Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District

The concerned citizens, parents and staff of Kingsburg Elementary School District would like to be heard on an issue we feel is being concealed from the public. It is our belief that the Kingsburg Elementary School District Office has knowledge of an incident in which a probationary employee brought a loaded weapon on school property. If a student had done this, he/she would be expelled, but we are going to tolerate this from a probationary employee? Why?

The same employee was reported to have been making sexual comments and gestures regarding a female junior high school student, while he was working on the Rafer Johnson campus. Again why is this probationary employee not dismissed? Furthermore, the employee/employees that reported these incidences have not only been threatened with disciplinary action if they discuss this with anyone, but they are being harassed by administration as a result.

These are employees who have been employed by the district for many years and are now being ostracized for having reported these incidences. We feel the parents of students should have been made aware of these serious issues, which do affect the safety of their students.

Now that parents have become aware these issues have transpired, the district office has taken the position that the employee that reported the incidents mentioned above was upset at the outcome of the district’s investigation. As parents we are also outraged that the suspected probationary employee was not dismissed immediately for either infraction. It is our belief that there was evidence of these incidences and other subsequent incidences of racism and racist comments reported by other employees, which were ignored.

The District Office appears to be hiding behind the confidentiality of personnel matters and failing to inform the parents and citizens of our community about these issues. In a recent memo addressing these issues Wes Sever (Superintendent) stated “ Nor was there ever a loaded weapon brought on campus by an employee” and yet we find there was a police report filed (Case Number 14-0282) with the Kingsburg Police Department regarding all of these issues as well as the reporting employee stating he is intimidated and fears for his safety in a hostile work environment.

We find it also suspicious that the District Office employees including the superintendent, are ignoring our phone calls and emails and going as far as lying to parents about meetings at which this issue is to be addressed. How are we to question or voice our concerns about these issues if they are avoiding phone calls and emails, including those of the local media? for question call Katrina at 916-0630.