Hello Jennifer Bahr1,
Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Community.
We understand how important this settings is for your device.
Just to confirm, were you trying to select an option in the Startup settings on Windows recovery menu? (See photo below for reference)
If yes, have you tried tapping the option on the screen instead? Your Surface device has touch screen functionality, you might want to try it. Otherwise, try using the volume buttons as well.
Let us know how it goes. We look forward to your response.
Regards,
StevenK