Student board member tells La Crescent-Hokah board students hesitate to report repeated harassment and sexualized comments

A student board member told the La Crescent-Hokah School District school board that many students feel discouraged from reporting repeated incidents of harassment and sexualized comments because school responses have been "minimal and ineffective." The student, speaking during the student board member report, said several specific episodes — repeated slurs directed at classmates, students making jokes about rape and an incident in which a student mimicked a sexual assault in a hallway — had been reported informally and, in some cases, recorded by students.

"Am I overreacting like is this even worth reporting," the student said, quoting a peer who hesitated to come forward. The student asked the board to consider simplifying the reporting process, reducing paperwork and expanding educational consequences that require offenders to learn why the behavior is harmful, such as research or reflective assignments.

Superintendent (name given in the transcript as the district superintendent) praised the student for bringing forward both problems and proposed solutions, calling the testimony "incredibly valuable," and said the district would work with administration to provide a formal response by the next board meeting. Administrators and board members also noted some efforts on volunteerism and student supports are already underway and agreed to follow up to clarify what is public versus internal practice.

The student’s testimony emphasized that the incidents involve a small number of repeat offenders rather than a schoolwide problem and that victims and peers say reporting feels futile when sanctions do not stop repeat behavior. The student said they had permission to share recorded examples for the board’s review but asked that victims’ names remain anonymous.

District officials responded by describing ongoing PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) work, staff training and plans to increase consistency in how teachers address inappropriate behavior. High school principal J later reported systemwide efforts to address behavior through staff role-playing and tracker-based escalation, and said the district is working to make disciplinary responses more consistent.

The board did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting. The superintendent committed to returning with follow-up information and next steps; the student and administration also discussed making it easier to report incidents and increasing educational remediation for offenders.

Next steps: the superintendent said the board should expect a response by the next meeting outlining administrative follow-up; no formal policy change or new disciplinary measure was voted on that night.