Father, parents vow to end Edgar bullying culture

Note: Corrects Sue Haupt is a former school board member.

EDGAR — Packed to standing room only, more than 100 community members in Edgar listened as the father of Jonathan Wesener described a school culture that seems to accept bullying in schools.

"Our son is dead as a result of bullying right under this roof," Steve Wesener said during the Monday night Edgar School Board meeting. His 16-year-old son, Jonathan, died by suicide in May. The family has attributed his death to relentless bullying from members of the school's football team, of which he was a member, and other students.

Parents and community members wearing "We are Jonny" T-shirts were scattered among the crowd of people in the high school library. His football team number, 76, was printed on the back of the shirts.

Jonathan's father said a culture of bullying is accepted at the school and needs to change.

"It will all depend on whether anyone on this board has the guts to stand up and do their job," Steve Wesener said.

"Unfortunately it's too late for (Jonathan). He has already fallen through the cracks of a corrupt and socially intertwined system," he said.

The annual meeting, which began at 8 p.m. was originally scheduled to end with the bullying discussion. The board agreed to move the discussion to the beginning of the meeting, and nearly 20 community members took turns speaking until shortly after 10 p.m.

After Wesener, other community members described the bullying their children also suffered in the Edgar schools.

Football coach Jerry Sinz said the football program does not condone bullying or ignore allegations by students of bullying. He said when bullying is reported to him, it is taken seriously and investigated. But none of the reports he received involved Jonathan Wesener, Sinz said.

"We all feel bad, terrible," Sinz said. "I will continue praying for Jon."

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Lisa Ort-Sondergard, an Edgar parent who made the "We are Jonny" T-shirts, said she was motivated because it is a tragedy which could have been prevented.

"I didn't even know Jonathan or his parents. But Jonathan's death never should have happened. And we need to stop (bullying) now," said Ort-Sondergard.

The district needs a stronger bullying policy which needs to be enforced, said Ort-Sondergard.

While other parents agreed a stronger policy is needed, others said parents need to be more involved in their children's lives.

"School officials, the school board can only do just so much. ... Bullying runs deeper than what the school board can do.... Parents need to check on what their kids are seeing on their phones," said Joe Heil, an Edgar Parent.

School board members and officials would not comment about the issue at the meeting, said Cari Guden, district administration when asked questions by Gannett Central Wisconsin Media.

She released a written statement to Gannett Central Wisconsin Media, stating that the district valued "the emotional well-being of children and young adults."

"On behalf of the Edgar School District we extend our condolences to the Wesener family," the statement read. "This tragic event has left many unanswered questions. As school administrators, counselors and teacher we must now self-reflect to examine how we can build upon our current practice."

A former Edgar school board member, Sue Haupt, said much of the responsibility lies with parents and community members.

"Before we blame staff teachers and administration we should take a good long hard look in ourselves," Haupt said.

"Kids are not born being mean to one another. Kids absorb every single thing they see and hear," she said.

"This is a much bigger problem than Edgar schools and our community," Haupt said.

Regardless of the outcome of the meeting, the important issue is that the community has begun to discuss bullying and is starting to seek ways to address the issue, said Linda Michalewicz, a mother of three children who organized the contingent of parents.

"This is a start. We will make a change. We cannot let this happen to another child," Michalewicz said.

Liz Welter can be reached at 715-384-3131, or by email at lwelter@newsheraldmedia.com. Find her on Twitter as@welter_liz.

In their own words

From public statements at Monday's hearing:

"My son Jonathan is dead as a result of bullying right under this roof." — Steve Wesener

"Everyone who knew my son knows what a sweetheart he was. I wish he had given me one chance to help him, but I didn't get that chance." — Angela Wesener

"It's just sad to see the community ripped apart for something bad that happened." — Joe Heil

"Kids are not born being mean to one another. ... Until we are a community that accepts one another, all other people, we're going to have that problem. This is not just an Edgar problem. This is a bigger problem than that. It's time to take a deep hard look inside." — Sue Haupt

"We've lost a special person in Jonathan." — Kristine Hafferman

"I will continue praying for Jon." — Jerry Sinz