When I was at ALMS, I was actively involved in the musicals put up every year. In 8th grade, we did Hairspray, a show about segregation and standing up for what is right. That year, [name has been redacted] hired a new director after Ms. Tillistrand retired the year before. From the beginning, this woman gave the cast of nearly 50 kids a weird vibe. She had a short fuse and would frequently yell over minor issues. It eventually got to the point where she would physically grab us and violently move us around the stage when she was frustrated.

 

Some of my cast-mates would even end up with bruises. Black members of the cast were also frequently told to act "blacker" and would constantly be compared to each other and called by each others names. Eventually, after she had a number of students cry or leave early, a small group of upperclassmen decided that she was behaving very inappropriately and was becoming a major source of stress during an otherwise fun time. We wrote up a short passage about our mistreatment and had almost every single member of the cast sign it in agreement. When we met with [name has been redacted], he seemed to take us very seriously and assured us that he would be getting involved. he promised to keep both the note and our identities a secret.

 

At rehearsal the next day, we were all sat in a big circle with [name has been retracted] and the director. He mentioned that some of us had voiced our concerns and that things would change. Not once did the director apologize, only saying that we needed to behavior better. Mr. Barnes then singled me and the small group out and asked if we were happy with what happened. Of course, this lead to further and more targeted mistreatment by the director, since she knew we spoke up.

 

This story is evident of a larger issue in the school district. Fake compassion towards the students and very little to prove they actually care. ALMS has a heavy emphasis on anti-bullying because behind the posters and assemblies the administration knows they do not do nearly enough to support the students. The students see this best, from elementary to high school.

 

The director was rehired the next year. The same issues followed, but no one spoke up because in the past nothing changed when they did.

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NRHS Student, Class of 2020