Friday, June 17, 2005
Will Kansas School Funding Battle Keep Schools Closed This Fall?
Associated Press writer John Hanna reports that Legal Woes May Shut Down Kansas Schools:
In other circumstances, state school board members might be expected to act as advocates for schools, but in Kansas right-wing zealots control the board. They are backing legislators who are taking a hard line stance against funding education, and, in any case they are too busy gutting science education to play any positive role in winning adequate funding for Kansas school children.
"Some Republicans who control the Legislature want to defy the court, arguing it cannot tell them exactly what to spend on anything. Their tough talk has educators and others worried the court will order schools to remain closed until legislators comply.
"Such orders have been issued or threatened in other states, and a Kansas judge even told the state last year that it could not spend a penny on its schools until legislators fixed the funding system, a decision that would have kept classrooms closed — and 445,000 students at home — had the Supreme Court not put it on hold."
In other circumstances, state school board members might be expected to act as advocates for schools, but in Kansas right-wing zealots control the board. They are backing legislators who are taking a hard line stance against funding education, and, in any case they are too busy gutting science education to play any positive role in winning adequate funding for Kansas school children.
