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In an opinion piece submitted to the Wichita Eagle Sen. Susan Wagle says that when “paycheck protections” were enacted in Utah, union political donations dropped 75%. Prohibiting voluntary payroll deductions is not about protecting employees, its about silencing dissent. In Kansas, it’s about silencing a group that will advocate for public schools when the likes of Sen. Wagle are pushing for constitutional amendments, changes to at-risk funding and other fiscal and policy measures harmful to public education. She knows employees find it easier to check a box than to remember to write a separate check for political contributions....

This week alone, for example, [Kansas legislators] have been considering whether to prohibit the implementation of Common Core academic standards, hold back third-graders not reading at grade level, and recalculate how the state distributes funding meant to help at-risk students. It would be irresponsible to make such decisions without hearing from the experts – those from school districts and classrooms, not just from privately funded conservative think tanks.  Wichita Eagle editorial on absurdity of bill that would prohibit school districts, school boards and other public entities lobbying. http://www.kansas.com/2013/02/15/2676899/eagle-editorial-dont-mute-voices.html...

“Poverty must not be a bar to learning and learning must offer an escape from poverty.” –Lyndon B. Johnson  ...

 SB 103 would decrease funding for all at-risk programs by removing free and reduced lunch students above 3rd grade from the “at-risk” definition despite abundant research showing a very direct correlation between poverty and academic struggles. SMSD would be directly affected by this bill and opposes it.  Here’s KASB on the issue: http://tallmankasb.blogspot.com/2013/02/kasb-statement-on-funding-for-at-risk.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TallmanEducationReport+%28Tallman+Education+Report%29...