ALEC is meeting July 22-24 in California. Are your legislators going? “Many Republican legislators in the Kansas Statehouse follow a specific agenda. “It’s not Kansas-based, but does come from a political organization supported in part by Kansas’ own Koch brothers: the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), on a mission to shrink government and drive corporate profits. “Examples of ALEC pursuits: • Privatizing education, while undermining support for public schools and educators… “Key ALEC allies in Kansas include Senate President Susan Wagle and House Speaker Ray Merrick, both ALEC board members.” Read more here: http://www.gctelegram.com/opinion/editorial-alec-push-kansans-need-to-understand-group-s-influence/article_c2655d09-4a52-534b-bd49-359ac081d630.html?hash=78c734df5fc1883ad82cb762fcb4ce9f&site=garden_city70...
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Kansas children pay for tax cuts
Our children have become a “pay-for”. Duane Goossen, Senior Fellow at the Kansas Center for Economic Growth and former Kansas Budget Director, explains it here. “The income tax cuts have also been paid for by cutting back state services. The most prominent example is the switch of school aid to a block grant formula. The block grant lowered classroom funding and then froze that diminished funding in place for the next two years. The block grant was not implemented because it was a better, fairer way to distribute funds. Rather, the key purpose was to put a chokehold...
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Leave a Comment Dr. Berry explains Olathe cuts
Please read this. Similar dilemmas are being faced across Kansas. The time for sitting on the sidelines is long over. From Amy Martin, Olathe School Board, introducing and then quoting a letter from Olathe Superintendent Marlin Berry: Real people, people who have been valued members of our team and live in our community, will be hurt by the loss or reduction of their job. Those who remain will be expected to take on more. More responsibility, more stress, more uncertainty. Again. Students will know the effects of larger class sizes, less attention, and less opportunity. Our ability to...
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Leave a Comment Olathe legislators supported block grant now causing cuts in district
Our friends at Johnson County Educators nailed this one. Quoting them, “Olathe representative Ron Ryckman was the co-author of the block grant school funding bill. [Thursday night] the Olathe school district announced deep budget cuts necessitated by the actual decreased funding of the block grants. We’re sharing this news story from March to refresh everyone’s memory. Olathe teachers and parents, you’ve been duped. Let Rep. Ryckman know how you feel about his statement that the block grants would provide ‘a way for more money to get into the classroom.’ While you’re at it, make sure the following Olathe...
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