Rockhurst High School teacher terminated for social media communications with student

Rockhurst High School officials have fired a teacher after receiving information that prompted them to call the Missouri Department of Social Services children’s division hotline and the FBI’s cyber crime division.

Social studies teacher Christopher Elmore’s employment was terminated immediately Monday morning, Interim President William Sheahan and Principal Gregory Harkness informed parents in a letter sent home Tuesday.

“It was a violation of the school’s social media policy concerning communications with a student,” spokesman Robbie Haden told The Star on Tuesday.

Haden said “credible evidence” of the violation was shared with the district on Friday evening.

Elmore had taught at Rockhurst High School since 1997, Haden said.

“We request that any student or parent who has information they feel is pertinent concerning any actions by Mr. Elmore while a teacher at Rockhurst to please contact Mr. Gregory Harkness, the Principal at 816-363-2036 (ext 521) immediately,” the letter to parents read.

The letter said concerns had also been reported to Jenifer Valenti, Ombudsman for the Diocese of Kansas City-St Joseph.

More information was not immediately available. Haden told The Star that the school’s social media policy for teachers is part of an employee handbook which is not a public document.

Elmore declined to comment to The Star.

This story was originally published December 5, 2017 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Rockhurst High School teacher terminated for social media communications with student."