Penn High School Principal addresses alumni petition

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Penn High School Principal Sean Galiher spoke about the petition created by several alumni who say that the school district does not do enough to address racism.

The petition has accumulated over 800 words, and it claims that there are not enough diverse classes.

In a statement, the school district said: "Penn-Harris-Madison 100% stands against all forms of racism, systematic, covert, and blatant. Racism at its core is demoralizing, dehumanizing and oppressive. This flies in the face of our call to service as educators. It is our mission to provide opportunities for every child to succeed and self-actualize, valuing and celebrating diversity at every level with students and staff.”

Sean Galiher also provided a statement, saying that, “The message is clear—we do not tolerate forms of racism and injustice and our hope is that students will collaborate with us know if they are experiencing those times of injustices in school or even at home, you know we want to support students not only inside of school but outside of school.”

The petition goes on to say that changes need to be made by PHM to provide an education that brings attention to issues that they say affect the education system as a whole.