OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The Blue Valley School Board terminated a kindergarten teacher at Sunset Ridge Elementary School after she spent more than 25 years in the district.
Barbara Hart was terminated Monday night in a 6-1 vote after allegedly violating a policy regarding the physical restraint of students.
The district did not share additional details, but concerned parents are speaking out about what they’ve 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.”
“What I think Barb did was handle the situation with love and compassion,” said Kelley Kilian, who met Hart through parent-volunteer programs in the district.
But that’s not how the school board viewed the situation.
According to the district, Hart violated Policy 3522, titled Emergency Safety Interventions (ESI), which governs the use of seclusion or physical restraint.
KSHB reached out to board members to understand what led them to make that decision.
Jan Kessinger responded, saying she couldn’t comment because it’s a “personnel matter.”
“When the vote is 6 to 1, you should see that there is more than what you hear on social media,” she wrote in an email.
Blue Valley Schools 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.
Parents say the policy that led to Hart’s termination is outdated.
“When you work with kids, there’s no black and white — every child is different,” said Kilian, who is also a former Blue Valley educator.
“Kids with special needs are a whole different ballgame. We have to handle those cases individually,” said McCallam, whose child with special needs had Hart as a teacher. McCallam serves on the PTO board.
Parents are not only calling for changes to the policy but also for Hart to return to the classroom.
“She is by far the best teacher my kids have had. The community just loves her, and we want her back,” said Shelley Hanna, holding back her tears.
She 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 900 signatures.
Parents say dozens of letters were sent to the district before the decision was made. “They said Mrs. Hart was an amazing educator — that the punishment doesn’t fit the situation,” McCallam said.
She's leading the effort and said one of the letters came from the parents of the child Hart was allegedly helping.
Hart's former students also had positive things to say.
“She is just the best teacher ever,” said third grader Ben Hanna. His younger brother agreed: “She’s just so nice and kind to everybody,” said Joey.
“She’s one of the nicest teachers I’ve ever had,” added their friend, third grader Dayton Bennett.
The trio and their moms were wearing shirts that read "BH" in honor of Barbara Harts.
Parents say the concerns go beyond this school year.
“All we hear about in Blue Valley, and in districts across the metro, the state, and the country, is how hard it is to find and retain good teachers. And here we are making a conscious decision to get rid of a good one,” said Billie Mead.
KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
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