Widow Forced To Pull Daughter Out Of School Following Move From District
MONROEVILLE (KDKA) -- Heartbroken over the death of her husband last fall, a mother has now been forced to make another move, this time, breaking her young daughter's heart.
Katy Biddle lost her husband, Ryan, to brain cancer in September.
"It was just a little too emotional for us to stay there," said Biddle.
Devastated by the loss, it was difficult to stay in the Monroeville home where he died. Plus, Biddle had 9-month-old twins that she needed help caring for. So, in November, she moved in with her parents in Murrysville.
But what she didn't want to do was add any more trauma for her 6-year-old daughter, Kamdyn.
So she asked the girl's principal if Kamdyn could finish the school year at Steward Elementary with her friends and postpone a change in school districts until the summer.
"I had gone into the school and told them what was going on and they were fine with it. The principal said that's fine, you own your house in Monroeville that shouldn't be a problem," said Biddle.
And there wasn't a problem, until Thursday.
"I went in for a parent-teacher conference, and as I was walking out, they presented me with a letter," said Biddle.
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The letter was from the Gateway School District superintendent, stating that as of Tuesday, Jan. 31, Kamdyn would no longer be enrolled because she doesn't live in Monroeville.
Biddle says she understands there's a policy, but she still owns the house and pays taxes.
After finally connecting with the superintendent on the phone, Biddle tried to make her case.
"I said this has been the only constant thing in her life that hasn't changed, since, really in the last three-and-a-half years. She watched her dad get sick from the beginning and eventually pass away," said Biddle.
That wasn't enough to satisfy the superintendent.
"He really just said the policy is – it's where the child lays their head at night," Biddle said.
Last night, the Gateway School Board voted to uphold the decision.
With no avenue left, Biddle took her daughter to Steward for the final time on Wednesday to say her goodbyes, and then registered Kamdyn for the first grade in the Franklin Regional School District.
Kamdyn will start Friday, learning a new routine.
KDKA reached out to the Gateway superintendent on Wednesday for his comment, but did not hear back.
