MČ Prague 5 » The director of Kindergarten Kroupov was threatened. Local parents stand behind her. A criminal complaint is being prepared
30/08/2022
The Prague 5 district held a press conference at which it spoke out against the falsehoods stated in the misleading TV Nova report. In its resolution, the municipal district council also responds to new and serious findings in the cause of the Kroupov Kindergarten and establishes an independent inspection committee of experts to dispel all doubts. The opportunity to nominate its members will also be offered to opposition representatives.
“Preschool children became hostages in a heated personal dispute. Therefore, I listened to the parents’ pleas and entered the dispute as a mediator, trying to calm the situation. We want to dispel all doubts, which is why we decided to set up a working group composed of employees of the Prague 5 Municipal Office, experts in the field of hygiene and also in the field of quality assessment of pre-school education. The commission’s task will be to ensure an overall audit of the activities carried out by Kroupova Kindergarten. In order to ensure the independence of the commission, we will also offer the opportunity to nominate members to opposition representatives,” commenting on the progress of the district councilors, the mayor and deputy Mgr. Renáta Zajíčková
The children’s parents, who support the school director, draw attention to a number of non-standard steps accompanying the mediatized case: “Since the outbreak of the case in the spring, it has been obvious that one person is behind the massive media coverage. The husband of one of the two teachers whose employment contract was not extended. Mr. Štěrba is employed in the media and is not only able to promote the case in the form of a report on TV NOVA (June), but he can even arrange timely media coverage of the case in at least seven media outlets, right before the end of the holidays, when the children are on vacation with their parents and they can hardly resist the attempts to liquidate the management of the kindergarten,” said a statement signed by several outraged parents, led by Ing. Roman Bém.
At the press conference, there was also a brief statement about the false information:
- the plastic bags were not used for serving > they were used to store side dishes at the time of delivery
- reported problem does not persist > was resolved immediately (in November 2021)
- the problem has not occurred for 10 years > hygiene states the period between 2020 and 2021
- the accredited laboratory did not confirm the threat to children’s health
- Mayor Zajíčková rejected the allegation that she knows the kindergarten director personally
The headmistress of the school said during the press conference that there are already threats. She submitted an email communication in which she is being pressured by a fictitious accusation. This was evaluated by the Bar Association as a misuse of the name of the said lawyer.
“As soon as the fictitious indictment came, I was threatened by phone. I was told if I had a clear conscience to get a good lawyer. I was also told that I would be summoned to the police within ten days, which did not happen. In June, a criminal complaint was filed against me and the criminal police came to see me. After giving the statement I was told that it is not a case for further investigation and the police are storing it“, says the kindergarten director Mgr. Zuzana Legnerová