Fired Blue Valley kindergarten teacher says termination was ‘policy over people’
A longtime Johnson County kindergarten teacher fired after reportedly picking up a distressed child says she wants the district to reconsider how its policies around physical contact could better support teachers and students.
On Monday night, the Blue Valley school board voted 6-1, with board member Jim McMullen dissenting, to terminate Sunset Ridge Elementary School kindergarten teacher Barbara Hart for violating the district’s policy around when physical contact with a student is acceptable.
The policy that the district said Hart violated defines any contact that limits a student’s movement as physical restraint and prohibits such contact except in very specific circumstances.
Dozens of parents who protested Hart’s termination said the district should allow for more nuance in its rules.
In an interview on Tuesday, Hart said that the decision has felt like “policy over people.”
“There’s been no consideration of positive intent, 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,” Hart said.
She said she’s interested in continuing conversations about changing the district’s policy and has recently sat down with attorneys to explore next steps.
Hart has worked at Sunset Ridge for more than 25 years, has 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.”
McMullen said in a statement that he’d like to see more grace extended to staff members, especially tenured faculty like Hart.
“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,” he said.
Restraint policy
Parents in particular have been speaking more openly about the situation, alleging that the violation revolved around Hart picking up a distressed student in her class to calm them down.
They claim that the policy, which deals with how teachers should intervene in emergency situations, is outdated and needs updates in order to better protect both students and teachers.
“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 at hand 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. Parents are required to be notified of any emergency safety interventions involving their child, including any instances of physical contact with the student.
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.”
