Blog

The session is underway and many legislators are sending newsletters. Do you receive your legislators’ newsletters? We find it interesting the way many of our “pro-public education” legislators talk about education funding. Does your legislator lump all funding (state, federal, special ed, capital) together and refer to rising spending without also referring to local projects underway (approved by members of the community) or increases in numbers of students who are poor or in need of English Language Learner services? Is your legislator referring to Governor Brownback’s allotment as a “decrease in an increase” without acknowledging that much of...

We hear a lot about local control being an important Kansas value and one legislators say they will work to protect when they are running for office, but as we have watched the events of this week, we wonder if some have forgotten that. Why were the few proponents of SB 171 (moving local elections and making them partisan) allowed the vast majority of time to testify, leaving time for only 2 opponents? Why were proponents of the bill apparently given the opportunity to testify via Skype or phone and not opponents? The hearing was scheduled with little...