KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
—
The mother of the child involved in a recent incident where a Blue Valley School District teacher was fired wrote a letter of support to the school board asking the district to bring the teacher back.
The board fired Barbara Hart, a kindergarten teacher at Sunset Ridge Elementary School with more than 25 years in the district, after she allegedly violated a policy regarding the physical restraint of students.
While the district didn’t detail the incident, KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva spoke with concerned parents on what they heard.
“It was a special needs child who was in the hallway, having an episode — or in a loop, as they call it — and he was on the ground,” said Michael Hanna, whose two children were Hart's students in previous years. “She wanted to get him into a safe space, maybe somewhere he felt more comfortable. To do that, he had to be moved — and he wasn’t doing that on his own. So he needed a little bit of help.”
KSHB 41 obtained a copy of the letter the mother of the child wrote to the school board:
“I am here to support Mrs. Hart. This is my child's first semester at Kindergarten, and we're very grateful that we have Mrs. Hart. She is a very loving, caring, and passionate person to her students; we can tell that from the details in her feedback. 25 years of teaching experience have shaped her to be one of a kind. To be frank, 25 years, to any person, means more than a job; she has loyalty, and she must love it strongly.
"I hope that Blue Valley School District takes it seriously to get Mrs. Hart back. It's easy to terminate an employee, but we need to look at the full picture. Nobody is perfect and can please everyone, but she tries her best to make everything work. A replacement can be found, but a good teacher is hard to get.
"Respectfully,
"Parent of the Child involved”
Parents told KSHB 41 what led to the firing was unfair.
“What I think Barb did was handle the situation with love and compassion,” said Kelley Kilian, a former district educator who met Hart through parent-volunteer programs.
The district claimed Hart violated Policy 3522. Known as Emergency Safety Interventions (ESI), this is what determines the use of seclusion and physical restraint.
The policy reads, "District personnel may use seclusion and/or physical restraint only when less restrictive alternatives were determined by a school employee to be inappropriate or ineffective, and when a student's behavior presents an immediate danger to self or others."
Parents said this policy is outdated.
“When you work with kids, there’s no black and white — every child is different,” Kilian said.
KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva obtained this statement from Hart on Friday:
“I can't thank you enough for your interest in my story, and for allowing the community to be heard in support of me and the many teachers who have reached out and said it could have been them.
"I miss my students deeply and I truly appreciate each and every individual who has supported me and spoken on my behalf.
This has sparked meaningful conversations that absolutely need to continue.”
BVSD also issued a statement, which reads:
“Blue Valley Schools understands that this personnel matter feels close for many in the school community. Personnel decisions are carefully reviewed to ensure alignment with board policy, applicable law and the rights of all individuals involved. Out of respect for all involved and in accordance with the law, we are not able to share additional details. Our focus remains on supporting our students, staff and school communities while maintaining the confidentiality and dignity that situations like this require, while upholding the community’s high expectations of our schools.”
Parent Shelley Hanna said she's not alone in wanting to see Hart return.
“She is by far the best teacher my kids have had," she said. "The community just loves her, and we want her back."
Hanna started a fundraiser to support Hart’s family, which has raised more than $20,000.
There’s also an online petition calling for Hart’s reinstatement, which has gathered more than 2,500 signatures.
—
