The school even gave an award to staff for following these COVID guidelines that were not mandatory, which, over time, many families came to question. We so much as questioned why our sons were repeatedly targeted for quarantine and Rouse snapped on us. This experience felt isolating, targeted, and unjust.

, including during legal proceedings. A letter we have from a principal at the time expresses concern about how the situation was handled, calling it “awful” and referring it to HR. Apologizing several times in person and on email. The principal at the time who has since left the school, told us that he has never seen Mr. Rouse treat parents the way he treated us.

We also received a  letter from long-time teacher and parents expressing support for our family, recognizing our leadership in prayer, service, and community.

Many families were incredibly displeased with Mr. Rouse‘s leadership - they wrote letters, they left the school. Much of the staff he hired was let go…They started family meetings and blogs with dozens of people signing up. There was no retaliation against them for it. Their negative comments and frustrations were welcomed, on many different repeated occasions. One family even entitled an email to the administration: “Shame on you.” The dialogue was welcomed with them, and they are still at the school. But we so much as question COVID and we are out of the school?!

Not until afterward did we realize that is what he was doing. He prefaced the meeting with asking if it’s ok if he takes notes and is an avid notetaker. We said Sure, you can take notes. Then we noticed he didn’t take any notes but held his computer right up to us, taping our conversation.

But for families like ours, that phrase feels hollow. After the previous Head of School’s actions divided our family and disrupted our sons’ high school experience, it’s hard to see this new messaging as anything more than an attempt to rebrand without accountability.