Madras rethinks overnight Outdoor School after sending kids home

Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 3, 2022

When Madras fifth graders went to Outdoor School last month, they did not spend the night in cabins as originally planned.

Instead, students were bused to and from Camp Tamarack both Monday, Oct. 23, and Tuesday Oct. 24, a two-and-half hour, 130-mile round trip.

The Culver school pulled its sixth grade students out of Outdoor School Oct. 17 because some students were uncomfortable staying in cabins with non-binary high school counselors.

Through Culver’s action, Jefferson County School District administrators learned that high school students, not adults, supervise overnight in the cabins at the camp.

“We contacted Camp Tamarack’s director after first learning about Culver School District leaving the camp. We appreciated that collaboration with the camp,” said 509-J Communications Director Joey Prechtl. “Our decision to attend day programming only earlier this week is based on our concern that adults are not supervising children in the overnight setting.”

High school students supervising cabins is nothing new. It’s common in most Oregon Outdoor School settings.

Camp Tamarack’s Executive Director Charlie Anderson says the high school students have stayed in cabins since the program began eight years ago.

“High school students have volunteered at Outdoor School since 2014 and their role and responsibilities have been similar since that time.”

While Culver School District took issue with students dressing and sleeping in the same cabin with non-binary counselors, Jefferson County Schools insist the issue of students not spending the night had nothing to do with the sexual orientation or gender identity of the high school counselors.

“We believe it’s wise to have adult supervision of elementary children in overnight settings,” said Prechtl. “We are committed to being a place where all students flourish. That is inclusive of all gender identities. All of our students deserve an environment that is safe and nurturing.”

Administration at Camp Tamarack said they didn’t know Culver intended to pull students from Outdoor School until the buses arrived to bring them home.

A Camp Tamarack social media post indicates that Culver students cried about leaving camp and chanted, “We want to stay!”

Culver Superintendent Stefanie Garber did not elaborate on student response to being brought back from camp.

Camp Tamarack emphasizes the camp provides private changing areas for every student and students do not shower at Outdoor School.

“What was an opportunity for understanding, respect, belonging, inclusion, compassion and so many other important values was turned into an abrupt, divisive and negative experience for many,” said Anderson, the camp director. “We feel for the students, leaders and all others who were caught in the middle of this. It included misinformation being spread about what the campers’ experience would look like.”

Jefferson County School District says it’s too early to say whether its students will spend the night at Outdoor School in future years.

“We will be exploring the possibility of adult supervision in overnight settings,” said Prechtl.

In the wake of the Camp Tamarack pullout, Supt. Garber promises sixth grade Culver students will have an Outdoor School experience in the spring, but it might not be at Camp Tamarack, which is full for the year.

While many parents at Culver congratulated Garber for “protecting their children,” Anderson expressed concern for the non-binary counselors who volunteer for the program.

“I feel deeply for the high school students (also kids),” said Anderson, “who were singled out because of their identity.”

At the time of the incident, Anderson considered the students’ abrupt departure a missed opportunity for meaningful conversation.

So, about two weeks after the break, Anderson, Garber and Culver Middle School Principal Brad Kudlac got together on a video phone call.

“We both felt we needed to come together and remove the ‘us versus them’ theme,” said Garber.

Their meeting resulted in a one-page joint statement. One of the final paragraphs distilled the action points for both the school and the camp.

•”We will all work to respect the values and identities of the people who participate in Outdoor School.

•We will all work to make sure we are communicating with families before their students leave for camp so that they can make an informed decision about their child’s participation in Outdoor School.

•Additionally, we will continue to work to recruit more high school student leaders from Culver High School — how great would that be?!

•We will all work to show that we can come together, even when we have differences, in a way that is respectful, attentive, and willing to be sensitive and solution-oriented.”

Regarding communication, Camp Tamarack’s current letter to parents says “Camp Tamarack does not discriminate in the recruitment of staff or high school volunteers on the basis of race, religion, sex, color, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, national or ethnic origin.”

Anderson says Camp Tamarack will make sure these policies are clearly communicated so parents can decide whether they want their child to participate in Outdoor School.

One point made clear in the letter: students do not shower at Outdoor School and private changing areas are available for everyone.

The statement closes with this: “Importantly, we believe in the inspirational power of the outdoors to break down barriers, foster connections, and create spaces where we can learn from each other and grow as individuals and a community.”

Garber has promised Culver sixth graders the district will provide them an Outdoor School experience in the spring.

“Camp Tamarack is full for the year, we will not be able to attend their camp,” Garber said, “but we will find another camp to go to.”