Tom Leahy

(Updated Sunday) Sumner Newscow report — Conway Springs teacher Tom Leahy, who was on leave for two weeks after showing a controversial anti-bullying film, will return to his teaching position Monday, district officials said.

In a written statement, officials said he “will be allowed back in the classroom with some safeguards in place to make sure the students in the classroom are okay which is our number one concern.”

The one-page statement, sent to Conway Springs parents and media Friday, was issued on behalf of the district and Leahy, Murphy said, and would be “our final statements on this issue.”

“We will have no further comment on the topic,” it says.

Leahy confirmed by phone to the Wichita Eagle Friday that he did not plan to comment further.

“The fact is that the vast majority of complaints were about the graphic suicide scene and some of the comments made after the film had ended,” the statement said.

Leahy said he no longer plans to speak to Conway Springs school board members at their regular meeting Monday night. It was unclear Friday whether board members would address the topic.

Thursday, Leahy reversed a previous decision that he would tender his resignation to the Conway Springs School Board (see story here).

Leahy was asked to leave after he showed his eighth-grade history students “Love is all you need,” a short film that depicts a fictional town in which heterosexual children are bullied by homosexual classmates. The film was shown as a teaching tool about tolerance, Leahy said.

Leahy said he showed the film after a history lesson took a disturbing turn. He directed students last month to create their own colonies, like early American settlers, and several students declared that homosexuals would not be allowed in their colonies, Leahy said. Other students created colonies where everyone was welcome, which led to heated debates and hard feelings.

He and Superintendent Clay Murphy were scheduled to address the community at a joint news conference on Thursday, but the event was canceled shortly after noon at Leahy’s request, Murphy said.

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