March 20, 2019 at 10:02PM
Editor, Webster County Citizen:
As a junior at Seymour High School, I am writing for my voice to be heard.
My discussion is not about the controversial case that has flooded the Webster County Citizen for over a year now, but more about the school environment throughout my time at SHS and my disappointment of the direction it is headed. I do want to say that I fully support Mrs. Rahder and respect her as a human being, a teacher, a cheer coach, a mentor, a mother and someone who has stood up for me personally.
As a 17-year-old who is about to enter adulthood this year, it is disappointing to see that many adults around this community are slandering her name and saying brutal things about a person that many of my peers, including myself, look up to every single day. I am disgusted by the comments on all forms of media, for this is not what adults are supposed to be teaching the younger generations. To know that most of these people have not even met this woman also disgusts me because she has now been let go for reasons that which I do not know and can only assume at this point. With the decisions being made, we are showing girls and women that just because they are beautiful, successful, or even an outsider, they cannot stand up for themselves or others without being slandered and punished. It is a shock. A total shock to all of us who love her with all our hearts. Some may disagree with this, and that is okay, but I would like everyone to at least try to see my perspective as an active member in the school who wants to change it for the better.
I entered high school in 2016 with the highest of expectations; however, I quickly realized that it was the exact opposite of what I had imagined. There was zero school spirit or motivation that year which struck me. The cheerleaders were not supported like I thought they were; we were made fun of a lot that year. I had Mrs. Rahder as a freshman for English I, and she did nothing but support her students.
She has always said, "You guys are the reason I love what I do."
Since the first day I stepped into her classroom, I have always thought of Mrs. Rahder as a strong, successful woman. She has pushed me to become a better student, cheerleader, friend and most importantly, stand up for myself. I have always wanted to impact the school in the ways I could by being a good role model — getting good grades, trying to uplift others, cheerleading and supporting my teammates.
Things during my sophomore year changed a lot. I felt as though Mrs. Rahder, now being "Coach Rahder," we had a chance at changing the name for Seymour High. I noticed that our cheer squad was finally receiving some respect and acknowledgment for the hard work we were putting in, inside and outside of the gym. More students were getting involved during events and seemed more excited than the year prior.
As I entered my junior year, many things were already different.
It was like a breath of fresh air walking into school on August 16, 2018, and seeing Mr. Duey's face as our new principal. In the hallway, the cheerleaders hung a "Welcome Back!" sign that which Mrs. Rahder gathered all of us during our busy summer to paint in hopes it would excite people as they returned to school. Her dedication in ensuring the students here feel excited and motivated is one of the many reasons why Seymour High School needs her.
As a staff member of the 2018-19 yearbook, I have the job of making sure our school's yearbook is filled with touching memories, pictures and stories that people will one day look back on. At the beginning of the year, we decided our theme should be "Turn the Page," meaning we are turning the page to a positive new chapter for Seymour Schools. Now, I feel as though we aren't living up to that. Instead, the decision to rid our school of such a positive influence is forcing us to "turn the page" in a negative way. We are getting rid of teachers who truly want to make a difference here.
A few weeks ago, before the decision to not renew her contract, I was working on the cheer spread and thought a quote from Mrs. Rahder would be a great benefit to the page. I asked her to write about her job as a coach and how she felt about the squad. She asked me how long it should be, and I told her that a couple sentences would be just fine. A few days later she presented me with a paragraph that would soon sound like a goodbye rather than a thank you. This is what she had to say:
"When I first thought of being a coach, I thought, 'No problem. I was a cheerleader. I can do this. How hard can it be?' I never once thought about the responsibilities, the connections, the relationships I would form. Being a coach has been one of the highlights of my life. I don't HAVE to coach, I GET to coach. I am allowed to spend hours with the very people that make me a better person. I love what I do, and spending it with you all has been a blessing. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life." — Coach Cathy Rahder.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this. I hope you understand that she is not the woman the media and others have portrayed her to be.
Editor, Webster County Citizen:
As a junior at Seymour High School, I am writing for my voice to be heard.
My discussion is not about the controversial case that has flooded the Webster County Citizen for over a year now, but more about the school environment throughout my time at SHS and my disappointment of the direction it is headed. I do want to say that I fully support Mrs. Rahder and respect her as a human being, a teacher, a cheer coach, a mentor, a mother and someone who has stood up for me personally.
As a 17-year-old who is about to enter adulthood this year, it is disappointing to see that many adults around this community are slandering her name and saying brutal things about a person that many of my peers, including myself, look up to every single day. I am disgusted by the comments on all forms of media, for this is not what adults are supposed to be teaching the younger generations. To know that most of these people have not even met this woman also disgusts me because she has now been let go for reasons that which I do not know and can only assume at this point. With the decisions being made, we are showing girls and women that just because they are beautiful, successful, or even an outsider, they cannot stand up for themselves or others without being slandered and punished. It is a shock. A total shock to all of us who love her with all our hearts. Some may disagree with this, and that is okay, but I would like everyone to at least try to see my perspective as an active member in the school who wants to change it for the better.
I entered high school in 2016 with the highest of expectations; however, I quickly realized that it was the exact opposite of what I had imagined. There was zero school spirit or motivation that year which struck me. The cheerleaders were not supported like I thought they were; we were made fun of a lot that year. I had Mrs. Rahder as a freshman for English I, and she did nothing but support her students.
She has always said, "You guys are the reason I love what I do."
Since the first day I stepped into her classroom, I have always thought of Mrs. Rahder as a strong, successful woman. She has pushed me to become a better student, cheerleader, friend and most importantly, stand up for myself. I have always wanted to impact the school in the ways I could by being a good role model — getting good grades, trying to uplift others, cheerleading and supporting my teammates.
Things during my sophomore year changed a lot. I felt as though Mrs. Rahder, now being "Coach Rahder," we had a chance at changing the name for Seymour High. I noticed that our cheer squad was finally receiving some respect and acknowledgment for the hard work we were putting in, inside and outside of the gym. More students were getting involved during events and seemed more excited than the year prior.
As I entered my junior year, many things were already different.
It was like a breath of fresh air walking into school on August 16, 2018, and seeing Mr. Duey's face as our new principal. In the hallway, the cheerleaders hung a "Welcome Back!" sign that which Mrs. Rahder gathered all of us during our busy summer to paint in hopes it would excite people as they returned to school. Her dedication in ensuring the students here feel excited and motivated is one of the many reasons why Seymour High School needs her.
As a staff member of the 2018-19 yearbook, I have the job of making sure our school's yearbook is filled with touching memories, pictures and stories that people will one day look back on. At the beginning of the year, we decided our theme should be "Turn the Page," meaning we are turning the page to a positive new chapter for Seymour Schools. Now, I feel as though we aren't living up to that. Instead, the decision to rid our school of such a positive influence is forcing us to "turn the page" in a negative way. We are getting rid of teachers who truly want to make a difference here.
A few weeks ago, before the decision to not renew her contract, I was working on the cheer spread and thought a quote from Mrs. Rahder would be a great benefit to the page. I asked her to write about her job as a coach and how she felt about the squad. She asked me how long it should be, and I told her that a couple sentences would be just fine. A few days later she presented me with a paragraph that would soon sound like a goodbye rather than a thank you. This is what she had to say:
"When I first thought of being a coach, I thought, 'No problem. I was a cheerleader. I can do this. How hard can it be?' I never once thought about the responsibilities, the connections, the relationships I would form. Being a coach has been one of the highlights of my life. I don't HAVE to coach, I GET to coach. I am allowed to spend hours with the very people that make me a better person. I love what I do, and spending it with you all has been a blessing. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life." — Coach Cathy Rahder.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this. I hope you understand that she is not the woman the media and others have portrayed her to be.