Update from CDH Administration

By Mona Passman, Principal, and Frank Miley, President
April 20, 2021

 CDH has a long tradition of supporting our students’ voices as well as their work for social justice. We do not support hate speech. Let us be clear: Cretin-Derham Hall strives to be a place where all students feel safe. We do not condone racial injustice and we respect law enforcement.

During the student-led walkout on Monday, April 19, there was negative and profane speech and signage from a segment of the participants that featured anti-police vitriol.  

In our CDH community, 27.9% of our student body are people of color, including Black, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American. We also have many students, faculty/staff, and alumni who have family members who are Police Officers, National Guard, and other first responders. It is our firm belief that individuals from BOTH of those groups seek and work for justice. We can be politically conservative or liberal or somewhere on the broad continuum of thought AND coexist in a respectful environment built on common values. At the same time, the path to progress can be divisive and painful, as we have unfortunately experienced.  

Yesterday, some of our students did not feel safe. We recognize that police shootings of black or minority victims have created division - here at CDH and across all segments of society. We believe change is needed on a very complex and multifaceted systematic level.  

Our school, our state, and our nation are grappling with racial injustice and there is nothing easy about that. While that is a critical, but often daunting task, we need to start here, in our own CDH community. We must allow for diverse thought and we must do so respectfully - which is difficult in these polarizing times. We want to teach students how to think and draw their own conclusions, and to feel they are part of a safe environment to do so. We ask each and every community member to consider the nuance of our ‘dear neighbor.’ Not the one ‘over there,’ but the one who walks the halls among us.

No matter what we think individually, we must keep in mind, as the students and faculty/staff walk the halls of CDH, we walk alongside members of both of these groups, as well as many others. We can disagree passionately, but we must do so out of respect for the dignity of all. We believe the bad behavior you have heard about, especially the images shared on social media, is not representative of our school values, but it does, unfortunately, mirror the divisive nature of a world-wide response to current events. We have work to do.

After the events of the walkout unfolded yesterday, the first priority was managing the bad behavior of some students and swift disciplinary action was needed.  

Today, we want to provide more information. We have received a high volume of feedback from members of our community.  Our intent is to share this information with our parents, alumni, and friends of the school out of respect for the many questions and concerns that are rightfully resulting from the behavior of some students yesterday.

1. What was the Walkout on April 19, 2021?

Students all over the state banded together to walk out of their school to stand in solidarity against racial injustice, particularly in light of recent police shootings, such as Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo. More than 110 schools statewide had students organize a similar event between 1 p.m. and 1:47 p.m. This included many of our fellow Catholic schools.

This walkout was not organized by CDH, rather it was a student-organized event and was planned to occur during the school day as a way to draw attention to the issue of racial injustice. The student organizers were the sole promoters of the walkout.  

The CDH administration was made aware of the students’ plan late in the day on Sunday. Once aware of the plan, parents/guardians were then notified that we were aware of the walkout and encouraged to discuss this event in accordance to their family values, as well as their student’s choice to participate or not. CDH also worked with organizers to support student safety without limiting student rights.  

2. Was CDH involved in any preparation or planning of the event?

When CDH became aware of some students’ intention to walk out, CDH administration made it clear to student leaders of this event at CDH, that while this was a student-led event, the students must maintain peaceful and respectful behavior and that the program and that the participants must align with the Civil Discourse Principles drafted and adopted by the Student Council earlier this year.

In addition, administration defined certain behaviors that would not be tolerated. Specific actions that would not be tolerated were clearly addressed, such as profane language, violent speech against police officers, and/or disrespect of fellow students. These expectations were clearly violated by some students during the walkout. 

3. What were the actions that resulted in disciplinary action?

Disciplinary action against specific students is confidential. In general, we can share that students were disciplined for carrying signs that were profane and directed against police officers, posting videos of disrespectful, abusive, and demeaning name-calling, and leading some inappropriate chanting. Much of the egregious behavior was documented on social media posts that featured photos and videos. 

Some people have been confused that students were disciplined because of their participation in the student walkout. This is absolutely not the case. Any disciplinary action was focused on those students whose behavior at the walkout was inappropriate and offensive as described above.  

The disciplinary action was swift and consistent with our policies and resulted in a number of students being immediately suspended yesterday. Ongoing investigation of the behavior at the walkout continues and may result in further disciplinary action.

4. How were faculty and staff involved in the walkout?

Faculty and staff had no role in the walkout itself. 

After the CDH student organizers alerted CDH on Sunday of the plan to participate, CDH alerted parents and the faculty/staff as noted above. No teachers or staff were a part of the planning of the program plan or the speeches or the invitation to participate. No teachers were outside with the students.

Five administrators did spread out around campus to ensure the students’ safety, but were not part of the student gathering.  Because they were stationed at the peripheral of the group, they did not see the profane signage until it was posted on social media by a select group of students. When administrators were alerted to the use of profane signage, the signs were immediately taken away from the students. 

Unfortunately, these images were spread on social media before they could be prevented. 

This behavior not only goes against our policies, it was demeaning to members of our broader community.  Those responsible are being held accountable. 

5. Was disciplinary action handled equitably?

Yes. Any student involved in the wrong-doing has been or will be disciplined.

6. It was obvious from social media posts that some of the problematic behavior featured a strong anti-police sentiment. What is CDH’s response?

CDH believes that all members of our community should be treated with respect, regardless of their race, gender, or employment. All of our community members, including our students, have a right to freedom of speech. However, CDH has developed policies about how we exercise free speech here so that it does not demean, diminish, or threaten any of our other community members. A few members of our community used language or made statements on social media that violated our policies on civil discourse. We have initiated disciplinary action. CDH believes in education and equality and will always work to assure a safe learning environment that promotes and safeguards the safety, equality, respect, and learning of all members of our greater community.

7. Were students free to decide whether to walk out or was there pressure to participate?

This was not a CDH-sponsored event so students who participated had to leave class to do so. More than ⅔ of the student body did not participate in the walkout and stayed in class and the teachers continued to teach. There were no teachers or staff who joined in the student-led walkout. The decision on whether to walk out or not rested with the student and his/her parents/guardians. CDH is investigating reports of peer pressure that may have impacted the decisions of some students. Bullying is not tolerated.

8. How does this impact the student body?

The administration most immediately focused on the individuals who were involved in the wrong-doing late yesterday afternoon, but communicated quickly to current parents and students about the events that happened. Today, Frank Miley discussed the difficult situation with the student body at the start of the school day. More support and guidance for students is coming.

Given the Chauvin trial deliberations, this week may not get any easier, and we are keeping each of our students and their families in our prayers. 

We recognize that our school’s role is focused on supporting and guiding students to live in a world that demands justice, including these times of heightened tensions and division. This means a complete commitment to forging a safe environment for all. We ask for your prayers and your support as we navigate these difficult days with the hope that critical life lessons can be learned by all of us. 

Thank you.

Live Jesus in our Hearts, Forever!

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