Fourth grader bullied in Santee school, parent says school district failed to protect him

SANTEE (KUSI) — For Chelsea’s 10-year-old son, going to school was terrifying, especially since the day when two boys at Rio Seco Elementary in Santee ganged up on him — the more aggressive one forcing his pants down — and the other one, pulling up his shirt.

For the protection of her son, we won’t use his name.

Since the incident on Sept. 5, the boy has endured a series of taunts and threats and this week, another boy threatened to pull down his pants.

Chelsea said she had no idea that the harassment was continuing, until her child called her yesterday Tuesday, Sept. 19, begging his mom to take him out of school.

The mother said she didn’t know that her son went back to the principal’s office at least five more times to report other incidents of bullying.

According to Chelsea, the district would not tell her if any of the boys in the initial incident were ever disciplined.

Following three different conversations with school officials, the boy’s mother said she is not convinced that anyone at the district is looking out for her son.

District Superintendent Kristin Baranski confirmed that the boys were disciplined for their actions, but would not tell say what those penalties were.

When asked why the mother was not notified about the other incidents, Baranski said she had not been told of them and would investigate the apparent lack of communication with the boy’s family.

Chelsea grew up just a few blocks away from Santana High. And she still remembers the day in 2001 when a 15-year-old boy who had been bullied by classmates came to school with a gun and killed two students.

As a last desperate measure, Chelsea said she is taking her son out of Rio Seco Elementary and enrolling him in a different school.

The district’s policy said that students can rely on staff to promptly investigate each complaint of bullying and no behavior will be tolerated “that infringes on the safety of any student.”