Park Hill School Board candidate’s comments attract attention

Stephens makes disparaging remarks about special education program

Jeanette Faubioin Browning
Citizen Reporter/Editorial

The public statements of a candidate for the Park Hill Board of Education have recently made some waves at a meeting of that very Board.

Edward Stephens of Kansas City, who filed for the April election to the Board, spoke at the Board’s regular meeting last week, questioning the effectiveness of spending district money on services for special education students.

This isn't the first time Stephens has come before the Board, according to Director of Communication Services Nicole Kirby. In May 2011, Stephens expressed his concern that the district had become too diverse over the last 10 years. As a Park Hill graduate himself, he said he was also concerned that he had heard from current students that African-American students congregated in the school's hallways. He said he felt white female students needed protection from such students, Kirby said.

The district has no comment on Stephens’ statements, Kirby said, and the Board of Education’s formal policy is to listen to public comment but to not engage in discussion. Stephens could not be reached for comment.

In less controversial news, Park Hill's 10th elementary school now has a name — Tiffany Ridge Elementary. The Board approved the moniker last week after months of discussion on possible names by a committee made up of parents, students, staff and community members.

In November, the committee presented the Board with the options North Star, Green Horizons or Heritage elementary school, names chosen from a field of about 250 suggestions. In December, the Board rejected all three suggestions, loosened its stringent naming requirements and sent the committee back to work after Kirby, who chaired the committee, said one restriction in particular eliminated many otherwise popular options – that the name was not permitted to be a place name reflective of a particular neighborhood, area or community.

Last week the committee presented its new suggestions to the Board: Tiffany Ridge, Gabel, Tiffany, Skyview, Tiffany Grove, Banneker Springs, Northeast and Walnut Grove. The reoccurring theme of “Tiffany” in several of the suggestions refers to the historic Tiffany Springs township in the area. Also popular were suggestions based upon Walnut Grove, the name of a historic school in the area. The historic Banneker School in Parkville was also referenced, as well as Melody Gabel, an English Landing Elementary School teacher who died of cancer in 2007.

The Board chose the committee's top suggestion, Tiffany Ridge, because it referred to Tiffany Springs township, and combined the names of the two neighborhoods between which the school is located – Autumn Ridge and Tiffany Place.