Gordon Clay here. Here's one way community bullying and harassment works.

It starts out with a number of upset parents and students attending the June 19th school board meeting to express their concerns about the girl's basketball program. Only a few were allowed to speak before the board stopped the process saying those who didn't get to express their concerns would be able to do so at an Executive Board Meeting. That never happened. Instead, the board didn't follow their own policy but got an "independent investigator", their insurance company, to review the case. The investigation through the school board was closed without the complainants ever being interviewed.

On October 9, a local sports writer played judge and jury. By innuendo he wrote "...they would try to besmirch the coaches in the eyes of their community with lies and innuendoes."

At the October 19th regular school board meeting, the board chair and vice-chair started a list of names of everyone who was there to support the basketball coaches. They never requested the same for those who felt harassment had occurred.

It's admirable that two people who had worked closely with both coaches made the following observation. One observed the use of, quote "...language ...that might be detrimental to the psychics of young women." and the other observed the other coach throwing a "clip board across the room, because he was mad that something wasn't going right."

This is how a community that supports bullying works, whether they realize it or not. Intimidation, name calling, retribution all to increase the fear so victims and whistle-blowers won't dare expose the bullying that goes on, especially if it's by an adult.

Does this make for a safer learning experience? Maybe tougher, but not safer. What a sad day in the annals of public education in Brookings.