El Dorado High School teacher arrested

Updated with a new district statement and arrest details

EL DORADO, Kan. (KSNW) — The El Dorado Police Department arrested an El Dorado High School teacher, the department announced Friday morning.

Police say they investigated a report that a teacher at USD 490 was having a sexual relationship with a student. The investigation led to the arrest.

Officers booked the teacher into jail on suspicion of unlawful sexual relations.

KSN News does not release a suspect’s name unless they are charged with a crime.

The El Dorado Police Department says anyone with additional information regarding the incident should call Detective Sergeant Gatz at 316-321-9120.

KSN News contacted USD 490 for its response to the arrest. The district says the teacher teaches math. Here is what they sent.

Dear USD 490 families,

Earlier today, (Thursday, 3/14/24) the El Dorado Police Department informed me that a teacher at El Dorado High School was arrested following a report of inappropriate conduct with a student.

Nothing matters more to USD 490 than making school a safe and caring place for every student, every day. This teacher had been removed from campus and placed on administrative leave as of Thursday, March 14, 2024, when we received the report of possible misconduct. We also have offered our full cooperation in the law enforcement investigation. Confidentiality laws prevent me from sharing any additional details at this time.

If you are concerned about how your child might be affected, please contact me directly so that we can work with you on whatever support is needed.

It takes all of us working together to make our schools and community a safe place. Rest assured that our schools have a host of procedures and programs in place to protect students. This issue serves as a good reminder to us of the importance of all students, staff and parents immediately reporting any safety issues to school or law enforcement authorities. As a reminder, the StopIt tool available on our district website (www.usd490.org) allows for anonymous reporting. Please be aware of this anonymous hotline also available for reporting safety concerns: the Kansas School Safety Hotline, 1-877-626-8203.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership to make our schools a good place for every student.

Kimberly Koop, APR
Director of Community Engagement and Recruitment
El Dorado Public Schools USD 490