Julian Blevins had reached a point where he was tired of hearing racial slurs, so he posted on social media about his experience at Chesterton High School.
“I love Chesterton High School, I really do. But I’ve been called the N-word multiple times since coming here in seventh grade. It’s 2026, the 21st century. This shouldn’t still be happening,” Julian wrote.
The posting by the 16-year-old sophomore triggered an avalanche of responses.
Chesterton Town Council President Erin Collins, D-2nd, spoke at Monday’s Town Council meeting about recent events involving allegations of racism. She didn’t mention names in her statement because minors were involved, but later acknowledged she was referring to Julian’s post. She also said a number of constituents expressed concerns about the issue raised.
“There’s no place for racism, hate speech or threats in our community. And especially not in spaces that are meant to be safe for children. Words matter and when harmful behavior is minimized or left unchallenged, it grows,” Collins said.
On Friday, Jan. 9, Chesterton High School Principal Brent Martinson emailed a letter to parents and students that responded to the social media post.
“Chesterton High School does not tolerate harassment of students for any reasons, including race,” Martinson said. He then detailed how the school thoroughly investigated the complaint — he didn’t name Julian — spoken of in the social media post.
Julian Blevins, a student at Chesterton High School, speaks about a suspension letter he was given for “disrespect” connected to his response to a racist letter he received last month, on Wednesday, Jan. 14. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)
In a statement to the Post-Tribune, Duneland Superintendent Chip Pettit said, “The Duneland School Corporation cannot comment on specific student issues but does not — and will not — tolerate harassment and discrimination in any context. Any complaints of discrimination or harassment are handled consistently with Board policy and applicable state and federal law.”
But Natalie Cole, Julian’s mother, said she also has had enough. She said that she met with Martinson, the high school principal, on more than one occasion and exchanged emails with the assistant superintendent and superintendent, noting the district needed to do more to address the issue of racism.
“Their responses came off as basically like, why are you complaining? We’re handling the issue.” Cole said.
So, this week, Cole took the next step and filed a complaint against Chesterton High School with the federal Office for Civil Rights, a division of the U.S. Department of Education.
In her complaint, Cole said she had first contacted the school district in October 2024.
“As of 2026, my son continues to experience a school environment where hate speech and racial hostility persist. These incidents are not isolated but represent a pattern of racial harassment that has gone unremedied despite repeated notice to the district,” her complaint states.
Pettit didn’t respond to an email regarding Cole’s complaint filed with the Office for Civil Rights.
Cole said the main point for her is that the Duneland School Corporation should get more serious about addressing the issue.
The incident that brought the situation to a head occurred on Dec. 11, when Julian received a two-day suspension for disrespecting a teacher.
Julian likes to make TikTok videos, and he had the idea of writing a letter to Santa Claus.
The letter he wrote was placed in his backpack pocket. While Julian was making a presentation before the English class about how Martin Luther King Jr. stood for justice, someone removed the letter from his backpack.
Later in the day, Julian said a male student came up to him and handed him the letter that had been taken from his backpack. On the back, there was a “reply from Santa” full of racial slurs. Julian posted a picture of the letter along with his social media post.
One line stated: “I see that you would like some shoes but I unfortunately don’t give black people presents because they are always stealing or destroying shoes.”
Julian said he also didn’t like how the end of the letter stated, “I know where you live,” and listed his real address. Julian said he only shares his address with his closest friends.
After Julian spoke with his criminal justice teacher, he filed a complaint with an assistant principal, who promised to investigate the matter.
The next day in English class, the teacher overheard Julian talking about the letter. She then had Julian accompany her to the assistant principal’s office.
Julian said he told his teacher that the assistant principal already was investigating the matter.
In the suspension letter, provided by Julian’s mother, the teacher states that Julian blamed her “for allowing the actions of another student to take place” because it occurred in her classroom, though the teacher knew nothing about it.
Julian said that he never blamed the teacher.
Principal Martinson, in his letter to parents, said school officials conducted several interviews with students and staff members, and analyzed recorded video footage and physical evidence. School officials also consulted with Chesterton Police officers who work as school resource officers.
“As a result of the investigation, appropriate disciplinary consequences were assigned. Any future allegations will be investigated and addressed in alignment with school rules,” Martinson said.
Natalie Cole speaks about a racist letter her son, Chesterton High School student Julian Blevins, received in school last month and the response of school officials to the event, on Wednesday, Jan. 14. 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)
But Cole said, “I truly feel that he got in trouble because he said something.”
Julian said he doesn’t know for sure if it was determined who wrote the slur-filled letter. He said school officials didn’t tell him. Friends told him that a student received a suspension of four or five days.
After returning from winter break, Julian said that someone he didn’t even know came up to him in school and called him the N-word. That prompted him to turn to social media.
“The same word I’ve heard in the halls, the same word that gets brushed off like it’s nothing. People call me derogatory names and act like I’m supposed to take it. The excuse is always, ‘Other people say it.’ But are those ‘other people’ me?” Julian wrote in his social media post.
Council President Collins, in her statement Monday, noted that people must acknowledge there are parts of Northwest Indiana’s history that “caused harm and exclusion and those effects do not simply disappear on their own.”
Chesterton was once known as a “sundown” town, where, not by law, but by practice, Black people were not welcome after nightfall, said Serena Ard, curator of the Westchester Township Museum.
“Chesterton never had much of a racially diverse population until Bethlehem Steel came in,” Ard said. The mill started in 1964 and is now operated as Cleveland Cliffs in Burns Harbor.
Chesterton and the neighboring town of Porter in the Duneland School Corporation have predominantly white populations. Chesterton is 88.9% white, while Porter is 84.9%. Only 1.5% of Chesterton’s population is Black, while Porter’s Black population is 1.2%, according to 2024 U.S. Census data.
Julian is a member of Chesterton’s track team, specializing in the 100- and 200-meter races and the long jump. He said those who know him would tell you he is “one of the funniest and kindest people” around. But he said he will also stand up for what he believes in.
“If I feel a way about something, I am going to let you know whether you like it or not,” Julian said.
Julian said a motivation for speaking up is that he wants his eighth-grade brother to have a better experience at Chesterton High School. He said he knows from history that people who start things may not see them to completion.
“I hope for change. With this, I hope to start a little bit of something.”
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/15/chesterton-student-speaks-out-about-racism/
