“The claim is that Vratil, a former vice president of the state Senate, is gunning for consolidating rural schools. It’s a charge made by taking a 2011 comment Vratil made, extracting it from broader context and spinning.
“It’s a contrived issue, intended as bait for rural votes, especially in western Kansas. Vratil was appointed to the committee by Democrat Paul Davis, who is running against Brownback. So by association, it’s a political jab at Davis…
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“And Brownback is the cause of some of the recent belt-tightening by not replacing federal stimulus funding and by his tax policies.
“All districts, in Wyandotte and Johnson counties as well as those farther west in the state, struggle to meet vastly diverse student needs with fewer dollars…
“The man who wants to remain governor of the entire state should be above such tactics. All Kansas children deserve a quality education, no matter their home address.”
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/mary-sanchez/article2071478.html#storylink=cpy