Ex-Olathe teacher charged with stalking a child; parents rally in support of change
A former Olathe School District teacher at Meadow Lane Elementary School has been charged with first-degree reckless stalking of a minor. On Thursday, June 18, about 200 parents and community members called for change outside the Olathe Public Schools district office.
James Loganbill, 58, was charged in Johnson County District Court on June 12. The conduct allegedly occurred sometime between August 1, 2019 and March 2020 and was “sexually motivated,” according to the complaint.
Of the 18 witnesses listed on the complaint, five are ages 10 or 11.
Loganbill was bonded out the same day he was arrested, according to court records. He resigned in March after working in Olathe Public Schools since August 1989.
“The safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority,” said Cody Kennedy, communications and media manager for the district. “Any instance of reported misconduct against a student or staff member is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.”
“As the district cannot provide additional information for instances involving legal matters, we remain dedicated to providing a welcoming and safe atmosphere in which students can learn.”
Loganbill’s attorney did not respond to request for comment before publication.
Attorney Sam Wendt said his law firm is speaking with several families about the allegations.
Wendt, a graduate of Olathe schools, said he learned about the case from a friend who had been contacted by investigators.
He said anyone who has had contact with the former teacher should have a conversation with their child.
“Don’t do it in a confrontational manner,” Wendt said. “Do it in a loving manner and do the best you can to find out what if anything happened with your child during the time they had contact.”
Sara Hart Weir, who said she has known the mom of the victim for 26 years, said about 200 people were at the rally.
“Today’s gathering really is about bringing people together to obviously shine a light on the situation that just occurred in the Olathe School District,” she said. “Today it was about celebrating the courageous peers and classmates of this young girl who spoke up and spoke out.”
She said their goal is to pass a bill in the Kansas Legislature. Weir, also a Republican candidate in Kansas’ 3rd District Congressional primary, said she is beginning to meet with people in leadership positions in the school district, law enforcement agencies and the district attorney’s office to make changes.
“I think everyone came out here today because they want to make sure that this never happens to anybody else’s daughter ever again,” Weir said.
Barb Hendricks, a mom of three students in the district, said she is friends with the family of the student as well.
“We all like to think that it wouldn’t happen to us,” she said. “And when I think about this family, that’s where it really hits home because it’s a neighbor, it’s a friend, and it happened right underneath all of our noses.
“We send our kids to school everyday thinking they’re safe and they’re protected and she wasn’t.”
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 8:58 PM.
