GIVE HER A COMMENDATION PLAQUE AND A HEFTY RAISE

Teacher Accused Of Assaulting Student Who Refused To Stand For Pledge Of Allegiance

By Jamie Leary

CBS4
February 2, 2018

LAFAYETTE, Colo. -- A teacher with the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) is on paid administrative leave following an incident at Angevine Middle School.

Karen Smith, Angevine’s physical education teacher, was placed on leave Thursday.

The school’s Principal, Mike Medina, sent a letter home to parents Thursday evening notifying them there had been an “incident” involving Ms. Smith but said he could not elaborate.

Dear Angevine Middle School Families,

I hope everyone is having a good evening.

I am reaching out to you tonight to let you know that we will have a substitute teacher working with some of our PE classes for the time being.

While I cannot share much information, following an incident today at school, Ms. Smith was placed on paid administrative leave. We are working closely with our partners at the Lafayette Police Department. We believe in due process and therefore ask that everyone respect Ms. Smith’s privacy at this time.

We are dedicated, as always, to supporting our students and ensuring that we have qualified educators working with them during their physical education time.

Thank you for your patience and support. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mike Medina

Principal

Angevine Middle School

The Lafayette Police Department responded to the school around noon Thursday. It confirmed it’s investigating reports that teacher assaulted a student who refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

A parent waiting to pick her child up at Angevine Friday afternoon told CBS4 that her daughter knows Smith as a “strict” teacher but has never had an issue.

Two other parents who spoke to CBS4 off camera said they believe the story has been “blown out of proportion” and expressed disappointment.

The school is working closely with the Lafayette Police Department on the investigation. For now it has hired a substitute teacher to take Ms. Smith’s place.

No charges have been filed.