A Mexican Crossing Lines – Abuse at Fargo North High: Story of Christopher Thumb

A Mexican Crossing Lines – February 22 , 2018 “Abuse at Fargo North High: Story of Christopher Thumb”

(Audio and Video at the end of these story notes, plus updated stories by KPPP-LP 88.1, The High Plains Reader, The Grand Forks Herald,  WDAY and The West Fargo Pioneer)

Notes on this story: 
On February 12, 2018, at the Fargo North High School (801 17th Ave. N. Fargo) a 15 year old child with learning disabilities and an IEP, Christopher L. Thumb was lured to the boys junior varsity locker room by Austin Simonson under false pretense (after first period) and beaten by two students Yorell Taylor (a sophomore, the African american student in the video beating Christopher) and Qadry Goodman (also a sophomore, the white student in the video beating Christopher).

His second period teacher Ms. Deb Hallquest (health teacher) did question Christopher about his injuries. Scared and confused, Christopher lied to the teacher and said he had been wrestling with his cousin. The teacher failed to send Christopher to get medical care or make a report to the administration of the injuries. Christopher also spoke with school counselor Kate Evenson. Christopher also lied to her about his injuries. Ms. Evenson also failed to send Christopher to get treatment for his injuries or report the injuries to anyone.

Approximately 8 kids (including the victim) all went to go to the junior varsity locker room at the same time (indicating the attack was premeditated). Other students were also standing just outside the locker room. The child with the white hoodie filming the beating is named Austin Simonson and he has been bullying Christopher since the beginning of the school year. Christopher indicates Austin planned the fight and tricked him into meeting in the locker room. When Christopher arrived he was ambushed by a multitude of Children. Other children, along with Austin, were gleefully jumping up and down and filming the beating of Christopher by Yorell and Qadry.

Christopher was savagely beaten in the head and torso and sustained approximately 50 blows to his head; he was bleeding in school from his lip and he had a black eye. The students were never checked on by any staff during the attack in the locker room on Christopher. No teachers or staff reported the incident to the school administration or got Christopher any medical attention. No one from the school called to notify parents or family of the attack.

The students involved in the beating and filming of Christopher produced and circulated a video of the beating of Christopher on social media with music and emojis mocking and humiliating him online.

The family contacted the school when they learned of Christopher’s injuries when he returned home. The principal knew nothing about the incident. He said he would get back to me (mom). Tuesday, February 13. She did not send Christopher to school because of safety concerns and the negligence of the school to keep her son safe.

The principal called Tuesday afternoon to say that Christopher was suspended and set a meeting for us on Feb. 14, Wednesday. Later on the same day, Christopher was messaged on Facebook by Yorell and Qdray. The two boys apologized for beating him, saying they had not known he had a mental health issue. Christopher became upset and blocked both students, his privacy violated by the school. These kids could not have learned about Christopher’s IEP or learning disability if not for the school violating his privacy and telling the students.

The Family met with the principal on February 14th. The principal blamed Christopher for defending himself from the beating, saying he was a ‘willing participant’, and saying the school would be filing assault charges with Fargo Police Department against all the students that participated in the ‘fight’ including Christopher. The principal set another meeting for February 20.

The school has thus only offered to segregate Christopher into the special education classroom by himself with Special Ed Teacher Dennis Bolda (Christopher’s IEP case manager), but the family does not feel that Christopher should be punished with segregation. The school also offered a special bathroom for Christopher to use but singling him out is not what the family think is just or fair in this case.

The Doctor told family to report the assault to the Fargo Police Dept.

The Family did report to FPD and were told an officer would come take Christopher’s statement 2/22/08. Instead, the officer called to say he was not going to take Christopher’s statement and had been in contact with Fargo North High school’s principal who told FPD that the fight was a ‘gang initiation’ and that they would be investigating Christopher for gang affiliation and instigating a fight at school.

 

Listen to an Audio Podcast of the Show Here: (Note, Audio Podcasts are edited recordings of FB Live videos and are not necessarily what is broadcasted on the air on the radio station):

 

FaceBook Live Video of this Show Before Broadcasting (Note, FB Live videos are pre-recorded and then edited properly for radio Broadcasts on the air and some never air on the radio station):

 

Follow-up Show
A Mexican Crossing Lines – February 26, 2018 “ Low Blow: Update on Christopher Thumb”

FaceBook Live Video of this Show Before Broadcasting (Note, FB Live videos are pre-recorded and then edited properly for radio Broadcasts on the air and some never air on the radio station):

Second Follow-up Show

A Mexican Crossing Lines – February 28, 2018 “Class Dismissed”

FaceBook Live Video of this Show Before Broadcasting (Note, FB Live videos are pre-recorded and then edited properly for radio Broadcasts on the air and some never air on the radio station):

Article By The High Plains Reader

​‘A CHILD CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH’

FARGO – Christopher L. Thumb is a quiet boy, enjoys throwing a football with his siblings, listens to powwow music. New to Fargo after moving from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Reservation at 15, he entered his freshman year at North High School last August.

 

WDAY Story 2-26-2018

Link to Story:
http://www.wday.com/news/4409655-petitioners-call-fargo-north-high-principal-resign-following-reported-fight

FARGO—A Grand Forks woman has started a petition to get rid of the principal of Fargo North High School.

It all stems from an incident at Fargo North High School on Feb. 12.  A video that people say shows the fight has started circulating  on the web, and now, some are calling into question the administration and how they handled the situation.  Video of a fight first hit the airwaves on KPPP-FM this weekend.

 

Grand Forks Herald Article

02/27/2018 – FARGO—Kathryn Fink of Grand Forks has started a petition to get rid of the principal of Fargo North High School.

Link: http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/4409817-grand-forks-woman-starts-petition-calling-fargo-north-principal-resign

 

The West Fargo Pioneer

FARGO – Video of a locker room fight at North High School has been circulating on social media, and authorities say they may pursue criminal charges in the case. Link: https://www.westfargopioneer.com/news/crime-and-courts/4409653-authorities-investigate-fargo-north-student-fight-after-video


 

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47 Comments

  1. This is disgusting wrote. This story is filled with racism. What is the point of the title it does not match the story. A Mexican crosses the line??? Wtf is that. What was the point in adding the races of the parties involved? This is exactly what is wrong with America is articles like this. There’s no reason to list the races this time was horribly wrote.

    Reply
    • From what I gather, the show is called the Mexican Crossing Line (arguably not the best title for a show). It’s about minorities not staying silent. I think you may have mixed up the name of the show with the story as they say many times that the family that was attacked is Native America.

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    • this whole story is fake. who tf is mexican beside the reporter . that nigga wanted to fight and who gives asf about a learning disability his fucking limbs still work he need to keep his fucking mouth close and niggas won’t be beat his ass . lastly nobody was raped. you perverted rascist bastards .

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      • Settle. No need for vulgarity….

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    • I thought you could only be racist if you were white?!?!

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  2. Fire the principle and expel the students responsible. And don’t anyone dare put any blame on Christopher thumb! he’s a victim of these bullies and has no reason to face blame for being a victim!

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    • This whole article is missing A LOT of puzzle pieces throughout the story!!! No one was Innocent in this act!! I am currently a Fargo North student and Christopher is just as guilty he made threatening comments on others social media and through messaging outlets!! His disablillity and nationality isn’t enough to back all of this he had the abililty to know what he was saying and what position he was putting himself into!! The proof of Christophers words are out there, there is enough evidence to show that he wanted to fight and knew exactly what he wanted to do! PLEASE GET ALL THE INFOROMATION FROM BOTH PARTIES BEFORE MAKING A PODCAST AND ARTICLE!!

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    • Don’t talk if you do not know the full story becuase this story is not real it’s all blown out of proportion and he’s not innocent there’s a lot that people don’t know

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    • Those boys are so wrong. That principal,needs to go, so it’s classroom teacher, and the rest, of racist white people,involved in that incident,at school. It’s awful. North Dakota? It’s so hard to believe it. Shame on you Fargo North School. Those parents, need to remove their son, from that school
      They shoul, file a law suit.😢😢 It should be, in Dr. Phill show.

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  3. This is an outrage to any and all students. What the hell is wrong with the teachers and that principal. They all need to be released and charged. Regardless if this student had any issues it never should of gotten to that degree. FPD needs to take a closer look as does the School board. Just makes me sick. This is one of the problems society faces nowadays is that parents aren’t parenting.

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  4. Shame on Fargo North High School!!! This treatment of this cold is so wrong on so many levels… Do your job and protect this victim of this horrendous crime and assault!!!

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    • Know the whole story and don’t hate the school hate the kid that agrivated the situation this whole thing would’ve never happened if Chris didn’t have such a big ass mouth

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      • Fuck a disability I have an SO CALLED IEP that doesn’t make him special they trying to sugar coat shit and it pisses me off like hunter said you talk shit to the wrong person you gonna get yo ass whooped no matter who you are. He’s the dumbass for saying hurtful things to the students including me he’s threatened me and wanted to fight me. I didn’t fight him bc I know fake as news sites like this will sugar coat everything and make me feels like the bad person. I have no simpathy for people who act all tough and talk shit and when it comes down to it when they getting their ass beat they go crying to their mommy and daddy and he makes it seem like it’s our fault what a load of ass. I stand by mine and many other students who agree.

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  5. SHAME ON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL AND THE FARGO POLICE DEPARTMENT!!!! DRAIN THE SWAMP!!!

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  6. I am from Fargo, and used to work in the school district and I am sorry but every last person from teachers, counselors, and principal FAILED this child!! Even worse is that the Fargo Police Dept. (Who I highly respect!) failed even worse. There is absolutely NO reason HIPPA laws should have been violated, and this child was abused!!! NOT one person stood up for this child.
    In this commentary it is often stated he is Native American. Who cares?!? He is a child in dire need of help and no one helped him. And people wonder why kids blow up and do school shootings etc. that child is a human being like anyone else….period! If I was a Fargo taxpayer or had kids in that school district, I would be speaking out loud and clear. I’m not sure where the treating others with love dignity and respect went, but this school district failed this child!!!! And the simple fact FPD is just going to file charges against all the students?!? What?!? Were the other students bleeding, have bruises etc?!? So the victim gets suspended and FPD files charges too? So not only is he a victim against the students, but the school and FPD as well.
    I live in CA now, and my 4 kids have NEVER had deal with this at school. Shame one every single adult who came into contact with him that day and did nothing, and shame on the FDP. The system has failed this child big time and I hope actions are taken so that nothing like this happens again!

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    • Well he did lie to multiple people about what happened. Teachers can’t read minds nor can anyone else.

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  7. THIS IS TERRIBLE. As a former Fargo North student this makes me a combination of both angry and sad. North prides itself by being a “safe place” and an anti-bullying environment, but where was that when Christopher desperately need it? Where were the hall monitors (adults hired to watch students during passing time)? Oh yeah, they sit in the cafeteria telling kids to get off their phones instead of actually doing their jobs and watching the students. I personally have many questions regurding this; how is it his parents’ fault for not telling the other kids he has a learning disability? Why did Christopher get suspended for defending himself? Why do the police not care about Christopher’s statement after speaking with the school? The students who savagely BEAT him, got off with a slap on the wrist. Not even a WRITTEN apology, all poor Christopher got was probably a half assed “sorry” from his tormentors. I also would love to know which principal was talking with KPPP, clearly they don’t care about this issue; speaking of, ALL FOUR principals at North ONLY care about popular and athletic kids, I know this from experience. I am not suprised that these bullies did not get any punishment. The only adults that care about the “underdog” student would be the couleslors and very few teachers. This needs to change.

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    • you don’t even go here bitch calm down bro 😂😂😂

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  8. I go to north high.I never liked the school, i only went there for the teachers. But after seeing how north is so incapable and weak as a school makes me embarrassed as a student and ashamed at the “principals” and “educators” who supposedly work for the best high school in north dakota. I am so hopeful that the children that did this go to jail for a long time and the school is held accountable for, whether that be monetarily or socially. Truly disgusted at the actions of north high. I was never proud of this school, and I never will be.

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  9. The family should bring this to the attention of the whistle blower hotline and get it on the local news so people are aware of what’s happening.

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  10. I refuse to watch the rest of this as in the video she claims that Fargo North has no school dress code and that she has the school handbook, but being a North High student myself and having read the handbook, it clearly states where the dress code is and what guidelines are to be met for the dress code. We may not need to wear a specific type of clothing, but there are still certain items of clothing that are not allowed and specifications of what other items must be to be worn.

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  11. I wasn’t notified when a teacher(Kristen Scholand, Clara Barton Elementary) pinned my 8 yo against a locker, pulling him to the ground, physically restraining him. The reason for this… My son would not shut his locker again “nicely” after shutting it “too hard”. I called a meeting. The teacher told her story. I asked to watch the video. The teacher lied about what she did. She said she pulled him to a sitting position but the video shows her holding my son face down on the floor. Deb Jendro of Federation of families had fought for a law to protect our kids and it was shot down. We need some change, not just for our own kids, but for future children.

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    • Well do a better job of raising your child it’s not the teachers job to teach your kid how to respect authority!!!! Listen up parents the majority of your kids are fucking spoiled rotten brats it’s time to be a parent not a friend .. shit like this is how school shooting all start and as far as bullying it has always been there just not labeled that there has always been that smartass kid that need the bigger kid to put him in his place law of nature but now days it’s taken to far and they grab knives/ guns ect. How about teaching your kid to be a grown ass man if you loose a fight suck it up and move on !!!

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  12. Only thing i got out of this is the abuse of another classmates despite race they let this kid get beat up and somehow make out to seem like he brought this on himself how does anyone bring getting beat upon themselves their bully’s either way you look at it to beat up someone they don’t know just because someone else did it so did they it’s dumb and Uncalled for what are the teachers doing?why wasn’t anyone around to prevent it? Why wasn’t someone stopping it before it began? We are living in a cruel world where kids are beating up kids it’s a bully thing but making it out to be they are all at fault.. suspend them all let it go on record for their actions if you don’t it could continue someplace else someone else’s child someone kid..

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  13. Fake news if I’ve ever read it…

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  14. What are the teachers supposed to do if the kid lied? If he would’ve talked to them and told them the TRUTH they would’ve definitely helped him!!! I’m not defending the bully’s and think it was wrong but you shouldn’t be blaming the teachers and principal.Get your facts straight boi!!!!

    Reply
    • Are teachers not mandated reporters? They have a responsibility to check to see if he really was “wrestling with a cousin”, especially when he was that badly beaten? What if that had happened to him at home but didn’t tell the truth, and teachers let it go and didn’t have a welfare check done and he died from his injuries?!? What then? Teachers have a responsibility to find out where he was injured? Just a call home would have told them he lied…..
      And yes the lying was wrong, but this was a KID who had been beaten up and was scared to say anything!

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  15. I agree 100%. Of course the staff isn’t going to check on them when they’re in the locker room there isn’t staff every inch of the school. The teachers named are the nicest people I’ve ever meet and I know they would’ve helped him if he didn’t LIE so maybe tell him that lying ain’t gonna help him. So don’t blame the staff because they obviously didn’t know he was beat up. It’s unbelievable that I was the only one that knows their facts. Comment if u agree with me ps I don’t think the bully’s are good!!

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  16. I acualy go to north high and things like this happen a lot just never this severe, I know who all those people were and there were rumors that they brought him there to talk and Chris threw the first punch.
    Chris has bad freinds but he is always so nice. It’s sad because none of what happened is shocking, it was just a matter of time.

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  17. Fire the principal and the teachers! Parents, do something with your children! They will be killing people when they grow up! And blame the victim? I am appalled! Fargo Police! Learn your jobs! You should be ashamed of yourselves!

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  18. Unfortunately this seems to be the story for most Latino’s/Hispanic’s/Mexican’s/Central American’s/ Migrants or Foreigner within the U.S. with or without an IEP/Special need’s for that matter.

    As many in the community know that for many of these individuals all they really want is to make a living for their family or self and send their children to better school’s.

    With this in mind many of these families stay quiet about these abuses because they don’t want to “ruffle anyone’s feather’s”.

    So maybe now many of the School’s Nationwide will analyze their “Cultural Sensitivity” of others.

    I hope everyone takes the time to understand Cultural Sensitivity and Love thy Neighbor without animosity.

    God Abundantly Bless You All, Amen.

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  19. This is not new. We dealt with bullying issues @ Fargo North High this year as well. They punished my daughter, the victim, as well. When Dahlen and the assistant principal failed to stop the bully, i called the district office and left a message with the superintendant asking him to call me back. The assistant superintendant called me back. I informed him what was going on, and threatened to get lawyers involved if this was not dealt with and the bully made to stop. The ONLY reason it stopped was because my daughter & her friend, who was also being bullied by tge same person, asked to speak with the school SRO. Unfortunately, North High did not have one because he was out on injury leave. So the Ben Franklin one was contacted. Fargo North has some MAJOR issues with faculty and principals failing to PROPERLY deal with bullying. Tho, in the case of this disabled kid, because he lied to the faculty & principal, they couldnt do anything because he told them the injuries happened outside of school hours! If he wouldn’t have lied, this MAY have been handled better!!!

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    • I am also a FNH parent not to mention a FNH graduate and have also seen so many issues since Dahlen became principal. I have been so disappointed in how he and the other administrators have handled several situations. My son was recently accused of harassing and making threats against another student and luckily the SRO did his due diligence and was able to prove that the accuser was lying. My son wasn’t even in school on the date in question but Dahlen was quick to want to suspend him and never had the staff check his attendance records even though my son told them he wasn’t even in school that day. Dahlen is not suitable to be in the position he is in.

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  20. So he lied! Wouldn’t you? These bullies would make it even worse for him! These bullies are darned lucky they did not kill him! Is that what it takes for this community to stand up?

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  21. Parents need to come together and have something done with this school system and these bullies. These students should not have to go to school fearing they are going to get beat. Every child has the right to education and to feel safe and if the school neglects to provide safety and education for these students, then they need to get someone in there that will provide for these students. If this were my child, I would not quit until something was done. No student should ever have to go through this and no parent should have to see their child beat like this for NO reason😡😡

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  22. What a poor job of this news crew, you shared minors names and never checked the full story!!! I have seen text messages from Christopher stating he was not only aware of the fight but also who he wanted to fight and that he would have his boys there!!

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  23. Talk shit get fucked up 😤

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  24. Chris has always been one to cause problems and lie to get his way. Earlier in the year he reported his math teacher for being ‘racist’ because he would not allow Chris to use the bathroom. The reason why he wasn’t allowed to use the bathroom is because he constantly skips class and never does his work. This is just one of many examples how Chris uses his race as an excuse. He was more than willing to fight and was well aware of what he was getting himself into. I’m not trying to defend the other kids involved but the article has the story completely wrong, they need to get both sides of the story before they make false accusations. They ALL deserved to be punished for there actions including Chris. The teachers all did there jobs and should not be punished for the delinquent acts of the students.

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  25. gay

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  26. Ya this is aids to my ear I’d say I’m friends with Chris nice kid he was on my wrestling team he knew he was fighting his fault and yorell and qadrys everyone is at fault this lady is stupid doesn’t even know what’s going on then trash’s the school making all the staff look terrible don’t ever make a podcast again if you truely don’t know the story. Dahlen is a good guy and principal he’s doing his job he’s obviously tell them to take it down it’s not because it looks bad for north but because it’s not right. And yes Chris got some wounds he’s at fault for fighting

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  27. KPPP-LP FM Radio, thank you ever so for you post.Much thanks again.

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  28. fights don’t happen for no reason it happened because he thought he was going to win or he wasn’t going to get his shit whooped. This is 2018 don’t think you could lie to school officals about what happened and thats why his dumb ass getting charged to.

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    • First off, why would you use the name “peter sem” when you know damn well you ain’t him? He’s locked up for one, so how the hell could he have written this? Plus he don’t even talk like that. You bogus 🤦🏽‍♀️

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  29. Hardly any of what she said in the podcast is correct. Not to mention she used an edited video that didn’t show Chris agreeing and encouraging the fight! And now this women is encouraging people to attack our principal who has done nothing but do his job! If you want to put something on blast make sure you have the right information! He was on the wrestling team with me and all he ever talked about was fighting. Chris is for the most part an ok kid but this time his lying has put everyone else in a rough situation. And now there is a petition to have our principal removed… and yet the people signing don’t even know what happened!!! Next time you wanna talk bad about our school get your facts straight!!!

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  30. “The students were never checked on by any staff during the attack in the locker room on Christopher.” This has to be performance art. Do you expect an adult to be posted in every locker room and bathroom on school grounds at all times? You must look at everything through a racial lens to see any racism in this occurrence. I’ve seen the videos, and Christopher is clearly not some innocent kid that was beat down by two ‘racists’ (one of which was African-American). They’re immature kids that did something stupid and they’re facing consequences for their actions. I attended North for 3 years and my sister attended it for 4 years and over the course of the seven years Andy Dahlen is and always has been a great principal. Thank God all of those bogus petitions to have him resign were shut down by the websites. This news outlet is a joke.

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