A Topeka, Kansas, middle school principal was arrested at his school on Thursday and booked on multiple child sex crime charges. Todd W. Haag, 56, leads Jardine Middle School and now faces counts including aggravated criminal sodomy, sexual exploitation of a child, indecent solicitation of a child, and electronic solicitation. He was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.
Topeka Public Schools placed Haag on administrative leave and says district staff will be on the Jardine campus to support students and employees while law enforcement investigates. In a statement, the district said it knows the news is concerning and that it is working closely with police. Haag has worked in public education for 30 years, including at Williams, Jardine, and Scott Dual Language schools. Authorities have not released additional details.
For families, the story raises familiar concerns about trust, oversight, and how schools screen the people in charge. Serious charges are not convictions, and the legal process is just beginning, but the anxiety in that community is easy to understand. What would you want your child’s school district to tell you first if a staff member were arrested? Share your thoughts with us.
