Shawnee students protest school’s response to inappropriate conduct report

Students at Shawnee High School staged a walkout Wednesday in protest of how school officials responded to an allegation of inappropriate sexual behavior by a student during class.

According to a 16-year-old sophomore, the incident occurred last Friday during her third-hour class. News 9 is keeping her identity concealed because she is a minor.

“Me and my friends were sitting in class and had just finished our work. We were on the floor, and I looked up and saw him. He had his hands in his pants, there was an up-and-down motion, and he was staring directly at us,” she said.

She and another student reported the behavior, but her parents say they were frustrated with how the school handled the situation.

“From my understanding, this happened around 10:30 in the morning. My wife and I didn’t get a call until 3:07 p.m., and that call wasn’t even about the incident. It was to tell us our daughter had been suspended for violating school policy,” said the student’s father.

The school suspended the student for posting a photo of the classmate on Snapchat with the caption, “He’s touching himself again.”

Shawnee Public Schools also sent a letter to parents on Friday, alerting them of the incident. In part, it reads,

"The student in question was immediately removed from school while the matter was thoroughly investigated..." and goes on to say "...both the District's findings and those of the police show no evidence of wrongdoing or criminal activity..."

The full letter can be read below:

“I’m angry. I’m very angry,” said the father. “I just want these kids’ voices to be heard.”

On Wednesday, students and parents gathered across from the school, saying more action should have been taken.

“It just makes me feel like they don’t want to help us,” the student said. “They just want to push things under the rug so they don’t look bad.”

Students say another walkout is planned for next Tuesday.

Shawnee Public Schools noted that, under state and federal law, the district cannot release specific information about student discipline.