Social media rumors regarding an incident at New Century Academy and a petition asking for the reinstatement of art teacher Mark Curlew had Hutchinson residents wondering what had happened at the public charter school.
Hutchinson police reported officers were dispatched at 10 a.m. on April 9 for a report of an assault involving a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old student. During the course of the investigation, officers learned of a confrontation between the 16-year-old student and a male staff member, age 46, that was related to the other incident.
No arrests were made and no charges were requested as of this past Wednesday.
NCA School Board chair Kathy Prellwitz said there had been an incident involving a student poking another student with a pencil. She said the student was not injured, but the event was being taken seriously.
"The safety of our students is our primary concern," she said.
Prellwitz said there was an incident involving a teacher disciplining a student, and that the incident was being reviewed. She said the teacher was placed on administrative leave when the review began. The review is ongoing.
Prellwitz declined to comment further due to privacy laws.
A petition at change.org was signed by 160 people as of noon Thursday. One student signing said "Mr. Curlew is an amazing teacher with a heart of gold that genuinely wants to see every student succeed in life." A parent said, "This teacher has made a great impact on my son's life."
