A group of Sewickley Academy students who were turned away when they tried to deliver a petition demanding changes at the private school protested outside of the building on Friday morning. Some 60 students, parents and supporters of the group CARES — Collective Action for Representative Education at Sewickley — assembled outside the school along Academy Lane in Edgeworth, carrying signs expressing the concerns they have about the school’s environment. "We do not feel safe in our school or heard by the administration,” said Georgia Cox, a member of CARES. "We chose to create a petition because we wanted to give administration the time to fairly respond to our demands.” Efforts by the group’s members to deliver the petition outlining their demands, which was signed by 110 students, turned chaotic on Thursday. Susan Cox, who accompanied her daughter Georgia and other group members when they tried to meet Head of School Ashley Birtwell and deliver the petition, said officials responded by berating them and calling the police. In a letter released Thursday night, Birtwell said the group of 25-30 people who came to her office Thursday "refused to cooperate, and their disorderly conduct escalated. As a precaution, police were called to maintain order and ensure everyone’s safety.” The letter said Thursday’s actions by students were "not reflective of the Academy and our core values.” School officials also canceled classes Friday at the senior school in response to the incident. Senior Madeleine Wren said canceling classes is part of the school’s strategy to silence students. "You shut down classes at the high school today in a clear effort to cancel our plans to walk out peacefully and protest this unsafe environment,” she said. "This administration has systemically sidelined progress toward diversity, equality, inclusion and social justice; created a school culture of fear and refused to listen to the concerns of students and parents of color since there was a regime change over the summer.” A spokeswoman for the school said on Friday that Birtwell and the administration do not oppose the students’ right to express their views publicly. "We support the students in their walkout and a number of our staff joined them outside today,” said Jennifer Donovan, the school’s communications manager. "And there will be no consequences for any students who participated in the walkout.” The regime change to which Wren referred involved the departure last year of former head of school Kolia O’Connor, along with multiple administrators. The positions included Head of Lower School Ryan Baxter; Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice & Service Learning LaVern Burton; Head of Senior School Peter Lau; Director of Teaching & Learning Ben Scoville; Director of Admissions & Financial Aid Douglas Leek; and fifth-grade teacher Brandi Lawrence. Wren also balked at the administration’s characterization of Thursday’s incident. "They said we violated the spirit of their core values,” she said. "We ask you, if peacefully speaking out against abuses by members of the administration and censorship of students violates their core values, then how can this school be safe for any child?” CARES member Madison Martin said the makeup of the nearly 60 people who turned out for Friday’s protest shows that the group’s effort to change the school’s environment has wide support. "It says something when you look at this crowd and see people of different backgrounds, races, religions and socioeconomic classes together,” she said. "This is not just a Black student thing, this is not just a Native American student thing. This is an all-student issue - a matter that affects every student.” The letter Birtwell sent out said the district has always been open to listening to students. "Please know that at Sewickley Academy, we have always encouraged our community to voice their ideas and help take our learning to new heights,” the letter said. "However, such initiatives must be done in a constructive and inclusive manner.” Lisa Wren, who also accompanied her daughter when they tried to meet with school officials on Thursday, said tensions in the school have been "building” since the so-called "regime change.” "The kids gave it time to see if the situation would stabilize and get better,” she said. "They’ve been very patient during this school year and communicating with teachers and the administration about the changes they say that needed to be made.” But, she said, the school has only given lip service to addressing the concerns raised by students. "No changes have been made,” she said. "There’s been statements affirming the school’s support. But the students didn’t feel that there were any changes occurring.” Wren said the students who tried to meet with school officials on Thursday "were so polite and well-spoken and respectful,” though she concedes that their attempts to meet with the head of school "got heated at times.” She said one of the most "shocking” things that occurred during Thursday’s incident was the firing of a teacher who attempted to comfort a student. She said the administrator, who was not named, "stormed in and really started to take aggressive action that led to firing a teacher, one of the most beloved teachers in the school, and calling the police on students.” "It was devastating to see kids treated like this,” Wren said. "I couldn’t believe it.” The petition signed by the students asks that: • The school conduct a widespread national search for a permanent Diversity, Equity, Inclusively and Social Justice Director, as recommended by the school’s DEI task force. • That the board of trustees hosts monthly meetings open to students, teachers and parents. • The removal of restrictions on free speech off-campus that is critical of the school or "that damages the reputation of the school,” a reference to a line in the 2021-‘22 Sewickley Academy Student & Family Handbook. • That teachers "must be allowed to share any personal information at their will.” • That students must be allowed to bring an advocate of their choice (a parent, teacher, etc.) when required to meet with the administration. Tony LaRussa is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tony at 724-772-6368, tlarussa@triblive.com or via Twitter . 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