The past few months have been tumultuous for the Gresham-Barlow School District. Growing concerns about the safety of Gresham High School culminated in a vote of no confidence in Principal Erika Whitlock and the district leadership last spring. The situation reached a boiling point when a student was arrested for bringing a gun to school after threatening a community member with it. The backlash to the administration’s handling of the incident was severe, and hardly a month later, Principal Erika Whitlock tendered her resignation.
Understanding exactly what happened on Friday, September 20th, is somewhat difficult due to conflicting information, and a general lack of verifiable facts from first hand sources. The following timeline is derived mostly from the official timeline provided by the school district on October 4th. It should be noted that members of Gresham High faculty, and the Gresham Student’s Union have challenged this series of events, and a report from KATU News released the same day as the district’s announcement highlighted minor inconsistencies between the district’s timeline and the one provided by Gresham Police. When asked about the different accounts of the day, Principal Whitlock maintained that the district timeline is the correct one, noting that the times given are based on CCTV footage and cell phone records.
Around 9:00 a.m. a Gresham student threatened a pedestrian at a MAX station near the school with a gun before going towards the building. The district says that it was not made aware of the situation until 10:39 a.m. when the person who had been threatened came to the school to inform administrators that they believed an armed student was in the building and provided a rough description of the student. Over the next half hour, Principal Whitlock informed the district office about the situation, and admin confirmed the identity and location of the student. The student was removed from class by faculty and brought to the front office at around 11:20 a.m. The principal called 911 around 11:30, and police arrived within ten minutes. When officers questioned the student, they quickly confessed and handed over the weapon, a 9mm handgun with a full magazine and a round in the chamber, before being taken into custody.
An all-school assembly was held the morning of the 20th, but Principal Whitlock has said that, contrary to what has been reported by the media, security camera footage shows that the student was out of the building at the time.
A message to staff and students’ families informing them that a student with a weapon had been apprehended was sent out around 12:45 p.m., the first time many were made aware that it had happened. Many in the community were immediately outraged by the administration’s handling of the incident, arguing that the response was too slow and endangered students and staff.
At a school board meeting held on October 2nd, students, parents, and teachers voiced their concerns about the safety of the school. Of particular concern to those who spoke at the meeting was the admin’s decision not to contact the police until the student had already been confronted by staff, nearly an hour after the school had been informed that an armed student was somewhere in the building. When asked why she waited to call the police until after the student had been pulled from class by campus monitors, Principal Whitlock said, “The report was made to me at 10:39 a.m. See the timeline for us identifying and locating the student, who at this point did not fully meet the description given by the community member, but was a person of interest.”
The administration was also criticized for not declaring a lockdown or sufficiently informing teachers during the incident. Mark Adamski, the social studies teacher whose classroom the armed student was removed from on the morning of the 20th, provided his side of the story and went on to criticize the handling of the incident, saying, “They let a known student with a weapon walk through my class, filled with students, and the police hadn’t even been called or consulted yet.” He urged the board not to trust the administration’s timeline of events, saying, “It’s not enough for you to accept the version of events provided to you by the administrators you hired. You accept that version at your own peril.” He also made clear that the Gresham Barlow Education Association’s vote of no confidence in Principal Whitlock and district leadership made last April still stands.
Students Elizabeth Westbrook and Robin Moran, the co-founders of the Gresham Highschool Student Union, both delivered statements condemning the administration’s response to the situation and the state of the district more broadly; Moran went so far as to compare the current administration to the United States under the Articles of Confederation in the late 18th century, suggesting that a response similar in scope to the adoption of the Constitution would be required to set the district back on course. In her statement, Westbrook called for students and parents to join the Student Union in a walkout the next day.
At the end of the meeting, Superintendent James Hiu read a statement extending his thanks to the administration “for their work to swiftly identify the student and take the student to a secure location. Thanks to their courage and commitment, we were able to avert a very challenging situation and a possible tragedy.” The district’s acknowledgment of the criticism against it was, until recently, quite sparse, a fact that seemed to further the divide between the district and those speaking out against it.
The aforementioned Student Union-led walkout saw a large procession of students and parents march down Division Street to protest in front of the district headquarters on October 3rd. Protestors called for the replacement of Principal Whitlock, and that measures be taken to safeguard against future incidents.
A mere six days later, on October 9th, the school was put into Hold, meaning that all doors are locked while classes continue inside, when an irate man began pounding on the front doors, demanding a meeting with Principal Whitlock. When he was denied entry, the man allegedly said he would return with a gun and “shoot the place up.” Perhaps most baffling of all is the fact that the man was identified as the community member who had originally warned administrators about the armed student on September 20th. As of yet, no further details have been released regarding the man or his possible intentions.
In a surprising turn of events, Principal Whitlock announced on the afternoon of October 23rd that she would be stepping down from her role. In a letter, she explained that “the underlying tensions impacting our school cannot be resolved with me as its principal.” Two days later the district announced that Ted Zehr, the former Executive Director of Secondary Schools for the Hillsboro School District, would be taking Whitlock’s place as the interim principal of Gresham. The district says it will begin the process of deciding Gresham’s new permanent principal in January.
The future of Gresham High School, and the district as a whole, remains uncertain. With the recent shake ups in leadership, it’s unclear what direction the district will take.
UPDATE: RESIGNATION
Principal Whitlock’s Message, GBSD Response
Principal Whitlock’s Message to GHS Staff, Students, and Families
October 23, 2024
Dear Gresham High School Community,
It is with both a heavy heart and hope for our school community that I submit my resignation as principal of Gresham High School. After thoughtful consideration, it is in the best interest of both myself and the school community for me to step aside and allow for a new chapter of leadership.
Over the past three years, I have dedicated myself to building a school culture that prioritizes academic excellence and the well-being and safety of all students and educators. We have made incredible strides this year, from reducing tardiness and increasing adult presence to tackling safety challenges head-on with the support of the district office.
However, the events of the past several weeks, following the incident on September 20, have revealed a deep level of division within parts of our school community. The situation has brought significant tension and emotional strain, both for me and for my family. I have worked diligently to lead through these challenges. That said, the underlying tensions impacting our school cannot be resolved with me as its principal.
Moving forward, I know the District will continue to demonstrate its holistic commitment to doing what is best for everyone involved. I stand by district leaders as they continue the vital work of maintaining a safe and supportive school environment.
I will remain in my role until November 8, 2024, to ensure a smooth and orderly transition. I will work closely with the incoming leader to support our school’s continued success.
It is my hope that Gresham High School will continue to grow and flourish in the years to come.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve this community.
Sincerely,
Erika Beddoe Whitlock
Principal
Message from GBSD on principal’s resignation, next steps
Dear Gresham High School Community,
The Gresham-Barlow School District (GBSD) respects and understands Principal Whitlock’s decision to resign as Gresham High School’s (GHS) principal.
Over the past three years, Principal Whitlock has worked with care and professionalism to make strides in supporting students during her tenure. We will work closely with her during the transition period to ensure that the school — and its students, families, and staff — can heal and thrive.
Safety remains our top priority, and we will continue to follow the rigorous safety protocols established to maintain a safe school environment at GHS.
Looking ahead, we recognize that GHS’s success depends not only on administrative leadership but also on ongoing collaboration, constructive dialogue, and mutual respect.
As we prepare to welcome a new interim principal, we invite the school community and its various points of view to come together like never before, working to heal and problem-solve.
We are confident that we can create a new path forward to navigate this transition with attention to ongoing safety conversations and creating a school climate that supports our students.
We thank Principal Whitlock for her service and dedication and look forward to Gresham High School’s continued success.
Sincerely,
Gresham-Barlow School District
