If you agree with my statements, please sign this letter. We need a NEW principal who cares about SSHS Students.

Here's a letter I will be sending to the School Board: 

Dear Dr. Meeks and Board Members,

I’m currently a junior at the Steamboat Springs High School. I am writing this open letter to you on my own behalf, but more importantly on the behalf of my fellow students at the high school who have expressed to me the same concerns and issues that I will attempt to address here. I believe that the school is in need of a leader who represents our students, is understanding, flexible and has mutual respect for all who enter the school building. Our current principal, Mr. Rick Elertson, has demonstrated that he does not fit this role. 

I would not typically write a letter like this. But on Friday, May 20th, I experienced what I would call a “final straw” event; one that made me realize the importance of improving leadership in the High School. 

Upon returning to the school from being outside, due to our classroom fire alarm going off, my classmates and I went back inside to find our school had been put into lockdown. As you might imagine, with the widespread school violence in the news, my immediate response was confusion followed by fear. I assumed the situation could be life threatening. This induced stress and anxiety in me, other students and staff members. We believed that we may have been locked down due to an active shooter or some other extreme event. After collecting further information, I learned that we were in lockdown because Mr. Elertson wanted to stop the senior class from conducting a traditional senior “run-through,” where they physically run through the hallways of the school prior to graduating. Calling for a lockdown was not only an extreme measure, but then leaving students in that state of mind without explaining the situation was horrendous. I then knew that this letter was necessary.  

I understand that there was damage to some school property during this run-through but his overreaction caused a panic in the building. He then called the seniors to the commons and told them that their senior assembly was canceled and they needed to leave the building immediately, or he wouldn’t allow them to walk at graduation. The seniors were devastated; this was their last day of school and they were being threatened with not having a graduation. Ultimately, he allowed the assembly to happen, but did not show his face at the event. 

I have heard about many specific instances where students have had negative and disheartening interactions with Mr. Elertson, below are a few examples:

• At the beginning of the year, he sent out an email about a brand of clothes, Cookies, that he forbade students to wear, which is outrageous and another overreaction. His interpretation of the brand as meaning more than it means, takes away our freedom as students to wear what we want. There are more important things to focus on than on how your students want to express themselves. Not to mention, this was the parents first introduction to our new principal. 
• A student was hanging up posters for a women’s march held in town to create awareness of the inequality in our world. Mr. Elertson instructed that all her posters to be taken down and proceeded to say there must be a men’s march if there is a women's march for it to be truly equal. His actions were dismissive of women's rights and equality.
• In another instance, students were planning a protest bringing attention to sexual assault within the school, and got permission from Mr. Elertson to hold this protest. But when one was explaining the purpose of the protest to him, he condescendingly dismissed her argument as “wrong.”
• Teachers have been resigning left and right. Messages have been sent from the school explaining the need for special negotiation between administration and teachers. About a third of our school's staff has decided to leave this year. One valued teacher quit three days ago, which took us all by surprise. Our beloved teachers are leaving and we are losing some of our counselors who have been here for years. We as students are worried for our future education and support system. After putting the pieces together, it is apparent that this is because of Mr. Elertson’s leadership. Of course teachers are leaving due to retirement and other reasons, but Mr. Elertson seems to be the root of the problem.

Above are the situations that I am most familiar with, but after talking to students and staff, there are many more. I would encourage you to ask others about their experiences. Often Mr. Elertson’s actions and words make students and staff feel unheard and unsupported. We need a principal that will provide a sense of support, safety and appreciation. Being students in high school, we are at the age where we need opportunity for freedom and to make our own decisions. Under our current leadership many feel that they are not able to do so. We, as students, are looking for positive guidance, strong leadership, and a principal that will build trust and stability with us. At this point it seems that students and staff would have difficulty accepting that Elertson might have the ability to improve and earn that trust.

Thank you for your attention to my (or our) concerns. As I am sending this letter to you I am also submitting it to change.org so that other students and parents may join in with these statements and sign this letter. As an open letter, it is also being provided to Steamboat Radio and the Steamboat Pilot & Today.

Sincerely, 

A Concerned SSHS Student