Protest of HPHS Principal’s Departure Planned for Tuesday Morning

A protest is planned for Tuesday morning at Highland Park High School to show displeasure over the departure of Principal Brad Swanson.

Swanson, who has been principal at HPHS for six years, is leaving to become assistant superintendent for human resources at District 225, which is comprised of Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South high schools.

Parents and former staff members packed a District 113 board meeting earlier this month to criticize the board for not putting up a fight to keep Swanson, and expressing concern about low morale at the school, according to an article in the Higland Park News.

An online petition, titled “HPHS Needs Brad Swanson,” has collected more than 750 signatures. It asked people to sign to “send a message to the District 113 Board that Highland Park High School needs Brad Swanson.”

Tuesday’s protest, dubbed Save Swanson, is called for 7:15 a.m. at the school’s main entrance. Protestors are being asked to wear school gear and to “bring or borrow a picket sign,” according to the Facebook event page. More than 350 people say they are planning to be there, according to the Facebook page.

Students are also using the hashtag #SaveSwanson on social media.

“Never had a principal that cares this much about the happiness and well being of his students,” one wrote on Twitter.

You can scroll through other SaveSwanson Tweets in the box above.

You can read the full Highland Park News story here.

You can see the online petition here.

You can see the Facebook event page for Tuesday’s protest here.

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