UPDATE, Feb. 24 | Olathe police report an 18-year-old female was also taken into custody following the investigation into the altercation.
A 17-year-old male was arrested Friday.
Additionally, two males, ages 15 and 17, were cited and released.
"At this time, the Olathe Police Department has contacted all individuals involved in the physical disturbance," police said in an update Tuesday.
ORIGINAL REPORT | Police in Olathe arrested a juvenile Feb. 20 after an altercation broke out during a student protest near Olathe Northwest High School.
The initial call came in around 2:07 p.m. for a physical disturbance near College Boulevard and South Lone Elm Road in Olathe, Kansas, per a press release from the Olathe Police Department.
Olathe Northwest High School shared information on Feb. 19 of a student-organized walkout, but the school was unaware of a separate student demonstration planned for the same time, Olathe Public Schools said.
OPD officers and the school district’s Safety Services staff stabilized the off-campus incident, and OPD took one 17-year-old male juvenile into custody.
Four students were injured during the fight, according to Olathe police.
Olathe Northwest principal Chris Zuck said in an email to families and staff that student demonstrations, such as these walkouts, are not sponsored, endorsed or organized by staff, the school or the district.
“As educators, we remain politically neutral. We believe a student’s constitutional right to participate in a walkout is equal to another student’s constitutional right not to participate,” Zuck continued in an email.
While addressing students in an email, Zuck also said violence will not be tolerated and will result in serious consequences.
School officials continue to work closely with law enforcement to identify students involved, as police continue to investigate the case.
Olathe School District Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager also released a statement Monday about the incident.
Olathe Parents and Guardians,
As many of you are aware, we have seen several student-organized walkouts at both the middle and high school level over the past couple of weeks related to current events. Most recently, you may have seen a video circulating on social media of an altercation between students that occurred off campus during Olathe Northwest’s student-organized walkout on Friday, Feb. 20. Given the continued occurrence of these student-organized walkouts and considering the safety concerns raised by the latest student-led event, I felt it was important that you hear from me directly with clarification regarding student voice and our expectations around peaceful demonstrations as a school district.
Information about Student-Organized Walkouts: We recognize students’ constitutional right to engage in peaceful expression. As affirmed by the United States Supreme Court, students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” When students choose to participate in peaceful demonstrations of any kind, we are required to operate within those legal parameters. This is not an endorsement of any viewpoint, but adherence to the law.
We want to reiterate that these walkouts were entirely student-led and were not organized, sponsored, or endorsed by our staff, schools, or district. As a public-school system and public-school educators, we remain politically neutral when serving in these capacities. Our role is to provide a safe learning environment, not to take positions on political or social issues. Staff members do not participate in walkouts but observe from a short distance to help ensure student safety. Our expectation is that students attend school and remain focused on their education; however, when students are absent for any reason, standard attendance procedures apply. While we have seen student-led walkouts at the secondary level, at this point we are not aware of anything impacting the elementary level.
Important Safety Note about Demonstrations: While students have a right to lawful and peaceful expression, we do not condone violence of any kind. All student altercations are addressed in accordance with our policies, and any unlawful activity will be referred to local law enforcement. We will continue to prioritize safety and want to remind families that when students leave campus for any reason, staff supervision and student safety cannot be guaranteed.
Our Request for Partnership: We recognize that there are a lot of varying perspectives in the world we are living in today. We encourage you to speak with your child about making thoughtful and safe decisions, while understanding both their rights and their responsibilities during the school day. As an educational institution, we believe the best and safest place for our students is learning in our classrooms. Education and safety will always remain our highest priorities, and we appreciate your partnership in reinforcing this at home.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brent YeagerSuperintendent
“The Olathe Police Department supports the community’s right to engage in peaceful protest and lawful assembly,” the Olathe Police Department said in a press release. “We are committed to protecting those rights while also ensuring public safety. Violence, property damage, or threats to people will be addressed appropriately to protect the community.”
Anyone with potential information is encouraged to call OPD at 913-971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
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