Parents urge San Ysidro board to address bullying and alleged retaliation at Willow Elementary

Parents and community members told the San Ysidro School District governing board on June 5 that bullying and retaliation at Willow Elementary and elsewhere remain unresolved and are harming students, including children with disabilities.

Why it matters: Speakers said incidents are ongoing despite repeated reports to school staff, and they urged the board and superintendent to use cameras, independent investigations and clearer reporting to protect students and to ensure the district meets legal obligations for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

At the board meeting, Allison Murillo, who identified herself as a sister of a district student, described repeated verbal and physical attacks on her brother, who attends a special day class at Willow. "While my brother has reported each of these incidents multiple times, Willow administration and classroom staff have refused to take action allowing it to continue," Murillo said. She said other students are refusing to attend school because of anxiety and fear of bullying.

Parent Karina Robles said the district"This is negligence," Robles told the board, and she urged the district to "activate cameras at Willow and other schools in hallways, recess, and cafeterias" and to open independent investigations into allegations of bullying and staff intimidation.

Both speakers criticized what they described as a pattern of administrators denying or minimizing parents' concerns and said staff who witness incidents sometimes remain silent. Murillo and Robles asked the board to ensure the district enforces anti-bullying rules and fulfils its obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Robles said parents also want transparent reports on bullying incidents and parent-advisory input into remedies.

Board and superintendent response: The public comment period ended without formal board action on these requests. Superintendent Gina Potter and staff later heard public comment and presented other agenda items; the meeting record shows no immediate votes or directives taken at that session specifically adopting new investigation protocols or camera installations in response to the speakers.

What remains unresolved: Parents asked for working cameras in specific school locations, independent investigations, and clearer parent access to incident reports. They also asserted that retaliation against parents and students has followed earlier complaints; the board did not announce an immediate investigation or schedule an item to adopt new procedures at the June 5 meeting.

Next steps and context: Commenters asked the board to place these items on a future agenda and to provide transparent incident reporting. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was cited by parents as the federal statutory standard the district must meet for students with disabilities. The board may consider follow-up items in future meetings or through staff reports requested by trustees.

Ending note: Parents said the problems have driven some families to remove students from district schools and asked the board to prioritize safety and compliance with special-education law so that students can attend school without fear.