photo by: Nick Krug

South Middle School students hang out on the patio outside the school after early release on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017.

Last Thursday, students and staff at South Middle School were put on lockdown after a former teacher allegedly turned up at the school unannounced and reportedly drunk, making a scene that culminated in his arrest.

Over the weekend, South Principal Keith Jones provided new details to staff and families in a school newsletter intended to “clear up any misinformation” circulating around the incident. As previously reported by the Journal-World, it was Chris Cobb, the former South teacher accused of making racist comments in class, who left the school in handcuffs last Thursday after a reported outburst that afternoon.

Cobb, who taught sixth-grade social studies at South, resigned from his job in fall 2016 following an investigation into racist comments he had allegedly made in class. He has since denied all wrongdoing while remaining largely silent about the specific allegations against him, and the district has never released details about the incident.

South Middle School Principal Keith Jones

In his message to parents and staff, Jones said it was Cobb’s familiarity with his former coworkers that gained him access to the school’s front office. At the time, “there were no obvious signs” that Cobb might present safety concerns, Jones said.

“While I was not aware in advance that he planned to come to South, I believe that his purpose in coming to the school was to share with me his perspective about the events of last year surrounding his resignation,” Jones said. “I spent about 15 minutes speaking with him in the main office conference room, away from kids and staff.”

It was during this time that Cobb allegedly began “displaying inappropriate behavior,” including cursing and making threatening comments toward the school district at large, Jones wrote. These reasons, along with Cobb’s seeming intoxication, Jones said, prompted staff to call police to the school.

Jones did specify that “at no time did (Cobb) make any threats toward South students or staff.”

Cobb was arrested on misdemeanor charges of criminal trespassing, interference with duties of a police officer and disorderly conduct, then taken to the Douglas County Jail for booking. He was released later that day on his own recognizance.

Jones said it was his understanding that Cobb “did not follow” instructions from police officers as they escorted him out of the school last Thursday, leading to his forcible removal from the parking lot in handcuffs. Police have since issued Cobb a criminal-trespass warning for the entire school district.

“Should he be seen on any district property, he will be arrested for criminal trespass,” Jones said. “The district has shared this information and directions about this with all Lawrence schools.”

The district is working closely with law enforcement, Jones said, and is exploring additional security measures for South and neighboring Broken Arrow Elementary School. Efforts will also be made to clarify language in the school’s crisis plan procedures, Jones said, in addition to repairing the few intercoms that were not functioning during last Thursday’s lockdown announcement.

Although the incident remained confined to the school’s main office, Jones said, a handful of students managed to see and hear Cobb’s outburst.

“It is my understanding that some students recorded video of him in the office through the glass,” Jones said, referring to Cobb. “A rumor has been circulating that administrators forced students to delete their videos. This is not true.”

Jones also cautioned parents about what he described as “disturbing” online content posted by Cobb several weeks ago. Jones wasn’t specific about what online content he meant, but Cobb did post a more than two-hour YouTube video outlining his views on various topics, including his accusations that the district had led a “witch hunt” that ended in his resignation.

District administrators notified law enforcement and the school district’s attorney about Jones’ concerns regarding Cobb’s online content, though at that point the district did not have legal grounds to ban him from district property.

“We do not want students or staff watching or reading his online materials at school or during school-sponsored activities,” Jones said.

Administrators have also spoken with “a few students who responded to (Cobb’s) online blogs and have contacted their parents,” he added.

“Keeping students and staff safe is our number one priority,” Jones said. “While crisis procedures were followed during this highly stressful situation, and students and staff were always safe, we did learn some things through this experience. We will continue to discuss what we learned and use it to improve our procedures.”

Cobb’s first court appearance stemming from last week’s arrest is slated for April 17 at Lawrence’s Municipal Court. Aside from his recent arrest, Cobb has no criminal record in Douglas County.