired of the hate and we are tired of the apathy toward responding to that hate. New Ulm High School is where we grew up. New Ulm High School is where we learned. And unfortunately, after graduating, we found that if we wanted to be part of a safe, just, loving, and equitable society, we would need to unlearn so many of the social norms that had surrounded us.

But we want different for current and future students. We want different for the communities that New Ulm comes into contact with. We want safety and respect. Whether you know it or not, there are students at New Ulm High School who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the response to this incident will impact how safe these students feel showing up to school moving forward.

And so,

We demand to know that any student involved with any type of harassment or abuse, is receiving consequences equivalent to the harmful acts.

We demand to know that the school, administration, and staff are committed to reckoning with the reality that students are growing up in an environment that allows them to feel that they can safely harass and endanger others through the learned behavior of bigotry. We demand that these situations not be minimized as actions committed by one student, a small group of students, nor as isolated cases. Individual accountability is necessary…AND…It is so much more than an individual. Situations like these are the result of students growing up in a town that has put conversations around acceptance, tolerance, and safety aside. We demand to see a specific and actionable commitment toward change.

A school is where students spend a majority of their time. It is where they socialize and it is where they LEARN. And even so, we recognize that a school cannot control the entirety of a community, its beliefs, or practices. The issues that our town has regarding acceptance and safety of others most certainly have an impact on the young people growing up there, and the school cannot control it all. There needs to be a collective effort between the city of New Ulm and the schools to make change. Please. Please, for the literal safety and wellbeing of others, do better.

Signed,

Your Alumni:

Kate Denney – Class of 2015

Mikyla Denney – 2013

Tracie Windschitl Denney – 1985

Sue Wieland – 1967

Emma Todd – 2015

Chania Ruehling – 2015

Bridgette Altmann – 2015

Emma Berg – 2016

Courtney Risen – 2015

Jon Hammerschmidt – 2016

Morgan Soderholm – 2015

Abby Kamm – 2015

Jim Schnobrich – 1973

Leah Innvaer- 2016

Rachel Kehren – 2016

Carli Nelson – 2016

Colin Huffman – 2015

Amy Chen – 2017

Kelsey Freie – 2012

Connor Portner – 2015

Brooklyn Wiltscheck – 2015

Melissa Arce – 2016

Sam Miller – 2013

Brenna Bushman – 2012

Kellen Sievert – 2009

Hunter Berbrich – 2015

Caitlyn Otto – 2013

Samuel Dobie- 2017

Hunter Ahlness – 2016

Sheldon Rieke – 1973

Dakota Berbrich – 2017

Isabella Koch – 2020

Kaia Sievert – 2006

Jennifer Gag – 2013

Sue Novak Otto – 1973

Laura (Kauffman) Menssen – 2006

Haylee Liebl – 2020

Britta Babel – 2013

Megan Hietala – 2017

Bill Mossberg – 1973

Ross Schneider – 2013

Kendra Niklason – 2012

Haley Rodriguez – 2014

Abby Hietala – 2021

Britney Hartmann – 2018

Colten Schewe – 2011

Kyla Windschitl – 2013

Tom Polich – 2009

Stephen Goddard – 1972

Bruce Deinken – 1973

Baylee Nelson – 2014

Baily LaMountain – 2013

Courtney Jakes – 2018

Josie Groebner – 2018

Emily Hartmann – 2015

Ellidi Mielke – 2021

Megan Kelley – 2020

Ellie Wilker – 2020

Lexi Seifert – 2021

Kaila Brudelie – 2018

Madalyn Iles – 2014

Gabi Rolloff – 2018

Julia Rakoczy – 2017

Colin Leuthold – 2017

Gabrielle Sellner – 2017

Taylor Bolduan – 2017

Madison Suess – 2017

Breanna Widmer – 2018

Megan Davey – 2020

Abby Gieseke – 2021

Jacob Todd – 2018

Lucy Sletta – 2019

Kristen Horsmon – 2016

Anthony Groebner – 2021

Emma Bute – 2017

Leah Preisinger – 2020

Lizzy Wilfahrt – 2020

Avery Wendinger – 2020

Ellie Bute – 2019

Emily Appel – 2020

Jayden Pettersen – 2019

Lauren Schueler – 2018

Mattea Sievert – 2016

Dylan Bendix – 2015

Alex Docherty – 2019

Haley Messenger – 2020

Lauren Docherty – 2014

Sarah Longtin – 2018

Jamie Schumacher – 2019

Makenna Kluis – 2017

John Vranich – 2008

Hailey Thill – 2015

Amanda Ouellette – 2007

Megan Jewison – 2020

Danielle O’Hearn – 2011

Lillian Miklas – 2019

Rose Dobie – 2017

Hannah Volk – 2017

Nicole Hauser – 2018

Pam Klossner – 1984

Meridith Hartley – 2014

Kyla McClelland – 2017

Kaylee Johnson – 2011

Oliver Thomas – 2018

Mathias Amoah – 2017

Jackie Cowing – 2019

Courtney Johnson – 2012

Dan Rosenhamer – 2020

Kevin Kauffman – 2010

Rebekah Hoppe – 2018

Rachel Strandmark – 2014

Emily Roiger – 2014

Julie Bode – 2009

Neil Lindquist – 2015

Bridget Forst-Hansen – 2014

Emily Steinman – 2012

Rebecca Henle – 2009

Jamie Lindholm – 2006

Alex Welsh – 2013

Kristin Youngbloom – 2008

Nicole Brush – 2000

Tasha Holm – 2014

Stacey Schugel-Liu – 2014

Rachel (Mathiowetz) Wagner – 2007

Kayla Brandes – 2017

Grace Nelson – 2018

Nick Schultz – 2018

Abigail Allen – 2019

Matt Rowley – 2015

Ally Steffensmeier – 2020

Megan Struss – 2014

Debbie Sehr

Brittany Mehlhop- 2013

Amanda Schottle – 2008

Megan Penkert – 2017

Olivia Wick – 2020

Levi Wick – 2015

Mitch Miller – 2009

Emma Vranich – 2015

Marissa Johnson – 2013

Ben Rieke – 2015

Margaret Swift – 2014

Connor Forbrook – 2015

Jasmine Widmer – 2017

Wyatt Oelberg – 2015

Erik Zobel – 2019

Tyler Klinkner – 2008

Quinn Popowski – 2017

Caitlyn Drill – 2017

Carter Lang – 2020

Andrea Grussendorf – 2011

Rev. David E. Brown – 1973

Emma Maudal – 2019

Austin Grussendorf – 2015

Taylor (Gag) Grussendorf – 2015

Kyle Gag – 2012

Connor Gag – 2018

Sicily Trullinger – 2017

Jacob Saffert – 2010

Travis Kamm – 2015

Stephanie Odegard Gonzalez – 2011

Erika Ebert – 2019

Olivia Blake – 2011