In Bastrop, tensions mount as a family addresses the school board over unresolved issues of bullying within Bastrop Independent School District (ISD). After a series of grievances lodged by Yumara Gonzalez regarding the persistent bullying of her children, the district's board of trustees, in a special hearing held on Monday, has unanimously voted to deny the family's appeal, according to CBS Austin.
Gonzalez's family has been through a tumultuous ordeal, with her children reportedly facing multiple cases of verbal abuse, and physical harassment both in hallways and during P.E. class at Bastrop High School. Julio Meraz, her husband, expressed his disappointment, as per KVUE, saying "They’re not here to help the citizens of Bastrop, put it that way, or the kids. The kids are more important. You know, I’m already grown, but my kids, they gotta go to school here, and that’s what hurts me.”
The district's response, consistent in both reports, states their dedication to maintaining a "safe and supportive learning environment," and encourages parents to communicate through "established channels" to have concerns addressed. This was met with skepticism by education and parental rights activist Perla Hopkins, who conveyed the family's grievances, remarking on the district's conduct in a hearing she describes as providing "constant bullying that the district has neglected to truly address."
Valeria Meraz, the couple's daughter, shared her reaction to the board's decision with KVUE, remarking, "I feel like that they don’t believe in me and that they just, like, abandon me. That’s what they do."
