A group of parents is banding together to get resolution to a problem they say is out of control at an area elementary school.
Some have even pulled their children out of school because the problem of bullying.
Several of those parents and children told News Four's Shelby Sheehan why they believe the principal and the school aren't doing enough to keep them safe.
Intimidation, threats and physical abuse.
That is what some parents say their kids put up with on a regular basis at CC Meneley Elementary school in Gardnerville.
It's so bad, they said, bullying has forced them to question sending their children to school there.
"After several conversations with the counselor then I simply refused to send him. As a parent how can you send your child out when they don't feel safe?" Randi Maclean became concerned when her 11-year-old son Donovan was going to the school nurse two to three times a week with anxiety and headaches.
She found out kids had been harassing him because he liked to dress nicely for school. Then the teasing turned to threats.
"It makes you feel insecure like you are dying to go home, and pray that you don't have to go back the next day."
After Mclean pulled Donovan out of school she met with school principal Paula Zona to see what was going to be done about the bullying.
"She basically stated she didn't have to tell me but maybe a lunch or recess would be taken away, to me that doesn't justify the no tolerance policy she is there to enforce."
A promise was made to Mclean that when Donovan returned to school the principal would have a sit down conversation with him to assure the fourth grader he was safe at school, but Mclean says that never happened.
Shelby Sheehan contacted the Principal Paula Zona to get her response and perspective on bullying at C.C. Meneley.
She did not wish to go on camera but answered questions over the phone.
She agreed bullying does happen at the school of 600 students but she said "No more than at any other school."
The principal also said there's a zero tolerance policy for bullying and consequences at C.C. Meneley.
Things like mandatory counseling, missed recesses, cleanup duty and in more serious cases suspension or expulsion.
Another student in the group Sheehan met with is 4th grader Jimmy Matthews. He says for him months of bullying got to be too much this past spring.
"I waited, I took too much and I blew up I didn't hit anybody but I retaliated."
Jimmy was suspended for making inappropriate gestures but his father says what happened next concerned him even more.
He says the principal wouldn't make herself available to meet about the ongoing bullying problem and his son's suspension.
He said; "After that we tried to stay in contact to resolve any bullying issues and we were promptly dismissed."
In another incident, Jimmy had some friends write down what was being passed around on a note after a teacher threw the note away and said with just two days left in school it didn't matter.
Matthews said: "The safe places to go for kids are teachers counselors or principals, in a lot of cases those are not being accessible to kids. Especially my son."
Principal Zona denies the claim that she has not made herself available to meet with parents and encouraged anyone to come talk to her about their concerns.
These parents say they are speaking out because they want stricter punishments for bullies and don't want their children's problems to be swept under the rug.
They say there are dozens of parents in their school community who feel the same way.
Mclean said: "I've had neighbors talk to me and say your boy looks so sad when walking home form school, coming from neighbors who don't know me and I found out about other neighbors children, it's happening all over the entire school, nothing is being done about it."
The parents in this story are not the only ones News Four spoke with, there are others at the school with similar complaints, who did not want to be identified.
One who is now homeschooling her children.
Since the interview with the parents and the principal, I learned from the school district that Paula Zona is leaving the school to take a job at a Carson City Elementary School.
Officials at the Douglas County School District told me that parents who are not satisfied with how their child's school is handling bullying need to contact the school district.
Both parents in our story tonight did do that.
Today the new Superintendent Lisa Noonan called News 4.
She says the district is very excited about the new principal starting this year and that the bullying issue will be looked at carefully.
