Mother of Student Defends Fired Blue Valley Teacher as Fundraising Surges

Overview

• Barbara Hart, a 25-year kindergarten teacher at Sunset Ridge Elementary, was terminated after the Blue Valley school board concluded she violated Policy 3522 on Emergency Safety Interventions.
• The child's mother, identified as Chen, said Hart "took the right action" and asked that the district bring the teacher back, adding that she was not the person who reported the incident.
• An ESI notice sent to the family states Hart carried the distressed 5-year-old to her classroom and set him by a designated safe space, while a witness concluded the action was not warranted under the policy.
• A community fundraiser for Hart's family has surpassed $24,000, and an online petition seeking her reinstatement has gathered more than 2,500 signatures.
• Blue Valley Schools reiterated that personnel decisions align with board policy and applicable law, and a board member said there is more to the case than social media suggests.