OLATHE, Kan. — A student-led protest near the intersection of College Boulevard and Lone Elm Road near Olathe Northwest High School turned violent on Friday.
Bogdan Zaslavsky says his 17-year-old son was taking part in a separate counter-protest across the street when he was attacked.
“These kids went and parked across the street to avoid controversy. They held their flag strong and proud. They really did. They got attacked for holding their flags that said Trump. That said, our president, my kid, and his friend didn’t go and attack them or go get in the middle of a big crowd and try to make controversy,” Zaslavsky said.
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The Olathe Police Department confirmed on Tuesday that a woman, 18, as well as a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old boy, were arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the student-led protest that turned into an aggravated battery. The two teenage boys were released after they were issued citations.
Olathe Northwest School administrators sent an email to parents earlier this week notifying them of the altercation that happened at the off-campus student-led protest.
In part, the email reads, “As communicated in an email on Thursday, Feb. 19, a student-organized walkout was planned for Friday, Feb. 20. What we did not know at the time was that a small group of students had planned a separate student-led demonstration, which represented their voice and is also protected by their constitutional rights. During the walkout, an altercation occurred off campus between the two groups, requiring our Safety Services staff and law enforcement to intervene.”
Although students at the school organized the walkout, Principal Chris Zuck said in an email to parents, “As previously shared, staff members do not participate in walkouts but observe from a short distance to help ensure student safety. When students leave campus, however, we cannot guarantee supervision. In this instance, our district Safety Services team and our partners at the Olathe Police Department worked quickly to stop the off-campus altercation.”
Zaslavsky claims that administrators saw the attack happening off campus, across the street from the high school. He believes administrators should have stepped in to prevent the attack.
“My son is getting beaten up with his own metal flag pole across his back and his arm. His arm is hurt. We don’t know yet, but it is hurt. It’s swollen. He can barely move it. So I just really hope the school administration at this point takes a really serious look and understands what’s happening,” Zaslavsky said.
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Zaslavsky claims that the same people who attacked his son were still on campus after the altercation.
“There’s no outside police there until after it happened. They were called there, and they came immediately. But once they left, my son still went up to the school, and my son still comes out, and vehicles are vandalized. The kids are still there. So you take that how you want to,” Zaslavsky said.
In the email to parents, Principal Zuck said:
“Let me be clear: while we value our students’ perspectives and recognize their constitutional right to participate in peaceful demonstrations, we do not tolerate violence. When behavior crosses that line, it becomes a disciplinary matter, and there will be serious consequences in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct. While privacy laws prevent me from sharing specific consequences for individual students, please know that once those responsible are identified, the consequences will be serious, as they are for any altercation that happens. Although we recognize students’ rights to express their views, we will not allow those rights to be used as justification for violence.”
The email to parents also points out that the school district does not organize, sponsor, or endorse any student-led protest, walkout, or demonstration.
A spokesperson for the Olathe school district sent FOX4 the following general information about how it responds to students leaving campus:
“Any absence is recorded and subject to consequences under our Code of Student Conduct. Parents and guardians are notified if their child was marked absent through our student information systems. Walkouts or protests are monitored by school staff and often our district safety services team solely to help ensure safety, not to express support or opposition. We cannot physically restrain students unless there is an immediate safety threat. Students are not encouraged to leave school grounds; however, if they do, especially in large groups, direct supervision is no longer guaranteed. As a public school system, we must balance compliance with the law with safety and student accountability. We believe the best and safest place for our students is learning in our classrooms,“ the statement reads.
FOX4 also asked the school district how administrators prepare when they are made aware of a planned student-led walkout; we received the following response:
“When the administrator becomes aware of a confirmed student-led walkout by student organizers, they notify the parents and guardians of all students. This ensures families have ample time to discuss the matter with their children, as parents and guardians are the primary and most important influence in their household. The italicized information outlined below is shared directly with families to keep them informed.
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In Olathe Public Schools, we value our students’ perspectives. Students have the constitutional right to participate in walkouts or other demonstrations to express their views on issues they care about. A student’s constitutional right to participate in a walkout is equal to a student’s constitutional right to not participate in a walkout. To be clear, these activities are always completely student-led and are not sponsored or organized by the school, staff or school district. Protests and walkouts on our campuses are monitored by staff solely to ensure safety. However, if a student chooses to leave school grounds, we are unable to guarantee supervision. Finally, we will follow our standard attendance protocols in the event of a walkout.
Our top priority is always the safety and education of our students. We encourage families to engage in conversations with their child about these types of activities and their level of participation. Open conversations at home help reinforce expectations around civic engagement, learning and safety.”
