Following a plea agreement on sexual misconduct charges from one-time Emporia High teacher Tyler Bosiljevac, USD 253 Emporia has issued a statement regarding staff conduct.
Community Relations Director Lyndel Landgren says the district has “high expectations” for all its workers and it understands its responsibility to protect student safety, health and welfare. Landgren also says the district does all it can to ensure the highest standard of professional conduct, and any unlawful and.or inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated.
Bosiljevac pleaded guilty Wednesday to single counts of attempted unlawful sexual relations between a teacher and student and indecent liberties with a child between the ages of 14 and 16. Bosiljevac had originally been charged in May with three counts of indecent liberties, two counts each of attempted sexual exploitation and unlawful sexual relations and one of sexual battery. All other counts were dropped as part of the plea, and sentencing is March 10.
Bosiljevac was fired from the district in February 2020 after 14 years as a teacher. USD 253 Emporia did not give specifics at the time, but a statement listed several alleged violations of board policy for teacher-student conduct. At that time, Landgren also said all concerns brought to the district “are taken seriously and promptly investigated consistent with board policy.” However, several parents reached out to KVOE News, saying they had expressed concerns about Bosiljevac’s behavior well before he was fired.
Landgren says district counselors, psychologists and social workers and CrossWinds staff are available to provide student support.
Statement from USD 253 Community Relations Director Lyndel Landgren
On behalf of the questions that we have recently received at Emporia Public Schools, we would like to release the following statement:
We have high expectations for all employees and understand our responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of our students and staff within the district. The district makes every effort to ensure that we maintain the highest standard of professional conduct throughout our school campuses. Our students’ well-being and safety is a top priority. Any unlawful and/or inappropriate conduct by an employee will not be tolerated in this school district. School counselors, school psychologists, school social workers and therapists from CrossWinds are available to provide student support during this challenging time. Alternatively, there are local resources available to the community at large.
