The Burlington School District placed an employee on administrative leave after the worker left a student alone in Aldo Leopold Middle School after hours.
The district said a student, who is not being identified, was supposed to serve a one-hour detention Thursday afternoon. Instead, the student spent more than two hours in the detention room.
Human Resources Director Chuck Griffin said it's the same room used for in-school suspensions at the middle school.
In a statement, the district said the employee, who was supposed to be supervising the student, left the building. It did not explain why the employee left or if the employee informed anyone of the decision to leave.
The student eventually walked out of the room and found a custodian, who took the student to some after school teachers, one of whom drove the student home.
Superintendent Pat Coen apologized to the student and his/her parent on Friday. That same day, the employee in question was placed on administrative leave after meeting with district representatives.
Human Resources Director Chuck Griffin said the district cannot release the name of the employee due to potential personnel actions. He said the district’s after-school detention procedures are being reviewed.
