Mr. Allen's Fans

On my first day of school at DASH i was sitting in the car and Mr .Allen said, "don't worry everything is going to be fine." That made me have confidence and i don't know if I would have friends if hadn't said that to me. If he impact a girl that hasn't even been here for a full year how do you think that makes other people feel that have been here for a log time.

Happy Thanksgiving Mr. Allen!!! We haven't forgotten you!! We will keep fighting for you!! I am thankful for all you've done for Duchesne. Looking forward to seeing you soon!!

To Janda Family - If the parents were running the school, Mr. Allen would be back by now. Asking not to have people we know and care about taken from us without explanation is not the same as staging a coup.

The comment was from Melisa, Gary, Melanie, Gwendolyn, & Garrett janda not the whole entire Janda Family!! Sorry for any misinterpretation this may have caused, but we love you Allen and have been at Duchesne since 2006!

This is out of control with parents running the school!!! This has gone too far!!! Firing a man that helps these young women at Duchesne!!! Looks like Duchesne is going down the drain a very bad reputation!!!!

Actually, Tony Sonesta, those who pay significant tuitions (and therefore are customers if the school) should be given the respect of transparency and open communication. Staff at DASH deserves support and fairness. See Sacred Heart goal 4. Asking for information from the Board and Administration is being responsible. And, please keep your personal attacks to yourself and out of this public forum. They are in bad taste and not relevant to the substantive issues that have 1,700+ people's attention!

We always loved Mr. Allen. There must have been a misunderstanding.

We should all be on the same page. We want what's best for the school for both the staff & students. The staff shouldn't have to be scared everyday when the walk through those doors whether or not they will have a job by the end of the day and the families shouldn't have to worry about the safety of their students. There are still lots of unanswered questions, so during this time, we need to stand together and pray for the school, administration, faculty & staff and above all what makes this all possible the girls and their families. Pray we can all find out Sacred Hearts and a solution can be found that will make us all a but happier and less afraid. Thanksgiving Blessings to all.

A number of people have expressed concern that the "old Duchesne" they knew and loved has changed forever. If they had returned to find Mr. Allen gone from his post with nary a peep, then there would have been cause for alarm. The current outcry is very much a sign of the health of the student/alum/parent community. The administration and the Board of Trustees are the current caretakers of Duchesne, but they are not "The School." Duchesne has deep roots in the broader community of the Sacred Heart. Our girls are secure in the knowledge that they are part of a worldwide collective that shares the same goals and values. We teach our students to fight injustice wherever they see it. Is it possible that no injustice has occurred here? To neither Mr. Allen nor Mrs. Gleaves? To the school community? Maybe, but without making some noise we will never find out. If we do not call out the administration on its obfuscation, we send the message that it's ok, that we don't expect or deserve forthright and transparent communication, that we are content to be sheep. Some people watching from outside may be confused about these Goals. For them, and to remind ourselves, I have posted the Five Goals of the Sacred Heart complete with their Criteria. GOAL ONE Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a personal and active faith in God. •Rooted in the love of Jesus Christ, the school promotes a personal relationship with God and fosters the spiritual lives of its members. •The school seeks to form its students in the attitudes of the heart of Jesus expressed in respect, compassion, forgiveness and generosity. •The entire school program explores one's relationship to God, to self, to others, and to all creation. •Opening themselves to the transforming power of the Spirit of God, members of the school community engage in personal and communal prayer, reflection and action. •The entire school program affirms that there is meaning and value in lif

Thank you for clarifying the real issues here!! Shaming people for speaking out will get us nowhere but rather feed the fear which begets sickness , powerlessness and more sadness. Please remember no one is more righteous than another we just think we are .

I respectfully disagree with earlier posts. I understand the truth can be uncomfortable sometimes, but if no one had spoken up to begin with would we even know Mr. Allen was gone before it was too late??? Would it be a repeat of Mrs. Gleaves? Would additional steps have been taken to prevent his return? Did I miss the email asking for input from the community or providing any other forum for discussion?? So...here we are. For those voicing their concerns, please be assured that merely having a negative reaction to events and questioning those responsible is not the equivalent of cyber-bullying. For those chastising others for posting anonymously, perhaps put yourself in their shoes. It's clearly necessary for some and that is incredibly sad!! This is a community finally standing up for itself and for others so easily dismissed by this administration. They are sharing grievances OF WHICH WE SHOULD ALL BE AWARE. They are praying and soliciting calls to action. They are analyzing the facts and demanding proper answers. I would be encouraging the girls to speak about the pressing issues surrounding our school rather than avoid them. These are, in fact, Sacred Heart values and the result of a Sacred Heart education. I'd rather openly address uncomfortable truths than sit oblivious in the dark. #BRINGBACKMRALLEN

I so agree with you about negativity darlin girl. Had no idea this was going to be a forum for such negativity. But many only think they can say how they really feel anonymously due to insecurity. You and I have the privilege of not worrying about that no matter who comes after us. At the end of the day this was the way to get Alan back to Duchesne where he belongs. If other issues were uncovered that is on the Board and Patricia Swenson to be transparent and open to the community they serve. If they are blameless the Holy Spirit and our Saints will be present in their words. If not then there is another conversation that needs to happen. You cannot let Alan be dismissed without explanation or cause and certainly not without hearing his innocent response which both I and the administration and board member heard. Please know my belief in our Sacred Heart values of Courage and Confidence have been my daily prayer. The sadness is the silence concerning what we all want, our Alan back at Duchesne where he belongs! All other issues are clearly in the need of serious response from the Head of School and the Board of Trustees. How sad it has come to this. Not Sacred Heart. Not Duchesne.

# bring Allen back

I was PA President of Duchesne last year. I am also an alumna of Duchesne and I have two girls in middle school here. I love this school. I do not know what the underlying facts are involving the Mr. Allen situation. I have always regarded Mr. Allen as a beloved Duchesne institution, much as I think of so many of the other truly special teachers who make Duchesne such a wonderful, loving place. I care a lot about Mr. Allen. The outpouring of support for him is amazing. I miss seeing him every day. I feel compelled to write now, not about Mr. Allen, but about how this public forum has been the subject not just of love for Mr. Allen but of hate for the school and the administration. This is where our girls go to school. This is where we are trying to teach them how to disagree without being disagreeable. We, as parents, spend enormous amounts of time talking with our girls about appropriate use of social media. Some years ago, a middle schooler set up an account for the sole purpose of disparaging another student. Parents and administration were rightly horrified. Each time I open this petition I am so saddened to see adults hiding behind anonymity using open social media to disparage the character of another member of our Sacred Heart Community. Fellow alums, the girls are looking at this website. I am so saddened that they may conclude character assassination and arguably cyber-bullying is how our adult community solves problems. There is nothing about this situation that compels the conclusion that the administration and the board are not genuinely doing what they believe is in the best interest of all involved. I have not spoken with Patricia Swenson at all, about anything since these events unfolded, but my experience with her last year is that she always exercises common sense and competence in everything she does. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is capable of making mistakes. But she deserves the benefit of the doubt. I, too, am

Just a few words to all of you creating such an uproar. I understand that we all want to express frustrations but as a Duchesne student we were taught differently. To express all this negative comments in public is just not the Sacred Heart way of doing things. I can understand it from people who have not had the privilege of receiving a Sacred Heart education. It is shame to see teachers that we respected and admired lack critical thinking and manners. Find positive and constructive ways of helping others, be an example to the next generation.

...And who is this Tony Sonesta anyways? Looked him up and nobody knows who he is, all I know is that he is very vulgar to be related to Duchesne in anyway, shape of form. Is very clear he has no idea of the culture of our school and its values.

This man poured his heart out to the school and watched over our girls! He also knew every parent and that speaks volumes!

How long has this security company been contracted with Duchesne? When and why was the former company replaced? How many different security companies has Duchesne had since it outsourced security? It only seems like 4-5 years since security was outsourced; shy the turnover with security companies?

Let us show our Sacred Heart Spirit and, with all sincerity, pray for Tony. Lord, please grant Tony the wisdom to understand that it has never just been about some minor legal employer issue but the reckless disregard for the DASH community and actions inconsistent with our goals; that his summary of the "firestorm" vastly underestimates the intelligence of the Duchesne parents, alums and students; and that we may need to undergo this arduous process in order to be better tomorrow. Lord, please grant Tony the sensitivity to understand that the faculty and staff are afraid; that while he has been catered to and reaped the benefits of his position, the majority of us are ignored and unvalued and we're tired of it; that when respected faculty and staff are treated reprehensibly and those actions are swept under the rug no one feels safe to have freedom of expression - he has a luxury others do not. Lord, please allow Tony to see the impropriety of his own name calling/cyber bullying/untruths-spoken-out-of-anger and refrain therefrom realizing that he too may be ignorant of ongoings behind the scenes. Lord hear our prayer. Aside from praying for him, please refrain from responding to his post as it was likely meant to invite a negative reaction and change our focus.

yes that is why when she retired they honored her with a Plaque on Mater for her service to the school!!