KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Olathe School District officials offered an update to the community Thursday after social media surfaced a situation about staff wearing freedom shirts at the school.
Dr. Brent Yeager, superintendent of the Olathe School District, sent a letter to Arbor Creek Elementary School parents Thursday about reactions to school staff wearing freedom shirts at the school.
Yeager told parents in the letter he wanted to "recognize the frustration many of you have been feeling about the way this situation was communicated and handled."
The school is located at 16150 S. Brougham Drive in Olathe and is one of 36 elementary schools in the district.
He also addressed the confusion about the situation and apologized for the way the matter was handled and communicated to staff and parents.
"When this viral social media post broke online Monday evening, we quickly saw that the extreme level of engagement, both locally and nationally, was worthy of notifying our Arbor Creek community," he said. "However, we needed to balance timely communication with our process of fully reviewing the situation internally to ensure we had accurate information. That review process takes time. Unfortunately, this may have led to greater confusion as we have been unable to share specifics, and we apologize for any fear or confusion the initial message may have caused."
There were concerns about safety, but Yeager said there's been no incidents at the school.
"There have been no threats to Arbor Creek Elementary," Yeager said, though added the district's safety services team has increased its presence due to the incident.
Yeager's letter is included below:
Arbor Creek community,
I wanted to address the ongoing conversation in our community and on social media this week about freedom shirts being worn by staff at Arbor Creek.
First and foremost, I want to recognize the frustration many of you have been feeling about the way this situation was communicated and handled. As an administration, we strive to provide the most timely and accurate communication we can when a situation arises, but we will always prioritize accuracy even in the fast-paced world of social media conversations. That being said, I want to take a moment to address several items with you to provide as much clarity as I can, while still respecting the privacy of all personnel involved.
Our Initial Response: When this viral social media post broke online Monday evening, we quickly saw that the extreme level of engagement, both locally and nationally, was worthy of notifying our Arbor Creek community. However, we needed to balance timely communication with our process of fully reviewing the situation internally to ensure we had accurate information. That review process takes time. Unfortunately, this may have led to greater confusion as we have been unable to share specifics, and we apologize for any fear or confusion the initial message may have caused.
Safety: To be clear, there have been no threats to Arbor Creek Elementary. Our Safety Services team increased their presence due to the prominent publication on social media of Dr. Snell’s photo, personal information, home address and pictures of her home. I want you to know that while you may not see a difference in safety precautions at Arbor Creek Elementary, our Safety Services team is highly skilled in ensuring our campuses are safe without drawing attention to themselves, and that they will continue to monitor safety needs.
What We Can Share: Although we typically do not comment on personnel matters, we want to provide as much clarity as possible regarding an email exchange that has been made public by someone not connected with our district. Our previous communication referencing “misinformation” was directly tied to the fact that the screenshot of Dr. Snell’s brief response does not provide the full context of the in-person conversations that occurred. Following several parent concerns about staff members wearing a shirt with a potential political context, Dr. Snell had conversations with those staff members directly about the concerns that had been raised and requested they “hold off on wearing the shirt again” until she had time to review district practice and gather more information. At no time did she ask staff to change their clothing, nor did she prohibit or ban staff from wearing the apparel.
Our Practice: Staff have constitutional rights while working within the district. Those rights, however, may be balanced against other considerations when staff are working in our schools. We recognize that our students are impressionable and see our staff as role models. We also recognize that school environments should remain politically neutral, with a focus on student learning. Consequently, when concerns are brought to our attention that a staff member is wearing attire that may be viewed or perceived as political, and the situation is or may cause a disruption, it is our responsibility to consider the concern. Finally, please know that this situation had nothing to do with any specific student or what your children can wear to school.
Next Steps: We know that the magnitude of responses to this situation are indicative of your deep care for your children and the Arbor Creek Elementary community. I want you to know that we are profoundly committed to the success and wellbeing of your children, our staff and the whole community. While we hope this message clears up any confusion, we understand you may still have concerns. Please reach out to Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education Dr. Jill Smith with any school-specific concerns.
Again, I recognize how challenging this week may have been for the entire school community. As a dad, I know how difficult it can be when you feel like you do not have all of the information regarding a situation that directly impacts the school your children attend. Please know that our focus remains on supporting your children and continuing to work with all families every single step of the way.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brent Yeager
Superintendent
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