Video depicts Lanning confronting Garcia
By Marcus Clem
A video shows parts of the confrontation that resulted in charges against a St. Joseph Board of Education member.
Footage of the Feb. 26 incident involving Whitney Lanning and Isaura Garcia has been posted on local social media accounts and was obtained this week by News-Press NOW. Lanning is charged with second-degree harassment, a misdemeanor, in the incident.
The seven-minute video, which is published here in its full length, begins with board member Rick Gehring entering the board conference room of the Troester Media Center. The board had just concluded its regular February executive session, in which members considered matters it does not discuss in public — such as the hiring, discipline or firing of district staff. Executive session happens in another room.
“Regarding the incident between two of our board members, I can only say that it will in no way affect my duty as an elected official and parent to continue to serve our students and staff to the best of my ability,” Gehring said via text message.
As seen on video, following Gehring were his colleagues Isaura Garcia, David Foster and then Lanning. There is no audio on the tape, which was captured by St. Joseph School District ceiling cameras.
In the video, Garcia turns to say something to Lanning. Lanning then extends her arms, before throwing a black bag against a wall between the hallway and the board conference room. Lanning later retrieves the bag and resumes following Garcia and Foster.
“This was not a disagreement over school-related issues, in fact, it wasn’t a disagreement at all,” Lanning said via email. “My child was attacked in an effort to discredit district staff. As a mother I’ll always defend my child, and all children for that matter.”
Board member Kim Miller rebutted Lanning’s comments, also via email.
“Isaura said nothing offensive and never raised her voice, but Whitney began cussing and threatening Isaura,” Miller said. “I witnessed the diatribe of vile words and threats Whitney made against Isaura as she followed and pushed against David to get to Isaura, as they tried to leave the building …”
After the bag throwing, as seen on video, Superintendent Gabe Edgar entered the camera’s viewpoint and walked into the board conference room, followed by Board President LaTonya Williams.
The same events involving the thrown bag are then seen in repetition, from the point of view of another camera further down the hallway. Neither Edgar nor Williams appear to have said or done anything, except walk forward during the entire video.
“I have no other comment than what was provided by the board before,” Edgar emailed Friday. Williams likewise declined further comment, referencing a statement from earlier in March that described the Feb. 26 events as “an incident arising from a disagreement.” Garcia said she would not comment.
Another camera captured the group entering the conference room, where a U-shape arrangement of desks exists, opposite dozens of office chairs set up for an audience. They all walk across the room and into the main hallway of the TMC, with Lanning continuing to follow and speak toward Garcia. Foster steps between Lanning and Garcia to keep them separated.
Lanning walks back into the conference room en route to retrieve her bag. She then follows Edgar into the main hallway on the opposite side, trailed by Williams. Miller then appears in the footage for the first time. Miller also walks straight forward until pausing to let Gehring pass by.
As seen in the video, Miller speaks with Garcia, and then says something to Foster, before Foster again places himself into their path in an attempt to usher them further apart.
Miller said she believes the incident could have escalated had Foster not intervened.
“When Whitney saw me heading in their direction, she included me in that diatribe of vulgarities,” Miller said.
During this time, Lanning is on the opposite end of the hall. The video concludes with each person previously depicted getting into their cars and leaving the TMC, amid a brief conversation between Foster, Garcia and Miller.
Lanning, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or $2,000 in fines. She is scheduled to go before Circuit Court Judge Chad Gaddie at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, for an initial appearance.
Miller referenced Williams’ role in maintaining order between members as school board president.
“This is just the most recent occurrence in a long string of similar incidents that our board president condones,” Miller said. “I hope this does not happen to anyone else.”
Williams declined to respond to Miller’s statement.
Lanning and others have been subject to scrutiny since the events of Feb. 26, with outlets reporting that Lanning, Garcia, Foster and Gehring each did not pay their 2023 property taxes on time. When they respectively got square with Buchanan County Collector Peggy Campbell, they paid penalties ranging from $49 to just under $145.
The News-Press filed a Missouri Sunshine Law request on Friday with Campbell to review the tax payment status of all seven current board members, and all 10 board candidates (among them, incumbents Williams and Kenneth Reeder). Results obtained on Monday showed that everyone involved has paid their property tax in full.
Three candidates will be elected on April 2 for three-year terms beginning later that month. The taxes that were late-paid, where applicable, fund the St. Joseph School District.
Foster responded to a request for comment after the initial publication of this story:
“The incident that happened on Feb. 26 was unmatched to anything I’ve seen in three years of serving on the board,” he said. “It is unfortunate that we still have individuals that try to justify multiple accounts of bully behavior and fail to take full responsibility for their actions.
“The disagreement that came from a board matter and was used as an opportunity to intimidate shows great lack of stability to our board and district. The question we should be asking future board members is, ‘How well do you handle conflict?’”
