Parents in Calexico are raising alarms over a recent video that went viral on social media showing a student at Enrique Camarena Junior High School being assaulted.
Many say the district isn’t doing enough to keep students safe.
“As a parent, I feel frustrated, angry,” said the victim’s father, Pablo Jara. “I feel that the school is not doing much to help me, and now that my son’s case has come out on social media, I’ve found out that more cases have happened in this same district and that nothing was done about it.”
He added, “I want my son to feel safe at school.”
In the video, posted March 13, the victim is heard asking “Why me, what did I do?” while trying to deflect blows from those around him. Other students formed a circle around the attack, filming the incident, which occurred off-campus. Several of them can be heard encouraging the attackers.
“They called me from the school, to let me know there was an incident with my son,” said the victim’s mother, Pamela Verdugo, during a Calexico Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting in late March. “I was shown the video, but I was not able to watch.” She added, “Until this day, I have not been able to watch the video because I can see fear in his face.”
Describing her son as shy, Verdugo noted that he grows agitated and nervous at the mention of the attack.
Both Verdugo and Jara say their son, who is in the eighth grade, never said anything about being bullied in school before the video emerged and that he later acknowledged being threatened by the attackers if he mentioned it to the school or his parents. Other reporting suggests the alleged attackers told the school’s principal that they were paid by another student to attack the victim.
Another parent, Abby Castillo, posted the video to social media after seeing it, describing the attack during the meeting as more than just everyday bullying. She is among a growing number of parents in the district seeking the alleged attackers’ expulsion from the school.
A petition to expel the students has already collected some 10,199 signatures. Many of the comments are critical of district officials, who parents say are not doing enough to stem bullying.
“There are many cases of bullying in the area,” said parent Claudia Zambada during the district meeting, adding her own daughter had been bullid at another school. But, she continued, “Nothing happens because no one stands up.”
In a statement released soon after the video emerged, district officials sought to address concerns among parents around student safety.
“We understand the concerns that incidents of this nature can create among parents, students and staff. We assure the community that CUSD is working with the Calexico Police Department to protect our students,” it said.
A separate statement from the CUSD Superintendent Arturo Jimenez stated the district “does not tolerate this behavior and will not be tolerated at any time.” He added, “This is not representative of our school districts, and the majority of our students do not behave in this manner.”
School officials alerted the Calexico Police Department (CPD) soon after receiving reports of the attack. An investigation is ongoing. Both the district and CPD say they are legally prohibited from disclosing details about these investigations or any actions being taken with the students, all of whom are minors.
The school has reportedly reached out to the Imperial County Office of Education Bullying and Advocacy Program to work with the students involved.
“Please have some trust in us that we are dealing with (the situation),” said Board Trustee Carlos Contreras during the March meeting. “But we do have the follow the protocol under the law… we have to go through a process, it’s not just an overnight deal.”
That may not be enough to placate concerns, however. Jara, the boy’s father wondered aloud how far bullying would have to go before the officials take decisive action.
Data show that nearly one in three middle and high school students in California report being bullied in school. Reporting by the San Bernardino Sun from 2022 found that districts with lower rates of bullying also had robust student mental health resources in place.
Officials are asking the community to report any video or evidence related to this case or any other concerns to the CUSD “Anonymous Tip Line” at www.cusdk12.org or by contacting the Calexico Police Department at (760) 768 -2140.
