Issue Position: Public Schools

Issue Position

IS THE STATE OF KANSAS IS FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION ADEQUATELY? NO
Kansas is definitely NOT funding public education adequately or equitably. The conservative Republican leadership in 2017-2018 has failed to support our public schools by offering funding amounts which, according to the Kansas Supreme Court, do not meet the adequacy standards set forth in the Kansas Constitution. I consistently voted for bills that would have provided funding adequate to meet the constitutional requirements of the Kansas Supreme Court. The Republicans insistence on underfunding our schools, if left unchecked, will detrimentally affect the futures of our children, the values of our homes, and the economy of our state. Investing in public schools and teachers is not only the right thing to do for our children, it is the best thing we can do to protect the economic future of Kansas. Modern businesses, heavily invested in intellectual capital, will not locate in areas with sub-standard public schools, and undervalued and underfunded colleges and universities. Johnson County is a prime example of an area whose prosperity is based in large part on the quality and reputation of its public schools. Kansas will continue to suffer economically, especially in the long term, until it reinstates the funding necessary to maintain a superior, statewide system of public schools.

SHOULD THE LEGISLATURE BE ALLOWED TO TAKE OR WITHHOLD MONEY FROM KPERS THAT IS EARMARKED FOR TEACHER AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PAYMENTS? NO
A strong, fully funded and sacrosanct retirement system is critically important in helping to attract and retain quality teachers for our public schools. I have and will continue to oppose any changes to the basic structure of KPERS, to oppose any reduction in benefits for current or future KPERS retirees and to oppose underfunding and "borrowing" from the KPERS funds to cover general fund shortfalls. I have and will continue to support an appropriate cost of living adjustment for current retirees on a yearly basis, to support legislation making it illegal to use or "borrow" KPERS funds for any purpose other than teacher and public employee retirement payments and I have and will continue to support legislation making it illegal to withhold state contributions owed to KPERS.

DO YOU SUPPORT LEAVING THE SUPERVISION OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION? YES
The citizens of Kansas elected the State Board of Education to oversee and supervise our system of public education in Kansas. I support keeping the State Board of Education as the chief educational oversight organization in Kansas, and support keeping the selection of its members in the hands of the Kansas electorate. I have and will continue to oppose any attempts by the ultra-conservative Republican leadership in the House to weaken and redirect the responsibilities of the State Board of Education. Any such plan is misguided and harmful to our educational institutions. I will continue to fight any attempt to further politicize the Board or to lessen its present duties and responsibilities.

DO YOU SUPPORT SPENDING PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS TO PROVIDE VOUCHERS, SCHOLARSHIPS, OR TAX CREDITS FOR KANSAS STUDENTS IN NON-PUBLIC (PRIVATE, RELIGIOUS, OR HOME) K-12 SCHOOLS? NO
I have and will continue to strongly oppose voucher plans, tuition tax credits, "scholarships" and ANY other legislative effort to divert public tax money from our public schools in order to fund private schools, religious schools, or home schools.

Many of our fine religious and private schools provide a quality education for their students, but, taxpayer money is intended to fund public education which is available to all children regardless of religious affiliation, political affiliation, sexual orientation, physical requirements, intellectual challenges, economic situation or other special interests. Our public tax revenues are meant to support public education and must be used solely and without exception for that purpose.

DO YOU SUPPORT RESTORING DUE PROCESS RIGHTS TO K-12 TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS? YES
Due process should be the right of every American worker, regardless of profession. I have and will continue to strongly advocate for reinstating due process provisions stripped away by Governor Brownback and the conservative Republican Legislature in a reprehensible legislative maneuver in the waning minutes of the 2014 legislative session.

Without due process, teacher assessments can be unfair, biased, or discriminatory, based upon the personal, social, religious or political views of those doing the evaluating. Due process does NOT protect bad teachers, it protects good teachers from administrators or school boards who may wish to unfairly terminate a teacher for issues unrelated to the teacher's professional performance. Due process provides these safeguards and does so in a manner that saves school districts money rather than having to spend large amounts of money litigating these matters.

I introduced legislation in both 2017 and 2018 that would have restored due process rights to our teachers. Both times the bill passed the House but only by adding it as an amendment to another bill. It then went on to be killed in the ultra-conservative Republican Senate. During the 2019-2020 Session I again introduced the bill but this time the Republican leadership made sure the bill did not even get a hearing in the Education Committee even though I had gotten the majority of the committee members, both Republicans and Democrats to sign on as co-sponsors of the bill. That kind of issue suppression is typical of the Republican leadership in Topeka and is truly a corruption of the political proces. If elected again, I will again introduce this legislation in hopes we have some major changes in the 2021-202 Session.

DO YOU SUPPORT HUMAN SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? YES
I have and will continue to support a comprehensive, age-appropriate, medically accurate, human sexuality curriculum in our public schools. I believe such a curriculum is essential in keeping our students healthy and sexually responsible. Keeping these programs strong, widespread and properly funded is the responsible and realistic thing to do.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE KANSAS SUPREME COURT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE STATE IS MEETING ITS CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION TO ADEQUATELY FUND SCHOOLS?YES
The Kansas Supreme Court most certainly has the constitutional responsibility to review the actions and decisions of the Legislature to determine if they fall within the scope of the Kansas Constitution.

As a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, I have and will continue to support legislation designed to adequately and fairly fund our public schools, colleges and universities and to support the Constitutional independence of the Kansas Supreme Court to review all legislation including the legislature's obligation to both adequately and equitably fund our public schools. I will fight any effort by the Legislative or Executive branch to exceed their Constitutional limits or to impede in any way the duties and responsibilities of the Court. I have and will continue to support every effort to see that the Court is fully funded and staffed in order to continue to fulfill its Constitutional duties.

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