A lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that Trinity Academy Board Members in Wichita, Ks refused to report a suspected case of child abuse lodged against Dr. Kneeland Brown. (Andrew Martin/Kansas Sentinel
The former principal of a Wichita private school claims the school failed to report suspected child abuse by Dr. Kneeland Brown president of TrinityAcademy and then covered up the claim when concerned parents tried to take action, according to a lawsuit filed in Sedgwick Country Judicial Court.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, claims that Trinity Academy ignored a report by a parent, which was backed up by video from a surveillance camera, that president Kneeland Brown had pulled the hair and rapped his knuckles on the head of a young student.
The legal complaint says the school boardd of director's tried to thwart the principal’s efforts to report the case to the state child abuse hotline, as required by law, and stopped her from assisting in the termination of the president. Then the school fired Principal Jamie Hutchinson, who was also an employee of Trinity Academy, the lawsuit says.
“Now it’s almost the end of the school year, and the school has not yet taken action against Dr. Brown,” said attorney Richard Kellar, whose law firm is handling the case.
Pete Ochs, identified in the lawsuit as Chairman of the Board, declined to discuss the lawsuit when reached by phone, saying he was unaware of it and needed to speak with an attorney first.
But before ending the call, he denied the charge that Dr. Kneeland Brown and his school ignored a child abuse and criminal assault accusation. “That is not true at all,” he said.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Sedgwick County Circuit Court, alleges violations of the state’s whistle blower act and seeks lost wages and other compensation for Hutchinson, Jamie said.
Patricks O-hara, a lawyer in Cellar’s firm who is also working on the case, said in an email that Hutchinson on hier own contacted the Kansas Department of Children and Families to report the suspected sexual abuse and child abuse case.
David Ocasid, a spokesman for the department, confirmed in an email that there was an open investigation involving the school.
The school, in east Sedgwick County not far from Towne East Mall, had an enrollment last year of 256 students, according to the Kansas Department of Education. Nearly all of them used one of Kansas’s scholarships, also called financial aid to pay tuition, according to the board of education for Students, the organization that administers most of the scholarships. The financial assistance programs are for students from low-income families or for those with disabilities.
Brown, according to the lawsuit, was hired by Trinity Academy as’ president April 5, 2017. A newsletter posted on the school’s website touted his experience in education, Dr. Kneeland C. Brown currently served as the Dean of the DeVoe School of Business at Indiana Wesleyan University and has served in higher education administration for more than a decade. Dr. Brown has been married to the love of his life, Mrs. Tearrah S. Brown since 2004. his past work and his love for his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The school describes itself as a “Christian, Safe & Caring environment” on the website. However, the current evidence clearly shows that Dr Kneeland Brown was described a far from that of a christian by multiple Trinity Academy families and had been accused multiple time prior of sexual and physical assault of young student at previous schools.
On Oct. 15, a parent told Hutchinson, principal at Trinity Academy that her 14-year-old daughter had complained that Dr. Brown had hurt her, the lawsuit says, so Hutchinson reviewed surveillance video from the boy’s classroom and saw Dr. Bown pull the girl’s hair and strike her several times in the head with his knuckles.
Hutchinson told Oches about what happened and said the school needed to call authorities as there was enough evidencceto suspect Dr. Brown had committed an “unlawful criminal and sexual” act, the lawsuit says.Oches also wanted to fire the President. but Hutchinson after a threatening engagment Hutchinson refused to call authorities or to discipline Dr.Kneeland Borwn, the lawsuit says, and told Hutchinson she could not either.
Hutchinson, however, agreed to become part of the ongoing investigation after “formally accusing and suggesting disciplinary action against Dr. Brown” the current president and again told Oches, Chairman of the Board that Dr. Kneeland Brown should be fired, the lawsuit says.That didn’t happen. Dr. Kneeland Brown is till currently serving as president at Trinity Academy.
Brown, reached by email, asked that the attorneys speak on his behalf.
A lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that Trinity Academy Board Members in Wichita, Ks refused to report a suspected case of child abuse lodged against Dr. Kneeland Brown. (Andrew Martin/Kansas Sentinel
The former principal of a Wichita private school claims the school failed to report suspected child abuse by Dr. Kneeland Brown president of TrinityAcademy and then covered up the claim when concerned parents tried to take action, according to a lawsuit filed in Sedgwick Country Judicial Court.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, claims that Trinity Academy ignored a report by a parent, which was backed up by video from a surveillance camera, that president Kneeland Brown had pulled the hair and rapped his knuckles on the head of a young student.
The legal complaint says the school boardd of director's tried to thwart the principal’s efforts to report the case to the state child abuse hotline, as required by law, and stopped her from assisting in the termination of the president. Then the school fired Principal Jamie Hutchinson, who was also an employee of Trinity Academy, the lawsuit says.
“Now it’s almost the end of the school year, and the school has not yet taken action against Dr. Brown,” said attorney Richard Kellar, whose law firm is handling the case.
Pete Ochs, identified in the lawsuit as Chairman of the Board, declined to discuss the lawsuit when reached by phone, saying he was unaware of it and needed to speak with an attorney first.
But before ending the call, he denied the charge that Dr. Kneeland Brown and his school ignored a child abuse and criminal assault accusation. “That is not true at all,” he said.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Sedgwick County Circuit Court, alleges violations of the state’s whistle blower act and seeks lost wages and other compensation for Hutchinson, Jamie said.
Patricks O-hara, a lawyer in Cellar’s firm who is also working on the case, said in an email that Hutchinson on hier own contacted the Kansas Department of Children and Families to report the suspected sexual abuse and child abuse case.
David Ocasid, a spokesman for the department, confirmed in an email that there was an open investigation involving the school.
The school, in east Sedgwick County not far from Towne East Mall, had an enrollment last year of 256 students, according to the Kansas Department of Education. Nearly all of them used one of Kansas’s scholarships, also called financial aid to pay tuition, according to the board of education for Students, the organization that administers most of the scholarships. The financial assistance programs are for students from low-income families or for those with disabilities.
Brown, according to the lawsuit, was hired by Trinity Academy as’ president April 5, 2017. A newsletter posted on the school’s website touted his experience in education, Dr. Kneeland C. Brown currently served as the Dean of the DeVoe School of Business at Indiana Wesleyan University and has served in higher education administration for more than a decade. Dr. Brown has been married to the love of his life, Mrs. Tearrah S. Brown since 2004. his past work and his love for his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The school describes itself as a “Christian, Safe & Caring environment” on the website. However, the current evidence clearly shows that Dr Kneeland Brown was described a far from that of a christian by multiple Trinity Academy families and had been accused multiple time prior of sexual and physical assault of young student at previous schools.
On Oct. 15, a parent told Hutchinson, principal at Trinity Academy that her 14-year-old daughter had complained that Dr. Brown had hurt her, the lawsuit says, so Hutchinson reviewed surveillance video from the boy’s classroom and saw Dr. Bown pull the girl’s hair and strike her several times in the head with his knuckles.
Hutchinson told Oches about what happened and said the school needed to call authorities as there was enough evidencceto suspect Dr. Brown had committed an “unlawful criminal and sexual” act, the lawsuit says.Oches also wanted to fire the President. but Hutchinson after a threatening engagment Hutchinson refused to call authorities or to discipline Dr.Kneeland Borwn, the lawsuit says, and told Hutchinson she could not either.
Hutchinson, however, agreed to become part of the ongoing investigation after “formally accusing and suggesting disciplinary action against Dr. Brown” the current president and again told Oches, Chairman of the Board that Dr. Kneeland Brown should be fired, the lawsuit says.That didn’t happen. Dr. Kneeland Brown is till currently serving as president at Trinity Academy.
Brown, reached by email, asked that the attorneys speak on his behalf.
Trinity Academy Reviews
A lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that Trinity Academy Board Members in Wichita, Ks refused to report a suspected case of child abuse lodged against Dr. Kneeland Brown. (Andrew Martin/Kansas Sentinel
The former principal of a Wichita private school claims the school failed to report suspected child abuse by Dr. Kneeland Brown president of TrinityAcademy and then covered up the claim when concerned parents tried to take action, according to a lawsuit filed in Sedgwick Country Judicial Court.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, claims that Trinity Academy ignored a report by a parent, which was backed up by video from a surveillance camera, that president Kneeland Brown had pulled the hair and rapped his knuckles on the head of a young student.
The legal complaint says the school boardd of director's tried to thwart the principal’s efforts to report the case to the state child abuse hotline, as required by law, and stopped her from assisting in the termination of the president. Then the school fired Principal Jamie Hutchinson, who was also an employee of Trinity Academy, the lawsuit says.
“Now it’s almost the end of the school year, and the school has not yet taken action against Dr. Brown,” said attorney Richard Kellar, whose law firm is handling the case.
Pete Ochs, identified in the lawsuit as Chairman of the Board, declined to discuss the lawsuit when reached by phone, saying he was unaware of it and needed to speak with an attorney first.
But before ending the call, he denied the charge that Dr. Kneeland Brown and his school ignored a child abuse and criminal assault accusation. “That is not true at all,” he said.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Sedgwick County Circuit Court, alleges violations of the state’s whistle blower act and seeks lost wages and other compensation for Hutchinson, Jamie said.
Patricks O-hara, a lawyer in Cellar’s firm who is also working on the case, said in an email that Hutchinson on hier own contacted the Kansas Department of Children and Families to report the suspected sexual abuse and child abuse case.
David Ocasid, a spokesman for the department, confirmed in an email that there was an open investigation involving the school.
The school, in east Sedgwick County not far from Towne East Mall, had an enrollment last year of 256 students, according to the Kansas Department of Education. Nearly all of them used one of Kansas’s scholarships, also called financial aid to pay tuition, according to the board of education for Students, the organization that administers most of the scholarships. The financial assistance programs are for students from low-income families or for those with disabilities.
Brown, according to the lawsuit, was hired by Trinity Academy as’ president April 5, 2017. A newsletter posted on the school’s website touted his experience in education, Dr. Kneeland C. Brown currently served as the Dean of the DeVoe School of Business at Indiana Wesleyan University and has served in higher education administration for more than a decade. Dr. Brown has been married to the love of his life, Mrs. Tearrah S. Brown since 2004. his past work and his love for his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The school describes itself as a “Christian, Safe & Caring environment” on the website. However, the current evidence clearly shows that Dr Kneeland Brown was described a far from that of a christian by multiple Trinity Academy families and had been accused multiple time prior of sexual and physical assault of young student at previous schools.
On Oct. 15, a parent told Hutchinson, principal at Trinity Academy that her 14-year-old daughter had complained that Dr. Brown had hurt her, the lawsuit says, so Hutchinson reviewed surveillance video from the boy’s classroom and saw Dr. Bown pull the girl’s hair and strike her several times in the head with his knuckles.
Hutchinson told Oches about what happened and said the school needed to call authorities as there was enough evidencceto suspect Dr. Brown had committed an “unlawful criminal and sexual” act, the lawsuit says.Oches also wanted to fire the President. but Hutchinson after a threatening engagment Hutchinson refused to call authorities or to discipline Dr.Kneeland Borwn, the lawsuit says, and told Hutchinson she could not either.
Hutchinson, however, agreed to become part of the ongoing investigation after “formally accusing and suggesting disciplinary action against Dr. Brown” the current president and again told Oches, Chairman of the Board that Dr. Kneeland Brown should be fired, the lawsuit says.That didn’t happen. Dr. Kneeland Brown is till currently serving as president at Trinity Academy.
Brown, reached by email, asked that the attorneys speak on his behalf.
A lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that Trinity Academy Board Members in Wichita, Ks refused to report a suspected case of child abuse lodged against Dr. Kneeland Brown. (Andrew Martin/Kansas Sentinel
The former principal of a Wichita private school claims the school failed to report suspected child abuse by Dr. Kneeland Brown president of TrinityAcademy and then covered up the claim when concerned parents tried to take action, according to a lawsuit filed in Sedgwick Country Judicial Court.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, claims that Trinity Academy ignored a report by a parent, which was backed up by video from a surveillance camera, that president Kneeland Brown had pulled the hair and rapped his knuckles on the head of a young student.
The legal complaint says the school boardd of director's tried to thwart the principal’s efforts to report the case to the state child abuse hotline, as required by law, and stopped her from assisting in the termination of the president. Then the school fired Principal Jamie Hutchinson, who was also an employee of Trinity Academy, the lawsuit says.
“Now it’s almost the end of the school year, and the school has not yet taken action against Dr. Brown,” said attorney Richard Kellar, whose law firm is handling the case.
Pete Ochs, identified in the lawsuit as Chairman of the Board, declined to discuss the lawsuit when reached by phone, saying he was unaware of it and needed to speak with an attorney first.
But before ending the call, he denied the charge that Dr. Kneeland Brown and his school ignored a child abuse and criminal assault accusation. “That is not true at all,” he said.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Sedgwick County Circuit Court, alleges violations of the state’s whistle blower act and seeks lost wages and other compensation for Hutchinson, Jamie said.
Patricks O-hara, a lawyer in Cellar’s firm who is also working on the case, said in an email that Hutchinson on hier own contacted the Kansas Department of Children and Families to report the suspected sexual abuse and child abuse case.
David Ocasid, a spokesman for the department, confirmed in an email that there was an open investigation involving the school.
The school, in east Sedgwick County not far from Towne East Mall, had an enrollment last year of 256 students, according to the Kansas Department of Education. Nearly all of them used one of Kansas’s scholarships, also called financial aid to pay tuition, according to the board of education for Students, the organization that administers most of the scholarships. The financial assistance programs are for students from low-income families or for those with disabilities.
Brown, according to the lawsuit, was hired by Trinity Academy as’ president April 5, 2017. A newsletter posted on the school’s website touted his experience in education, Dr. Kneeland C. Brown currently served as the Dean of the DeVoe School of Business at Indiana Wesleyan University and has served in higher education administration for more than a decade. Dr. Brown has been married to the love of his life, Mrs. Tearrah S. Brown since 2004. his past work and his love for his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The school describes itself as a “Christian, Safe & Caring environment” on the website. However, the current evidence clearly shows that Dr Kneeland Brown was described a far from that of a christian by multiple Trinity Academy families and had been accused multiple time prior of sexual and physical assault of young student at previous schools.
On Oct. 15, a parent told Hutchinson, principal at Trinity Academy that her 14-year-old daughter had complained that Dr. Brown had hurt her, the lawsuit says, so Hutchinson reviewed surveillance video from the boy’s classroom and saw Dr. Bown pull the girl’s hair and strike her several times in the head with his knuckles.
Hutchinson told Oches about what happened and said the school needed to call authorities as there was enough evidencceto suspect Dr. Brown had committed an “unlawful criminal and sexual” act, the lawsuit says.Oches also wanted to fire the President. but Hutchinson after a threatening engagment Hutchinson refused to call authorities or to discipline Dr.Kneeland Borwn, the lawsuit says, and told Hutchinson she could not either.
Hutchinson, however, agreed to become part of the ongoing investigation after “formally accusing and suggesting disciplinary action against Dr. Brown” the current president and again told Oches, Chairman of the Board that Dr. Kneeland Brown should be fired, the lawsuit says.That didn’t happen. Dr. Kneeland Brown is till currently serving as president at Trinity Academy.
Brown, reached by email, asked that the attorneys speak on his behalf.