School district investigating threats made at Park Hill High School

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Park Hill School District is investigating after multiple calls about threats came into the school Thursday morning before a protest by students.

Students walked out of class at Park Hill High School in support of claims made by a student who was suspended from school. Colby Barker spoke to FOX4 News on Thursday, describing last week’s incident where he spoke out in support of a female student who’d been sexually harassed by a male student.

Barker said when he confronted the alleged aggressor, that student addressed him with a racial slur. Barker said he was disciplined for the fight that followed, but the other student wasn’t.

About 50 students left their classrooms on Thursday afternoon in disapproval of the suspensions, asking school leaders to take incidents of racism more seriously. Barker is calling for school leaders to be replaced.

The school district tells FOX4 on Friday that after the protest, there was also an incident in the doorway of the school involving a student and a law enforcement officer. That incident is also under investigation.

Several students complained that school administrators attempted to prevent the walkout by confining students to the school’s auditorium. A spokesperson for the school district denies that happened. The district’s next school board meeting is scheduled for next Thursday, September 12.

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