We’re sharing a Facebook post from Lynn Rogers for Kansas State Senate. Lynn is a school board member for the Wichita district and is challenging Sen. O’Donnell for a seat in the Kansas senate.

Lynn Rogers for Kansas State Senate
March 22 at 7:53am ·
Last night was the single most gut-wrenching experience of my 15 years on Wichita’s school board. We spent 3 hours considering cuts we could make for our next school year. $30 million of them. Every one has a face. Every cut has an impact far beyond the next school year. And every cut hurts our city.

I am proud of USD 259. Our school district is a leader in educating urban students. Our AVID program is studied by schools across the nation. We use research to guide our instruction in ways that are strategic for our students, rather than choosing familiar methods. Students have the opportunity to study difficult subject matter. Our graduation rates are growing for students of every economic status. We graduate an increasing number of first generation college students. We are reading, solving equations, experimenting with scientific concepts and learning to think critically from the very first day students enter a school building.

I am fortunate to have represented each one of you on the Board. We critically evaluate programs and costs in ways that are strategic. We build schools knowing the investment brings renewed life to our city. We rent large auditoriums every Spring so that we can all celebrate with our graduates. We attend sporting events, concerts and plays, debate and ROTC competitions. We buy school supplies for our neighbors. All of the students, staff and administration are ours. We are family.

So I am particularly saddened today that the decision to value a few wealthy businesses through a process of preferential tax avoidance is dismantling the structure we have so carefully laid. Perhaps you feel, as I do this morning that the future is not very bright. Our hope of innovative growth for Wichita through our students is crashing head long into a legislative session marked by greed, bigotry, and short-sighted selfishness.

Today join with me to say clearly and loudly: I stand with our public schools. Legislators, restore the funding to provide an education that gives our students a future. Give us the freedom to learn and grow without restrictive policy. Trust local judgment and innovation. Let educators lead the process of education.

We are worth it. Each one of us.