At publishing time, 98 people had signed the online petition that Arielle Warner started. Warnes is a LMSA senior and 2023 student council leader.
“When Abdul Muhammad introduced himself to the Lindblom community, he stated that there was no intention of changing the school’s environment and that he would be learning from staff, students, and alumni about the culture of Lindblom. Who better to learn from than the Assistant Principal who helped us before, during, and after COVID-19 made us virtual? This decision caused conversations in the Lindblom community, many involving the alumni, students, and staff that he claimed he wanted to protect,” according to the petition. “We were left wondering how we could trust him after he’d done this. We held conversation after conversation with and without him about our plan of action and gave him multiple chances to explain himself. Abdul Muhammad failed to do so.”
In both the online petition and speeches during the Aug. 22 walkout, students said they want “Mama Eagle” back in the nest. Carpenter is also known as Mama Eagle after Lindblom’s eagle mascot.