KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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A student-led protest Friday in Olathe ended with four students injured and one student arrested.
Olathe police officers responded about 2 p.m. to an ICE protest that became a physical disturbance at the corner of College Boulevard and South Lone Elm Road.
A teenage boy was taken into custody after a fight broke out across the street from Olathe Northwest High School.
Multiple videos of the incident have been circulating on social media.
Students protesting ICE operations walked out of class at Olathe Northwest on Friday afternoon.
Other students waving flags in support of President Donald Trump gathered on the opposite side of the street, separated by four lanes of traffic.
Students protesting ICE operations ended up on the street across the from the school. A fight broke out between those protesting ICE and those supporting the federal agency.
Students have been walking out of class in schools across the metro to protest ICE operations.
Bogdan Zaslavsky explained his son wanted to show support for the Trump administration.
"He wanted to stand up for his beliefs, he didn't want it to be one-sided," Zaslavsky said. "Everyone should be able to go home after a protest."
But instead, Zaslavsky told KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne his son was attacked by other students protesting ICE who crossed the street to confront his son and his friend.
"No one should ever come to you with violence for your opinion or your belief," Zaslavsky said. "These videos that are heartbreaking, that you would never want to ever see your child involved in."
KSHB 41 News asked the owner of the videos for permission to use the videos, but were told no.
Zaslavsky described what he saw in the videos.
"You see immediately [the protesters] grabbing their flagpoles," he said. "It's not one or two or three, it's a big group. They came all at them. You see them grab the flagpoles away from both the kids. You see my son fighting for his way out... he fights him off, turns around, starts running. There's two kids hot on him, with another whole group of those kids not too far behind."
Zaslavsky explained his son was bruised by being hit with the flag pole before being chased by several students. One of the students involved is charged with aggravated battery.
"When was it okay to pick up something and hit somebody because they have a different belief than you?" Zaslavsky said.
Olathe Northwest High School's principal addressed the incident in an email to families.
"As previously shared, staff members do not participate in walkouts but observe from a short distance to help ensure student safety. When students leave campus, however, we cannot guarantee supervision," the statement said in part*. "In this instance, our district Safety Services team and our partners at the Olathe Police Department worked quickly to stop the off-campus altercation.
But Zaslavsky feels the school didn't do enough to prevent the fight from breaking out.
"I don't understand how [staff] is there to help and protect, and then when they walk across the street, [the principal] is watching all of this happen," Zaslavsky said.
Zaslavsky explained his son will not be returning to Olathe Northwest High School and is disappointed with the principal's response.
"Mr. Zuck let these two kids down," Zaslavsky said.
In response to KSHB 41 News' request for comment regarding Zaslavsky's interview with KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne, Olathe School District sent a statement in an email.
"Because this is an ongoing investigation involving minors, we are limited in the details we are able to provide," a spokesperson wrote. "However, I can share that the perspective you have summarized from your interview does not directly align with our understanding of the event. As stated in the communication previously shared with you, our district Safety Services team, along with our partners at the Olathe Police Department, worked quickly to intervene and stop the off-campus altercation. We continue to work with those directly impacted to investigate and address the behaviors in accordance with our district policies. Violence is never condoned or tolerated in Olathe Public Schools."
The district stated they are aware of another student planned walk out this coming Wednesday. Olathe School District said there will likely be an increased safety presence due to Friday's incident, but did not specify what the additional security measures would be.
Late Monday night, the Olathe School District superintendent shared a statement with families.
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
*Full statement from Olathe Northwest Principal Chris Zuck:
Olathe Northwest Community,
I wanted to make you aware of an altercation that happened off campus during Friday's student-organized walkout that your student may have witnessed or that you or your student may have seen on social media.
As communicated in an email on Thursday, Feb. 19, a student-organized walkout was planned for Friday, Feb. 20. What we did not know at the time was that a small group of students had planned a separate student-led demonstration, which represented their voice and is also protected by their constitutional rights. During the walkout, an altercation occurred off campus between the two groups, requiring our Safety Services staff and law enforcement to intervene.
As previously shared, staff members do not participate in walkouts but observe from a short distance to help ensure student safety. When students leave campus, however, we cannot guarantee supervision. In this instance, our district Safety Services team and our partners at the Olathe Police Department worked quickly to stop the off-campus altercation.
I, along with our Safety Services team, have been working closely with law enforcement to thoroughly investigate this situation and identify the students involved. If you have any information, please contact me directly.
Let me be clear: while we value our students’ perspectives and recognize their constitutional right to participate in peaceful demonstrations, we do not tolerate violence. When behavior crosses that line, it becomes a disciplinary matter, and there will be serious consequences in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct. While privacy laws prevent me from sharing specific consequences for individual students, please know that once those responsible are identified, the consequences will be serious as they are for any altercation that happens. Although we recognize students’ rights to express their views, we will not allow those rights to be used as justification for violence.
To clear up misinformation I have heard, it is important you know that as with any demonstration in our district, these walkouts were not sponsored, organized, or endorsed by me, our staff, our school, or the school 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.
Finally, I want you to know that I have been made aware of a social media post indicating that there will be a student-planned walkout on Wednesday, Feb. 25, concerning students’ personal beliefs and unrelated to immigration and federal agencies. I am telling you this now to ensure that you have adequate time to discuss this with your child. This demonstration, like the previous ones, is entirely student-led and not organized or supported by me, our staff, our school or our district. I want to reiterate that staff will monitor the situation solely to help ensure safety and there will likely be an increased safety presence due to Friday's incident. However, if a student chooses to leave campus for this or any other reason, we are unable to guarantee supervision. Our standard attendance procedures will apply.
Students: Your voice matters. How you use it matters just as much. If you choose to participate in a walkout, we ask that you do so peacefully and respectfully. You are responsible for your actions, and you are responsible for how you represent yourself and our school community. Violence will never be tolerated, and it will always result in serious consequences.
Parents: We recognize and respect that you are the primary influence in your child's life. Again, I would encourage you to have a conversation with your child about these walkouts and their level of participation. Please help your child understand that while they may have the right to peacefully protest, there are consequences if an altercation occurs. We appreciate your support in this matter.
Our top priority is always the education and safety of our students. Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education. Please let me know if you have any questions.
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