“[Editor’s note: In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, The Topeka Capital-Journal invited area educators to have their say on issues in education that they feel are important today. Nathan McAlister teaches history at Royal Valley Middle School. Currently in his 17th year of teaching, McAlister was the 2010 National History Teacher of the Year and sits on the board of directors of the National Council for History Education.] “Due process began out of the need to protect good teachers. Indeed the very inception of the right was stated by the Kansas Supreme Court in 1957 ‘to protect competent...
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Local chambers urge support for schools, community services
Thank you to the Salina, Overland Park, Emporia, Topeka, Greater Kansas City, Northeast Johnson County, Lawrence, Ottawa, Garden City, Shawnee, Hutchinson/Reno County, Manhattan, Gardner Edgerton, and Desoto Chambers of Commerce for supporting rational tax policy which adequately supports K-12 funding and other necessary investments in our communities, and to the Kansas Economic Progress Council for reporting on this. “14 local Kansas chambers of commerce have written to Governor Brownback and the leadership of the legislature to express the concern of their members about the state’s ‘widening budget deficits and deeper and deeper cuts to important programs that matter...
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Leave a Comment Local election move a ruse
Kansans who care about their local school boards will oppose changes to local elections through the end of this legislative session. “While both of those arguments are undoubtedly true, they are a decoy. The real goal is to change the nature of local leadership. “Right now, in low-turnout local spring elections, reasonable people are elected because extremists do not bother to go to the polls. It just is not on their radar. They have paid little attention to hyper-local races. Meanwhile, good citizen-candidates muster their votes through networking, low-budget advertising and door-to-door campaigning. The winners tend to be...
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Leave a Comment Lawrence Superintendent explains concerns with block grant
Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll explains funding concerns with the block grant in a letter to patrons and staff. “A flat funding system combined with enrollment growth and rising operational costs prompt grave concerns about the district’s ability to maintain high quality educational programs and services. Previous budget cutting measures in the district included closing schools, increasing class sizes, adding participation fees, reducing student support services, decreasing teacher training opportunities and eliminating student transportation options…The board invites parent and community input during this budget planning process. We also encourage you to join the board, administration teachers and staff in...
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