>Brainerd Public Schools (ISD 181) has retained an independent attorney to conduct an outside review of the District’s policies, procedures, and practices related to bullying and the handling of bullying complaints, Superintendent Chip Rankin announced Monday, August 10, at the regular meeting of the School Board.

James K. Martin of Martin Law Firm PLLC will serve as a neutral, third-party investigator. Mr. Martin has practiced school and public sector employment law since 1989 and previously served as human resources director for St. Louis Park Schools and Bloomington Schools. He is not serving as legal counsel to the District, and his conclusions will be based on the evidence he gathers.

The review will focus primarily on the District’s policies, procedures, and practices to identify any gaps in how Brainerd Public Schools handles bullying. Centered on Forestview Middle School, it will examine how District staff understand and apply bullying policies, what training they have received, and how complaints of bullying are received, documented, and acted upon.

"When I interviewed for this position, I told this community that I would lead with transparency and accountability. This review is one of the ways I intend to keep that promise,” Rankin said. “Recently we have heard from families and community members, including a great deal of conversation on social media. Much of that is opinion, but the underlying concern is one I take seriously: not everyone is confident that the District handles bullying as seriously as it should. As a parent and as a leader, I want to address that head-on. Bringing in an outside set of eyes is how we do it. If our systems are falling short, I want to know, and I want the community to know the findings came from an independent reviewer, not from us. My goal is to strengthen confidence in this team and to keep improving how we protect our students and families from these harmful behaviors.”

Rankin, who is also a parent of students in the District, said the review is not intended to assign blame or to single out any individual. Nothing he has seen through his own review of internal records and conversations with staff, he said, suggests that anyone acted in bad faith or tried to hide anything — and that confidence is part of why he welcomes an outside review. “This is not about finding a scapegoat,” he said. “It is about learning from what has happened, understanding what we do well and where we need to be better, and making sure we are always working to be the best we can be for our students.”

As part of the review, Mr. Martin will reach out directly to families who have reported bullying concerns to the District, both to make sure those concerns have been addressed and to learn about their experience. That firsthand input will help the District understand how it can better serve Brainerd Warrior students and families.

Anyone with concerns about bullying, or who would like to speak with the independent investigator about the District’s handling of bullying complaints during the 2025–26 school year, may contact the office of Forestview Middle School Principal Dr. Sheila Eller at 218-454-6054 or sheila.eller@isd181.org to arrange a conversation with Mr. Martin. Requests received by September 15, 2026 can be given fullest consideration.

Mr. Martin’s review is scheduled for completion by October 1, 2026. He will present his findings and recommendations to the School Board at the October Regular School Board Meeting.

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