OLATHE, Kan. — Families are reacting after the Olathe Public Schools district announced Dr. Dale Longenecker was resigning as Olathe South's principal on Monday.
Aniah Gant, a junior at Olathe South, said she feels the change was necessary.
“As of right now, because there is a lot of tension inside the school, inside the building, there really is a lot of emotions going," Gant said. “So I think the best thing for him was to step out of it."
LaTosha Young, Gant's mother, said she feels the resignation took too long.
“There are so many incidents that happened,” Young said. “Why did it take until the end of the school year?”
Longnecker's resignation comes after a series of racist events at Olathe South.
The first was in September 2021, when students made a racist prom proposal sign.
More recently, Kirubel Solomon, a sophomore at Olathe South, says he was given a piece of metal in his jewelry class that had a racial slur on it.
Solomon told KSHB 41 News he’s been feeling targeted by white students since January.
After Solomon spoke out, parents and students held a protest to outline demands that included Longenecker be fired.
Dr. Brent Yeager, superintendent for the Olathe Public Schools district, sent a letter to families after Longenecker resignation was announced.
"I have some important information to share with you regarding a change in administrative staffing at Olathe South," Yeager said in part in the letter. "I wanted to make you aware that Dr. Longenecker has resigned and will not be returning to Olathe South. We recognize that this has been an especially challenging end of the school year for Olathe South and want to assure you that your administrative team and district leadership are committed to moving forward in the most productive way possible."
Still, as a parent, Young says she is frustrated her kids have to experience this at a school.
“You’re trying to have your kids in a different school district and be with different kids, but you know racism is a thing," Young said. "When you see them dealing with it everyday, it kind of hurts your heart."
Gant said, as a young Black girl, it can be hard to be herself inside the school.
“If I have a like a certain hairstyle sometimes, I get scared to go into school, because you just never know how they are going to look at you — you never know what they are going to say,” Gant said.
Young and Gant said they're looking for a better year at the school in the fall, which is Gant's senior year.
“We need to see more color in leadership,” Young said.
Gant said she wants to see more education on racism.
“I’m hoping they do more lessons about racism and how to deal with that and how to not egg it on,” Gant said.
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