Houston students walk out in protest over potential loss of beloved teacher

More than a hundred students at the Houston High School walked out of class Tuesday morning to express their protest of the possible loss of a beloved Career Technical Education teacher.

Shortly before 10:20 a.m. on April 9, 2024, students began filing out of the school and into the parking lot, carrying signs asking that the school retain MaryCatherine Harmon, who has been teaching Medical CTE classes at the school since the beginning of the current school year, giving students the opportunity to explore the healthcare sector from freshman to senior year while earn certifications and “micro-credentials,” such as CPR, blood-borne pathogens and traumatic blood loss prevention.

Dr. Harmon also started an EKG certification program, which helps students prepare for the National Certification exam upon successful completion of the class.

“She is so selfless, and has given a lot of time and effort into this place. She has done a lot for all of us. We know she brought in a lot of equipment, and we now have an EKG program, and we can get certified and that’s going to help,” said senior Angel Bowers during the walkout.

“She got a lot of grant money to help with the medical programs, so we haven’t had to spend a lot of our own money to get all of the medical equipment. We want the school to keep her next year, and bring back the Medical program for next year,” said fellow senior Cheyenne Clauson.

The students say that Dr. Harmon was, "unfairly terminated" and they want the school and the district to rethink the matter and let her stay. They believe that if she leaves, the medical pathway won’t be able to find another teacher as good as her, or one who has gone above and beyond for the students, especially the athletes.

“She was there for every home game, and I didn’t see a lot of teachers doing that. She also acted as our OPA (orthopaedic physcian's assistant) at our home games if we didn’t have one, helping out if one of us got hurt. Sometimes she even helped the opposing team if they didn’t have anyone,” said Carter Seime, a senior who plays football and basketball, saying that she would help tape up his bad knee before the games For HHS.

He also credits Dr. Harmon for helping him figure out a path forward after graduation.

“Because of her help, I am going to University of Mary in North Dakota to study Physical Therapy. She really helped me with that," the senior said.

He noted that a lot of the kids won’t be going to college after graduation next month, and the impact of both teachers leaving will be felt all around the school, and hopes the school and district change their minds about not retaining her.

His mother, Melissa Seime, also praised the teacher, saying, “I think Houston deserves to have a Medical CTE teacher. She is just an amazing teacher, really overqualified with her having a PhD. She was given $300 from the school budget to start this program this year at Houston High School, and she has used her own time to get grants and fundraising to bring in over $100,000, all to give these kids better opportunities. We need more teachers like her, and they need to re-think their decision to let her go.”

She works as a nurse in the community and feels this is a very unfortunate thing to be happening to the community, especially after the school had fought hard to build a CTE program after the 2017 earthquake, which forced the reconstruction of the new school.

She supports the students walking out, walking with the students as a sign of her support to them and Dr. Harmon.

“I think this is amazing. As you can see these students have so much love for her! She has done so much for the students and athletes at this school, and now she has to finish the school year knowing she’s not coming back. It’s unfortunate.”

Many students from the welding program fear that if Dr. Harmon leaves, her husband who is also a CTE Instructor at the school will also leave.

“Most of these kids will go into the trades, become welders or electricians. If she (Dr. Harmon) leaves, he leaves. If Mr. Harmon leaves, that’s a lot of kids losing out on CTE certifications,” said Seime.

Students at the walkout were also passing around a petition in support of Dr. Harmon and asking for her reinstatement.

Principal Chad Martin, who is in his first year leading the high school and was the target of some students’ anger said he could not comment on the situation, instead deferring to the MSBSD.

“There was a student walkout at Houston High School today. It is our understanding that the walkout is related to a personnel matter. Matanuska Susitna Borough School District does not provide comment on personnel matters,” said MSBSD interim Public Information Officer Cindi Payne-Sharp through a statement.

Vicki Hewitt, President of the Mat Su Education Association, the union that oversees teachers in the district, says that Dr. Harmon was ‘non-retained’ but did not expand further.