In these past few years, many school environments were effected by Covid-19. Our school, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, like many other schools, held virtual classes in the 2020-2021 school year. During that year, our former principal, Wayne Bevis, voluntarily left to work for the virtual academy and we were left in the hands of remaining admin. This admin included Assistant Principal Karen Carpenter-Fitzpatrick. In the 2021-2022 school year that brought school back in person, AP Karen Carpenter-Fitzpatrick made sure to make the school as normal as possible with the conditions of the new year. Under her supervision, the school was able to have a successful and warm welcome back to in-person learning. We had a successfully planned homecoming, many Afterschool activities, fundraisers, and community-building events that brought Lindblom back to life. Most importantly, though, we had an adult that stayed with us throughout. We had someone who cared about our high school experience, who cared about our excitement to be back in school, who cared about our safety, and who cared about EVERYONE in the building. The issue arose when the school began the search for a new principal. Principal Abdul Muhammad was chosen to become Lindblom’s new Principal. The student body was excited to see what this new principal would be like because we’d been without a principal for so long. However, before we even got to meet Mr. Muhammad face-to-face, we learned that he had let go of AP Carpenter-Fitzpatrick. There were many issues with this, the most obvious being that “Mama Eagle” was being let go by someone we didn’t know, but there was more to the story. When Abdul Muhammad introduced himself to the Lindblom community, he stated that there was no intention of changing the school’s environment and that he would be learning from staff, students, and alumni about the culture of Lindblom. Who better to learn from than the Assistant Principal who helped us before, during, and after Covid-19 made us virtual? This decision caused conversations in the Lindblom community, many involving the alumni, students, and staff that he claimed he wanted to protect. We were left wondering how we could trust him after he’d done this. We held conversation after conversation with and without him about our plan of action and gave him multiple chances to explain himself. Abdul Muhammad failed to do so. The student body took the opportunity to plan a walkout on the first day of school, August 22nd, because of it. The walkout gained media coverage, but it wasn't the end. On Facebook, Abdul Muhammad claimed that the Lindblom community was his “opposition” and that we targeted him because he was the first black male principal at Lindblom. In result, some of the student body attended the CPS board meeting on Wednesday, August 24th, to speak about the incident, resulting in Mr. Muhammad’s 4-year principal contract being postponed. He is now an interim principal, yet, we still don’t have Ms. Carpenter-Fitzpatrick. Please sign this so that we can get her back to the “nest” where she belongs.