ST. LOUIS — A teacher with St. Louis Public Schools spoke with 5 On Your Side anonymously about her concern for the children within the district. Most recently, she learned about a 4-year-old with disabilities who was found a few blocks away from Patrick Henry Elementary School's campus.
The teacher believes the child walked off campus during recess. A community member later found the child and walked the child back to the school. Nobody at the school noticed the child was gone, according to the teacher.
The teachers involved were placed on leave pending an investigation, an SLPS spokesperson told 5 On Your Side. The district also reportedly launched an internal investigation through its Employee Relations Department and has reported the incident to the Department of Family Services.
"Too many kids out there, only two adults. This child was able to wander off the north side of the playground and head east. They made it over to a community center," the teacher told 5 On Your Side. "It's so scary. If that were one of the kids in my classroom, I would be beside myself ... My concern is it's going to happen again because we had the same issues last year."
The biggest difference between the 2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year is the lack of teachers, the teacher said. For Patrick Henry Elementary, she said the problem is a lack of certified teachers. The school reportedly only has six certified teachers out of a needed 20.
"The playground itself has gates that do not latch, they can't be locked. The equipment is old, it's been set on fire. There's holes in the plastic. It's not an inclusive playground," the teacher said.
The teacher also believes that the parents may not fully understand what happened to their 4-year-old child due to a language barrier.
SLSP said that the safety and well-being of the students are the district's top priority, but this teacher is looking for more support from the school and the district for all children, especially those with disabilities.