Lebanon High School Students Rally Against Principal Amid Allegations of Verbal Abuse

Students at Lebanon High School are protesting against Principal Frank Meyer following accusations of verbal abuse from both students and staff. Gabriel Kellogg, a junior at the school, has taken the lead in these protests, expressing his frustration over the lack of action regarding Meyer's behavior.

Kellogg stated, “(Meyer) was very unprofessional and he was commonly giving derogatory comments towards them like calling them ‘piggie’ or they’re ‘too ugly to get dates to homecoming.’” The situation escalated when former school employee Jocelyn Hiatt claimed she was fired after confronting Meyer about his conduct. Students are also advocating for her reinstatement.

“We were there to protest the verbal abuse that got called out towards our principal towards staff and students and the unjust firing of Ms. Hiatt,” Kellogg added. He is calling for significant changes in how principals are hired, suggesting that community input should play a larger role in the process. He proposes that students, staff, and faculty should have a say in the final decision through a voting system.

“The school board does their interviews, and then they get their best candidates, and then students and teachers and staff get to meet these candidates, and then we all get to have a vote on who we want as our principal,” he explained.

The Lebanon School Corporation has refrained from commenting directly on the protests but shared a letter with students and families addressing recent events. Lexy Britt Buis, communications director for Lebanon Community School Corporation, stated that they “don’t have any updates beyond the information shared with our Lebanon High School families (in a letter) over the weekend.” This letter encouraged students to engage in one-on-one conversations with counselors and administrators.

Kellogg had met with school leadership prior to speaking with media representatives to discuss their demands but reported that no comments were made during that meeting.

A second protest had been planned for Wednesday morning following the initial demonstration’s attention from both online platforms and local communities; however, it was subsequently canceled after school officials warned that participating students would be marked as skipping class. Instead, students will silently protest by wearing red, white, and blue attire to class.

Letter sent to LHS students and staff before Friday’s protest

November 24, 2024

Dear Lebanon High School Families and Staff,

We want to inform you that the administration has become aware of comments and dialogue on social media from and regarding a former school employee. We ask all to understand that we may not provide information regarding current or former employees confidential personnel information. We have and will
continue to maintain this confidentiality in the best interest of all employees. Therefore, it is also inappropriate for school officials to comment or react to rumors and comments from social media.

Some social media comments include a suggestion of a student protest during SST tomorrow, Monday,
November 25th. While we respect our students’ right to express their views and concerns, we must prioritize their education and safety, while maintaining a constructive dialogue.

We acknowledge that some students may have questions and concerns and wish to have their voices heard.

Rather than disrupting valuable instructional time and potentially compromising school safety, we encourage students to engage in meaningful one-on-one conversations with their school counselors or administrators.

To facilitate these discussions, we have created a sign-up form where students can schedule time to share
their perspectives in a more appropriate setting. Students will be able to access this form by scanning a QR code that will be available in the main office throughout the day or asking any school administrator to scan the code they will be carrying. If you or your student have questions or concerns you do not wish to initiate with the LHS administration or counselors, you may send your questions to the Administration Center to either Dr. Kari Ottinger, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, or the Office of the Superintendent. We take our responsibility to investigate all concerns seriously as a matter of practice, as well as following our duty to follow board policies regarding the supervision and welfare of students.
We are also aware of social media posts that are derogatory and personal in nature toward school personnel, including the school administration. We respectfully ask that posts and responses to posts, be appropriate and do not attack administrators or school personnel in this manner. This type of dialogue and comments made without the full context of situations, in addition to not being consistent with the decorum we require of our staff and students on a daily basis while at school, are not appropriate, and not constructive or helpful in finding solutions to issues and concerns. Be assured that we remain committed to maintaining a professional and respectful educational environment for all members of our school community.

Our primary focus continues to be providing quality education and support for our students. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in handling this matter in a way that best serves our school community.

Sincerely,
Lebanon High School Administration