BAR HARBOR, Maine — A rotating group of 15 to 20 MDI High School students participated in a walkout at the school on Monday morning.
The walkout stemmed from an incident that occurred at the high school on Oct. 4, 2024. That incident between two students, in which one was being struck repeatedly by the other, was captured on video and shared on social media.
During the walkout, the students were quiet and spoke amongst themselves and with staff who were also outside, while the students created signs on poster board, most of which addressed student safety and opposed violence. As they were created, the signs were hung on trees or poles. Some were put on railings, as a silent message of the students’ concerns.
A short time after the walkout had commenced, Superintendent Mike Zboray said he spoke with a freshman student and a junior student who were participating in the walkout.
According to Zboray, the students expressed that one of the main reasons for the walkout was to spread awareness to the school community that violence is not the appropriate way to solve problems.
One student, Elsie Yarbrough, expressed her individual motivation for participating in the walkout in an email to the Bar Harbor Story.
“I wasn’t behind the organization of the protest, so I’m not sure about that and as far as I know, nothing else is planned; however, I’m sure if the offending student returns to MDIHS, there will be more turmoil from the student body,” she said.
Her personal motivation, she said, was “the lack of concern for our safety as students at MDI from administration, and the need for change in the way our school handles violence. I believe the main goal was to inform the administrators of our concerns as students for our safety on school grounds before the high school board meeting going on tonight (Oct. 21) in hopes of it being addressed there.”
Yarbrough said her concerns are about making sure “that more violence and intimidation doesn’t continue because our school isn’t a place for that.”
From 2017 to 2023, Mount Desert Island High School reported 26 bullying incidents, for an average of 3.71 each year. According to state data, behavior incidents from 2013 to 2022 have fluctuated. There were six violent incidents with physical injury in 2022, an increase from the average three or four each school year prior to COVID.
“This topic concerns me as a female teenager, because as you know there is a video that went viral of the ‘fight’ where [Matt Haney], our principal stood by and let a girl get violently assaulted by another student,” Yarbrough said.
Early Monday morning, Zboray sent an email to parents of MDI High School students letting the parents know that he had communicated with the student body about their right to protest and the importance of such actions.
In that email to students, Zboray said, “I understand that some students are considering a walkout this morning. I recognize the importance of student voice and your right to express your views on important issues. Student activism has historically played a vital role in your right to be heard.
“If you choose to participate, it’s crucial that this is done in a way that promotes respect, safety, and civil discourse. While participating in events like walkouts, please remember that your actions reflect not only your beliefs but also your commitment to engaging thoughtfully and respectfully. Let’s ensure that your voice contributes to meaningful, constructive dialogue.
“If individuals would like to speak with me about their views, I would be happy to do so to better understand your concerns.”
Zboray said that when he spoke to the two students, they also spoke about the school ensuring that the student body is made aware of opportunities for support and processing incidents via multiple methods including public announcements at the school as well as on the screens that constantly have messages posted upon them throughout the school.
Another important issue to the students was the importance of follow up by staff or administrators if a student reports anything, no matter how big or small, to ensure that the issue has been addressed or an alternate solution has been sought out so that even the smallest of issues isn’t forgotten.
Finally, Zboray said that Dean of Students Ian Braun has been speaking with the students that participated in the walkout, individually, to ensure that all of the student’s concerns and ideas are captured by the administration.
High school board meeting
Expecting a larger than normal crowd, the monthly meeting of the MDI High School Board was held in the Higgins-Demas Stage auditorium rather than in the library where it is normally held. There were approximately 40 members of the public and school staff from multiple schools in the district in attendance in the audience. Approximately 22 staff and school board members from across the district attended and sat at the board table.
The Oct. 4 incident was not on the agenda but this was the first High School Board meeting since the incident took place. There was one public comment made by former MDI High School teacher Bo Greene during the first public comment period of the meeting and one public comment that was sent to the board via email.
The email called for the firing of Principal Haney, as does an online Change.org petition started by Trenton resident Bruce Gustafson that has gathered over 2,000 signatures. Gustafson’s daughter was injured during the event.
Greene’s comments were focused on how, though she does not condone violence, “every human being has a breaking point,” which she said is part of the human condition.
She stressed that the conversation shouldn’t be about who people are but about what happened and violence in general. “We have been taught from day one that we have to try to de-escalate to a large degree before we lay hands on anybody.”
“Everybody has a right to be who they are,” she said. “That is a basic human right.”
Everyone in the community, she stressed, is trying to do their best.
There was no public comment during the second opportunity of the meeting and nothing was said by any staff or board members in attendance regarding the incident.
During the second public comment period, Board Chair Susan Allen did remind attendees that public comment is not the only way to make their voice heard and they can also call or email any board member or administrator and that those officials are specifically there to hear what the community has to say. Allen also said that the high school policies and process for making official complaints are on the school’s website.
During another meeting of the AOS Board that was broadcast live and recorded on YouTube, Zboray spoke about the student walkout that occurred early in the day and more largely about school violence.
Zborary has previously said that the district was working with law enforcement to carefully review what happened during the Oct. 4 altercation between students.
In a statement earlier this month, he said, “Every student altercation is different, and administrative staff are trained to intervene by utilizing a range of de-escalation strategies from verbal cues to physical restraint (as a last resort, per Maine law). Every situation provides an opportunity to learn, for both students and staff, and we are always working to improve how we protect all students and staff. I trust our staff to follow their training and use their judgment in the best interests of those involved in these difficult situations.”
This story was originally published by The Bar Harbor Story. To receive regular coverage from the Bar Harbor Story, sign up for a free subscription here.
