A Kentucky elementary school principal is facing serious allegations for an incident involving a toy gun and two second-grade students, according to a newly filed lawsuit.
The parents of one of the children claim Duan Wright, the then-principal of Hartstern Elementary School in Louisville, used a toy gun to intimidate their children during a disciplinary encounter in September 2019.
The lawsuit states the children were sent to Wright's office for classroom disruptions. Instead of conventional disciplinary measures, Wright allegedly pulled a gun from his desk and slammed it on the table.
"If you don't get it together, I'm going to feed you to the wolves," Wright reportedly told the students, according to WKRC. Both children believed the gun was real and began crying, the lawsuit claims.
Child Protective Services (CPS) investigated the incident after the scared students reported it to teachers. During interviews, one child alleged a prior instance where Wright had spanked him. While Wright later claimed the gun was a toy confiscated from another student, parents argue the distinction is irrelevant. They insist the use of the gun, real or not, was equally traumatizing.
🎉 CELEBRATING OUR SCHOOL LEADERS | October is #NationalPrincipalsMonth! Today's spotlight features @HartsternElem Principal Duan Wright. Thank you for all you do!#WeAreJCPS pic.twitter.com/12EXtrGUTr
— JCPS (@JCPSKY) October 18, 2021
The lawsuit also accuses Wright of continued harassment in the months following. He allegedly confronted one of the children about CPS interviews and kept pressuring the child's parent, who worked in the district, to drop the case. This pressure reportedly contributed to the parent's eventual resignation.
Wright was terminated from Hartstern Elementary in March 2024 but reportedly transitioned to another district role.
This is not the first time Wright has faced misconduct allegations. The lawsuit references a 2022 case where he was accused of physically abusing another student. Despite these controversies, Wright reportedly faced no disciplinary action from the district for the toy gun incident until years later.
The lawsuit, filed against Wright and the district, claims negligence, false imprisonment, and assault. The parents maintain Wright's behavior as a failure of institutional accountability and disregard for student safety.
