With the recent news about former MIHS teacher Curtis Johnston’s alleged relationship with a student, students are grappling with complex feelings towards the once-popular teacher. With his abrupt departure from the school district after 20 years of working at MIHS, students are stunned, especially given his affiliation with Chris Twombley, another well-known MIHS teacher who was recently fired for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student.
A common grievance among MIHS students is that the district could have done a better job communicating about the situation. “I feel like they could have addressed the situation and actually talked about it instead of giving a brief overview and then going on about the See Something, Say Something app,” said freshman Myra Tandon, referencing the school’s promotion of its See Something, Say Something program, which has often been evoked as a safeguard against predation. “I think that the students have a right to know as soon as [the information] comes out,” said senior Shelby Conway, adding that “[she felt] like there was a general consensus around the school that he was a creepy teacher.”
Many students were stunned by Johnston’s coincidental timing, which departed immediately after Twombley’s case was released to the public. “I was shocked because [Johnston] was supposed to be my teacher this year,” said junior Milo Recchi. “The school isn’t doing as much as they could and I think they’re definitely hiding some stuff from us. [Although] I think they’re handling it better now, I just wish that they would have done it without all the student pressure.”…