During the January 12 Kenai Peninsula School Board meeting, many Nikiski parents, community members, and staff testified in regards to the Nikiski faculty who were on leave.
Staff member Jason Tauriainen said his daughter Hannah graduated from Nikiski Middle/High School last year but was able to attend the 2014 faculty program in question and wrote a letter for her father to read at the meeting.
Tauriainen: “The staff at Nikiski had no ill intentions, they would never do anything to make a student uncomfortable. I was heartbroken to hear that people I care about have been compared to with what happened in our school in spring 2014. The way that this situation was dealt with was disconcerting to watch, these teachers were publicly slandered across social media by adults, people I expect to deal with things in a more respectful manner.”
A couple of the parents who were concerned about the December 18 skits did testify, including James Freeman.
Freeman: “In no way shape or form did I ever question the staff’s ability to do their jobs; I questioned the inappropriateness of what they portrayed and what was shown in front of the school body, especially in front of my middle-schoolers.”
Nikiski Principal Dan Carstens said that the school is a humbling place to work and his heart is not only in the school but also in the community.
Carstens: “And I understand that we have people of all walks of life, and when they say that the U.S. is a melting pot and I think that Nikiski is a melting pot as well. And at no time did we intend to offend anyone, our intentions were to always, always build relationships with the kids because you can never ever teach them without it. (clapping) And if there was anyone offended by that I do apologize.”
Overall the parents all voiced their support of the Nikiski faculty and desire to stand together as a community.
The two Nikiski administrators and two Nikiski teachers were back to work at school on January 7 after the district’s investigation into the program.