Blue Valley parents outraged after district fires beloved kindergarten teacher

Dozens of Blue Valley School District parents flooded Monday night’s school board meeting to support and advocate for a beloved kindergarten teacher who was recently terminated for violating the district’s policy around when physical contact with a student is acceptable.

In a statement, the district said it couldn’t share details of the events that led to teacher Barbara Hart’s termination because of “the confidentiality and dignity that situations like this require.”

But concerned parents have been talking more openly.

Multiple parents told The Star that they believe the violation revolves around Hart picking up a distressed student in her kindergarten class at Sunset Ridge Elementary to help calm them down.

The outraged parents claim that the policy Hart was fired over — which deals with how teachers should intervene in emergency situations — is outdated and doesn’t take children’s mental health into consideration.

“It’s truly been policy over people,” Hart told The Star in an interview on Tuesday. “There’s no consideration of positive intent, there’s been no interest (in) looking at the big picture, years and dedication, and true intent to help the student as well as listening to the community.”

The district defines physical restraint as contact “used to substantially limit a student’s movement” and prohibits such contact except in very specific circumstances.

The parents asked the district to change its policy and to implement better protections for teachers, like Hart, who have cared for students during their tenure.

“It was extremely disappointing,” parent Tiffany McCalla said about the board’s decision to fire Hart. “The world is different … We are moving toward trauma-informed care, but this policy is holding us back.”

The policy in question says district employees aren’t allowed to physically restrain a student except in emergency situations when a student’s behavior is immediately dangerous and after exhausting less intrusive alternatives.

Hart has worked at Sunset Ridge for more than 25 years, starting her time there close to when it first opened back in 1989. She’s since been nominated for Kansas teacher of the year twice and is widely adored by students and parents, parent Sarah Burkindine said in an interview with The Star.

“My youngest had her for two years … she’s amazing,” Burkindine said. “She’s become my daughter’s safe person at this school.”

Blue Valley’s policy prohibits staff from physically restraining a student “for purposes of discipline, punishment or for the convenience of a school employee” and says that instead of physically restraining students, staff are encouraged to use “positive behavioral intervention strategies, de-escalation techniques, and prevention techniques” in emergency situations.

Parents are required to be notified of any emergency safety interventions involving their child, including any instances of physical contact with the student.

“We all are just so upset about how these situations are supposed to be handled and how leading with love and compassion and dignity can get a teacher fired,” Burkindine said via text.

The school board voted 6-1 to approve Hart’s termination, with board member Jim McMullen voting against the action.

“The only thing I would say is in human resource matters, I am just a proponent of extending grace to long, tenured staff members,” McMullen said in a statement following the meeting. “I just think people are owed an opportunity. I think we are a better community when we extend grace to our people if we can.”

Fellow board member Clay Norkey said during the meeting that he agreed with parents who are advocating for policy change and shared similar sentiments to what was shared on Monday night. Norkey was not immediately available to comment further.

Blue Valley Schools district officials said in a statement that they aren’t able to share additional details around the matter.

“Blue Valley Schools understands that this personnel matter feels close for many in the school community,” the district said in the statement. “Personnel decisions are carefully reviewed to ensure alignment with board policy, applicable law and the rights of all individuals involved.”

“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.”

Hart expressed her gratitude to all of those who supported her during the board meeting and said that she had conversations with attorneys on Tuesday about next steps, but declined to share any more specific details.

“I do plan to continue the conversation regarding policy, regarding supporting teachers, supporting students in the most appropriate way possible,” she said.

This is an ongoing story and updates will be published at a later time.

This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 2:29 PM.