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For immediate release: 9-13-21
COVID-19 related story: Wilson County, TN school system violates the due process of a family regarding the school’s own policies.
Short summary:
Parents decided not to have high school senior return, in person, to public school reducing the risk to the lives of his family, including an elderly grandfather and infant brother, with whom he resides. The Wilson County school system has not communicated with the family and appears to be putting up roadblocks towards the family’s decision to reduce their risk of bringing home Covid-19.
David Klimkowski is available for interviews on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, & Skype due to Covid Restrictions
For booking information and to get the minor’s release please contact:
Matt Aaron at 615-605-7651 matt[at]radiodisclosure[dot]com
Story Summarized: High school senior attended one week of school, and became ill, it was unknown whether he had contracted Covid or not since there were not any rapid tests available in the area.
After he became ill, the family made the decision that going back to school was not available, contact was made with the school to see if he could complete his schooling virtually.
Medical professionals have advised the grandfather not to take the vaccination due to the pulmonary risk resulted from his five heart attacks, this also includes the possible aggravation of the eight stents in his heart.
The parent tried to communicate with the school, but there were no communication attempts made by anyone in the Wilson County school system other than receiving a text message about truancy charges, after they had been filed, and to return a chrome notebook, that the parent did not know the student had been issued. The school refused to have a conference with the parent of the high school senior. They would not release his high school transcript to his new online school, Penn Foster, until the chrome notebook was returned.
Wilson County schools violated their own policies (see manual 6.200) it would appear that Wilson County schools were more concerned about their $53 a day for the student to be in school and having their chrome-book returned to them than Brian Klimkowski’s education. Brian is now set up for success, with Penn Foster’s online program and able to graduate on time, with no help from the Wilson County school system.
Other parents need to know about these options if they are struggling with the same thing.
Main Information Piece:
David Klimkowski, the father, was advised by the counselor on September 6th that his son, the high school senior, could try for his GED, now using the HiSET exam – a High School Equivalency Test, to remove himself from the risk of bringing Covid into his household.
That information sent the parent down a rabbit hole for an entire day; going to the school, and then to the board of education, who advised him to go to the Adult Learning Center since there was nothing they could do. The Adult Learning Center told the father that there were no online options; every option would have to be done in person. Mr. Klimkowski was informed on the 7th of September that his son, the high school senior, would have to contact his graduation coach at Lebanon high school for information on taking the HiSET.
In the state of TN, it is illegal for a 17-year-old to take the HiSET except for instances of medical hardship for the student. On the 8th and 9th of September, the parent found that there were other online options for the student to attend however, he was still under the presupposition that the student had to talk to the graduation coach.
Between the dates of September 8th - 10th, multiple calls were placed to the graduation coach and the high school requesting a conference surrounding these issues. To this day, no calls have been returned to the family by anyone at the high school regarding this issue. At that point, the father sought out council from other parents who were in similar circumstances.
The senior, Brian Klimkowski, was enrolled in Penn Foster on Thursday September 9th.
On Friday the 10th, the high school senior with the help of his stepmother, tried to take the permission form in order to take the HiSET to the Adult Learning Center for a signature. He was unable to find anyone to explain who he was supposed to meet with to sign the form. He left the building without the form signed.
During this encounter, the high school senior was informed that truancy charges were being filed against him and his father and that they would have to be in court three days later. Later that day, the father received his first communication, a text message, from an attendance administrator, after receiving no other communication from anyone in the school system after multiple days in a row of trying to receive some form of communication. Receiving that text message confirmed to David that the school system did in fact have his contact information. No voice communication has been made with the parent, David Klimkowski, regarding his son Brian, the high school senior. The text message sent to the father stated that the sheriff’s department would be bringing a subpoena for him to appear in court on Tuesday September 14th at 1pm. (Image attached) The subpoena was not brought to the house; but the father will be in court as the text has stated above.
Penn Foster reached out to Lebanon High School for Brian’s transcript and was only given the information up until the eighth grade. Nothing regarding his three years in high school, which caused further delays in Brian’s continuation of his education.
Unbeknownst to the father, the school had issued a chrome notebook to the student and was holding his high school transcript hostage until it was returned. As soon as the father, Mr. Klimkowski, was aware that there was a chrome notebook holding up the transcript, he told his son to get the laptop so it could be returned to the school. The laptop and the charger were returned to the school on Monday September 13th the day he found out about it. (Voicemail attached)
Due process was failed on the young minor and the parents from Wilson County school system.
According to the Wilson County school’s policy manual section 6.200 the progressive truancy prevention program was not followed.
When the student had five unexcused absences there should have been a conference with the student and his parent. The school should have requested a conference according to their own policies.
David Klimkowski had gone to, and called, the school multiple times, proving that the school failed in their own processes (policy link attached below).
In conclusion, Brian is now enrolled in Penn Foster and setup for success, ready to graduation on time, without being around other students, no risk of transmitting Covid-19 to the other members of his household, elderly grandfather and infant brother included.
With the school’s lack of communication, an apparent lack of responsiveness, only goes to show how little this school system actually cares for their students.
The first and second means of communication were regarding truancy and a chrome-book laptop.
No other times were there any communication regarding the high school senior’s educational experience.
In all the interviews of David and Brian Klimkowski’s attempts to communicate with the school it would appear the school is more interested in their $53 a day for the student to attend the school than Brian’s higher education.
Upon multiple requests when a representative from the Wilson County school system was asked why due process was not followed, they declined comment.
In addition, when a representative from Lebanon high school was asked why there was a lack of communication to the parent when multiple requests were made, they declined comment.
When Lebanon high school was asked why they withheld the transcripts so Brian could continue his education, they declined comment.
Why did someone from Lebanon high school advise the student to try to take the HiSET when he legally cannot since he is 17-years-old.
Last but not least how was a meeting conducted, without the parents present, to come to filing the truancy charges for Brian and his father. The attendance administrator regarding Brian’s attendance skipped all the communication steps and failed to come up with a plan for success prior to filing truancy.
Wilson County School Board truancy policy.
https://go.boarddocs.com/tn/wcschools/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=C36KMM526C01
