Aberdeen High Students Plan Walkout to Support Principal

UPDATE (5:41 AM) Aberdeen High School students and Parents have planned a peaceful demonstration this morning in support of their principal Tom Szerensits.

Szerensits has said he is being forced out of his job. 

But many students don't want him to leave, and they've taken to Facebook to try to save his job. And after this weekend there were 840 people who "like" the Facebook group, called Save Szerensits, are planning a walkout for Monday morning in hopes of convincing the Harford County Board of Education to allow him to stay.

The protest is planned for 7:30 a.m. Students have contacted media representatives and said they will assemble outside the school to draw attention to the situation that the school board has declined to comment about because it is a personnel matter. Later that day, the Board of Education will hold a closed session at 6 p.m. and then a regular meeting at 7 in the Harford County Public Schools A.A. Roberty Building on S. Hickory Avevenue in Bel Air.

Some students said Friday that an announcement was made during school discouraging the protest.

It is unclear whether students will actually protest. But some already have said they believed it wouldn't make any difference.

For example, one person claiming to be a senior said in a post "standing up for this won't change anything and will probably get people suspended. I would also like to walk across the stage at graduation.”

Others, however, are hoping for the best.

Szerensits sent a letter home to students with report cards on April 29 that explained that he was called to Superintendent Robert M. Tomback’s office and informed that he would be forced out.

“I was told that I would be re-assigned to a different position in Harford County, but not as a principal,” Szerensits wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Patch. “In the course of ten minutes I was not only dismissed, I was demoted.”

Szerensits also said in the letter, first published by the Dagger, that it wasn’t his choice to leave.

“Knowing that I have never done anything unethical or negligent in terms of Aberdeen High School, I am having great difficulty in coming to terms with the superintendent’s decision,” Szerensits said. “I love Aberdeen High School. I always have and always will. I believe I have been an effective leader for Aberdeen High School and when I see all of the successes your children have achieved and continue to achieve, I am convinced that I have always done the right thing in terms of representing Aberdeen High School. … I had mistakenly hoped that I would end my career as an Aberdeen Eagle.”

Some parents have expressed disappointment about Szerensits' departure.

A Harford County Board of Education spokesperson said the district’s policy is to not comment on specific personnel issues because they are deemed confidential.

But the school district does have a procedure for making changes.

"Administrative positions are reviewed annually and changes are often made due to retirements, transfer requests or needs at a particular school," spokeswoman Teri Kranefeld told Patch.

Parents characterized Szerensits as kind and committed to the community.

“He’s always cared about the Aberdeen kids, even as a teacher,” said Penny Willard, whose daughter is a senior at Aberdeen High School. “I had him for ninth-grade English. He’s been around so long he knows many of the parents.”

Robert Boyle, who graduated from Aberdeen High School in 1981, said Szerensits has always worked hard and interacted well with students. Boyle was the editor of the school newspaper and Szerensits was his adviser.

“He’s a great guy,” Boyle said. “I’m surprised to hear the community is not happy with him.”

Szerensits has declined to comment.

Amy Schoenberger, whose daughter is a junior at Aberdeen High School, said Szerensits has always treated the students fairly and maintained a good rapport with parents.

“He uses common sense,” Schoenberger said.

Schoenberger said she believed it would be a bad idea for him not to return.

“I think it would be a loss for Aberdeen,” Schoenberger said.