Kennedale mayor cited in school incident

Popular Kennedale mayor Bryan Lankhorst didn't draw a challenger in his bid for a fourth term, which he officially won on May 12. 

Exactly one week later, he was out of office, having resigned amid an Arlington police investigation into his actions May 17 as a substitute teacher at Miller Elementary School. Several sixth-graders told administrators that Lankhorst, a real estate agent who has grandchildren, rubbed their back and shoulders and then moved his hand lower, making them feel uncomfortable. They also said he talked about the process of human reproduction -- a topic that the Arlington school district doesn't teach at any grade level -- and statistics on teen pregnancy.

The decision to issue citations was made the week after the incident, police spokeswoman Tiara Richard said Thursday. She declined to specify the number or type of charges, saying police are awaiting confirmation that Lankhorst's attorney, Mark Daniel of Fort Worth, had received them in the mail. 

Two of the sixth-graders spoke with me on May 22 about their complaints against Lankhorst. Some of the information they provided turned out to be incorrect, including that Lankhorst administered a STARR exam to them (it was actually an end-of-year writing test) and that their regular teacher was subbing for the principal that day (the substitute principal was actually a veteran administrator with 25 years of experience).

They also said that after Lankhorst was informed of the complaints against him, he was allowed, visibly  angry, back into their classroom, where he walked among the desks flicking a Swiss army knife open and closed and then went to his desk and had lunch.

That was not the case, district spokeswoman Amy Casas said.

"The substitute was informed of the accusations in private by the principal in her office," she said. "He was then asked to leave the campus, which he did so promptly."

--Patrick M. Walker

Comments

[rodney]

Can you challenge a citation? So let me get this straight...did these kids just make up the whole thing about him being " allowed, visibly angry, back into their classroom, where he walked among the desks flicking a Swiss army knife open and closed and then went to his desk and had lunch."? They just made that up?!

[Patrick Walker]

He can definitely ask for his day in court. It's a police-issued citation, so it would involve municipal court.

[Steve]

Why would a person with so much to lose make the choices he is accused of. I am suspect of this story and do not know the accused or accusers in this matter. I think there is a lot more to come on this story.

[rodney]

But they made up the other part? Am I reading that correctly, just made it up out of thin air? That alone is cause for having his day in court!

[rodney]

But they made the last part up? About him and the pocket knife? They made it up?! That alone is grounds for taking it to court!

[Duane]

Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. Dude retired his position. If I'm innocent, I don't resign my position. It most likely happened, then the false rumors started after all the excitement started. It happens with adults also.

[Max Edison]

Believeing that someone is guilty because they have been accussed is fundamentally anti-American and an embarrassment to the great state of Texas. That type of thiniking belongs in North Korea rather than Tarrant County. Disgusting and disturbing.

[Jason Smith]

"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, . . . and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him . . .."

Sixth Amendment, U.S. Constitution. This is what makes America great. This man should take advantage of these protections.