Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Building Grassroots Pressure for Kansas School Funding
The right-wing in Kansas is up in arms over the Supreme Court ruling on school funding. The court unanimously ordered funding for the coming school year to be increased no later than July 1 from approximately $142 million appropriated by the 2005 Legislature to $285 million above the past school year's level of funding.
The figure is one-third of the $853 million amount recommended by a consulting firm retained by the 2001 Legislature to determine the cost of educating students in Kansas.
Right-wingers in the legislature have been heard muttering that the Court doesn't have the authority to make that decision and are openly speculating whether they are going to adhere to its ruling.
The fact is, Kansas schools need adequate funding, and the legislature has failed dismally to meet its constitutional obligation to the state's children.
Johnson County Democrats are organizing a response to put public pressure on legislators to do their duty.
"We are currently trying to build some grassroots pressure to get a different message out there," says County Chairman William R. Roy, "a message that refocuses on what is truly important -- Kansas schools and Kansas children receiving the education they deserve."
Roy is asking people to send letters to editors so that three letters to the editor appear each day in Kansas City and Johnson County newspapers.
You can learn more about the issue, here.
You can send a letter to the editor of the Kansas City Star at letters@kcstar.com
You can send a letter to the editor of the Sun publications at 7373 W. 107th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212
The figure is one-third of the $853 million amount recommended by a consulting firm retained by the 2001 Legislature to determine the cost of educating students in Kansas.
Right-wingers in the legislature have been heard muttering that the Court doesn't have the authority to make that decision and are openly speculating whether they are going to adhere to its ruling.
The fact is, Kansas schools need adequate funding, and the legislature has failed dismally to meet its constitutional obligation to the state's children.
Johnson County Democrats are organizing a response to put public pressure on legislators to do their duty.
"We are currently trying to build some grassroots pressure to get a different message out there," says County Chairman William R. Roy, "a message that refocuses on what is truly important -- Kansas schools and Kansas children receiving the education they deserve."
Roy is asking people to send letters to editors so that three letters to the editor appear each day in Kansas City and Johnson County newspapers.
You can learn more about the issue, here.
You can send a letter to the editor of the Kansas City Star at letters@kcstar.com
You can send a letter to the editor of the Sun publications at 7373 W. 107th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212
