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Parent tells West Clermont board his son faced yearlong racial harassment at Willowville Elementary; board limits public comment
Summary
A West Clermont parent described repeated racial harassment of his son at Willowville Elementary and told the board a district investigation found the incidents but that the school took little disciplinary action. Board members did not take formal action during the meeting.
During the public-comments section of the Feb. 24 West Clermont School Board meeting, Dusty Mack of 4593 Ray 34, Octavia, told the board his biracial son endured repeated racist taunts and threats while attending Willowville Elementary last year. "For the entire school year, he had to deal with the racism and the bullying," Mack said, and read several slurs he said his son heard, including "you're Asian, kill yourself" and "Ching Chong, orange chicken eater." He said multiple incidents were documented and an internal investigation confirmed them, but that the accused student was not suspended and the teacher said she did not know about incidents even though she was copied on reports.
Mack said his family later obtained a civil protection order against the other student after continued harassment. He also described what he characterized as retaliatory acts by the other student's family and said district officials told him the matter would be addressed only if continued harassment occurred after summer break. "I'm here because no family should ever have to go get a restraining order on an 11-year-old because the district is unwilling to address racism," he said.
Board members interrupted Mack when his allotted three minutes expired; a board member told him at the lectern that "we just listen to them for 3 minutes," and staff later said board members and administrators could speak with him after the meeting. The board made no public action or formal directive regarding the complaint during the meeting.
Another resident, Ron Gibson, used his public comment time to criticize district messaging about projected enrollment growth and proposed tax increases, saying figures presented at a recent town hall were not sourced and expressing concerns about the financial impact on taxpayers.
The board did not engage in extended public discussion or announce any follow-up steps from the dais during the meeting. Staff responses referenced the district's standard public-comment rules that complaints about district personnel must first go through administrative channels; staff also offered to speak with the parent after the meeting.
