Student bullying in Calexico leads to investigation, online petition, in response to videos
CALEXICO – An unfortunate display of juvenile bullying was caught on video between some students from Enrique Camarena Junior High School, prompting social media shares, police involvement and a petition to “Expel Bullies” from the school signed by thousands.
The incident – which occurred sometime on Thursday afternoon during after school hours on March 21 in a Calexico neighborhood – shows one student being assaulted by at least two students. The student who was assaulted is dressed in a blue T-shirt and wearing a backpack is seen being slapped multiple times, taking blows to the head and neck, by another student who was dressed in a gray T-shirt, while another student dressed in a black T-shirt stands by talking to the assaulted one. Many other students were standing by to witness the incident, some recording on their phones as well.
A second video clip shows the same students involved being filmed at another angle. The second clip shows the student in the black T-shirt also slapping the student in the blue T-shirt multiple times, slapping the smaller student in blue the crown and back of his head.
The incident was posted to both Facebook (Rants and Raves of Imperial Valley), and on Instagram (@el.cisneros, a Calexico resident) by concerned citizens, by Monday, March 25.
In response, the Calexico Unified School District (CUSD) Superintendent, Arturo Jimenez, sent a letter out dated Monday, March 25, to the CUSD Community.
The letter reads that the district received a report from Enrique Camarena Junior High School regarding the video “showing an assault involving middle school students that occurred after school.”
“The Enrique Camarena Jr. High School Principal, Diego Romero, immediately contacted the Calexico Police Department (CPD),” the letter reads. “Based on the initial evidence, the Calexico Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation, while the school district conducts its own student disciplinary investigation regarding the incident.”
The letter states that the school principal released a community letter on Friday, March 22 informing the school’s community of the incident.
While the social media posts do identify the minors by name, the letter from the school district reads that “due to the ongoing investigation and the nature of this case involving minors, CUSD and CPD are legally prohibited from disclosing details regarding these investigations or any actions being taken with the students.”
“We understand the concerns that incidents of this nature can create among parents, students and staff,” the CUSD superintendent wrote. “We assure the community that CUSD is working with Calexico Police Department to protect our students.”
“Please rest assured that the Calexico Unified School District will not tolerate these types of behaviors and will take all legal and available actions to maintain a safe environment for our students and staff,” the letter reads.
The CUSD school board president, Margarita Magallanes, was contacted by IVP in response to the incident. The board president, who herself is a mother of students within the CUSD, reiterated the district’s stance on the bullying incident.
“Yes … we have been working diligently and following protocol and disciplinary matters,” Magallanes wrote on March 26. “This is unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated.”
“Additionally, we remind or community to report any individuals, evidence, or videos related to this case or any other concerns to the CUSD ‘Anonymous Tip Line’ at www.cusdk12.org,” the district letters reads, “or by contacting the Calexico Police Department at 760-768-2140.”
“Reports are monitored 24 hours a day,” the letter reads.
A petition which was posted on Change.org on March 25, is titled “Expel Bullies from Enrique Camarena Jr. High School in Calexico, CA.”
By Monday afternoon, the petition had hit the 5,000 signatures goal mark.
The petition starter, noted on the website as “D Lopez,” states that they experienced bullying firsthand during their time in the Calexico school district, where “The administration was repeatedly informed about my situation but did nothing until I had to physically defend myself against my bullies,” according to the “Why this petition matters” section on the website.
“Bullying is an issues that affects many students across the country; approximately one in five students report being bullied nationwide according to the National Center for Education Statistics (2019),” Lopez wrote on the petition. “It’s time for us as a community to stand up against this behavior and demand action from our schools.”
“We are calling on the School District in Calexico to expel these three bullies as a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated,” the online petition reads. “We also urge them to implement stronger anti-bullying policies and programs to protect all students from harm.”
“This is not just about punishing those responsible; it’s about creating safer learning environments for our children where they can grow without fear or intimidation,” it reads.
Having reached 6,376 signatures by Monday afternoon, the next automated goal for the petition is 7,500 signatures, according to the website.
By Monday afternoon over 100 comments and almost 150 reactions could be seen on the video post on Rants and Raves of Imperial Valley.
“Parents, do not let this be swept under the rug or overlooked!!” a poster on Rants and Raves Imperial Valley wrote.