KANSAS CITY — A Grandview woman and former teacher is suing KIPP Kansas City, alleging that she was sexually harassed during her employment.
Kimberly Clark began working for KIPP on July 1, 2023. She recognized immediately that the environment at the school was not conducive to learning, nor the safety of children, according to a complaint initially filed in state court and removed on Jan. 14 to U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
"Defendant condoned, encouraged, and tolerated an atmosphere plagued with sexual abuse and misconduct, physical abuse and violence, drug use, and erotic behavior from teachers," the complaint states. "Staff and students at KIPP engaged in the same type of inappropriate behavior, and their conduct mostly went unchecked."
On Nov. 28, 2023, Clark reported the vice principal to the managing director of student services, claiming the vice principal was racially profiling students and staff. She claimed the vice principal would likely retaliate after Clark made the report as well.
Clark claims she also reported to the principal that she did not feel comfortable around the vice principal. On Dec. 7, 2023, Clark was suspended and on Dec. 11, 2023, her employment was terminated.
Clark claims her time at KIPP was marred by an environment that compromised the physical, emotional and psychological safety of both students and staff.
This toxic atmosphere included allegations of sexual misconduct, physical violence, drug use and inappropriate behavior from both teachers and students that went largely unchecked by school leadership, according to the suit.
Despite Clark's warnings that she would be retaliated against for reporting the vice principal, the plaintiff alleges that retaliation did occur when she was suspended and her employment terminated.
The plaintiff asserts that her termination was not only baseless but was also driven by her race, color, gender and her willingness to report misconduct within the school.
The defendant’s official reason for termination was that the plaintiff had instigated a fight between students, according to the suit. However, the plaintiff denies this accusation, stating that she had reported the anticipated fight to the principal and at least two other staff members prior to the incident.
The lawsuit claims that despite the plaintiff’s proactive steps, the fight occurred, and the vice principal conducted an investigation that falsely implicated the plaintiff.
The plaintiff alleges that the vice principal did not interview her as part of the investigation and relied on rumors or fabricated allegations to justify her dismissal.
The lawsuit also accuses the vice principal and other administrators of routinely falsifying or manipulating evidence during investigations and failing to discipline the actual culprits.
Clark claims that school policies were rarely enforced, citing examples such as teachers posting TikTok videos of students on social media, students photographing teachers in compromising positions and teachers providing students with rides in personal vehicles—all of which violate school policy.
Clark is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Henry W. Tanner Jr. of The Law Firm of Henry Tanner in Kansas City.
The school is part of the national KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) network, which operates public charter schools across the country.
Attorneys, nor KIPP, responded to requests for comment before publication.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri case number: 4:25-cv-00024