Four candidates for the Kansas State Board of Education discussed the board’s relationship with the Legislature, student mental health, vouchers, school safety and more at a forum Sunday at the Lawrence Public Library.
Connie O’Brien and Kris Meyer are vying for the District 4 seat, which covers most of Douglas County, including Eudora, Baldwin City and parts of southern and western Lawrence.
O’Brien, a Republican, is a former teacher and state representative from Tonganoxie. She also has experience working in religious education at a church. She has 11 children and 19 grandchildren. She said she believes in common sense education and “not so much rules and regulations and things that are holding our kids back.”
Meyer, a Democrat, has nearly 20 years of experience in education and lives in De Soto. Her husband served in the military and she said her entire family is service-oriented. She said she believes in inclusion and public funds for public schools.
Beryl New and Bruce Schultz are running for the District 6 seat, which includes a northern section of Douglas County and most of Lawrence.
New, a Democrat, has worked for 36 years in public education, including a stint as a Lawrence High School principal. She spent most of her career in Topeka and currently resides there. She said she understands the challenges Kansas educators face today and is committed to finding good staff to serve students and ensure “all Kansas students have the opportunity for an excellent public education.”
Schultz, a Republican, said he was passionate about education, calling it his legacy. He has experience as a teacher, administrator and board member.
“We need compassionate, we need very committed, we need very able leadership,” he said. “I believe that I bring all those to the table with me.”
Which district am I in? Find out by visiting myvoteinfo.voteks.org and inputting your name and date of birth or your address.
Sunday’s forum was hosted by the League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County, Lawrence NAACP chapter and the library. Ruth E. Goff moderated.
Working with the Legislature
O’Brien said schools have been fully funded for the last six years. She said funding is at record levels and the Legislature is committed to supporting students.
Meyer, her opponent, argued that public schools have been underfunded for years, and she would build relationships with board members to ensure schools have the resources they need.
The two sparred over voucher programs, which provide public money to students in private schools and home schools. O’Brien said she did not support vouchers, but Meyer argued that O’Brien has defended them in the past.
“The Legislature’s role is indeed to ensure that the board is adequately funding our schools,” Meyer said. “But the Legislature should support, not dictate.”
Schultz said it was a highly charged issue and argued there was nuance to deciding how to best use public money. New said public money should solely fund public schools.
Schultz said that “fully funded” is not defined, and argued that the BOE should work together to build a consensus on what schools need and provide the Legislature with a clear position.
“When we speak, we will have our priorities in order,” he said. “We will have a clear, logical and formal message.”
He said the board should set standards and the Legislature should ensure adequate resources are available. He said local school boards should be in charge of their curriculum.
New said the board should work with the Legislature to fund student needs. She said students and taxpayers both want to see positive outcomes from the education system, and the board should work with the Legislature to make sure that happens.
“We have to keep in mind the most important factor in our decision-making, which is the well-being of every Kansas child,” New said.
Both New and Meyer said it was critical for voters to ensure the candidates they select in November want to work proactively with the Legislature and not sow distrust in the education system.
O’Brien said the Legislature is responsible for providing money for schools and said they work hard to support education.
Banning certain books or curriculum
All four candidates said they opposed state book bans.
O’Brien said the government shouldn’t tell people what they can and cannot do. Meyer said the state should allow educators to use their professional judgment to foster learning.
“As an educator, I know this speaks from the heart with a lot of our teachers: They just want to teach,” Meyer said. “They want to do their jobs.”
Schultz said the decision rests with local school boards. New said parents should have the power to determine what they want their children to read.
Mental health and school safety
Schultz said schools have a major role in student health and well-being. He said schools should work with parents and families to ensure student needs are being met. He advocated for students to have time to work on communication and social skills.
But schools are also responsible for keeping students safe while learning, he said. That includes being prepared for both external and internal threats by careful planning and a close relationship with local law enforcement.
New said students were impacted by COVID-19 and need consistent support to be successful. The board, she said, should provide options for mental health professionals to be in every school.
She decried that lockdowns had become a regular part of public schools, and said it was critical to work with law enforcement and provide training to ensure student safety.
O’Brien said social and emotional learning needs to be handled by a psychologist, and teachers should instead be able focus on teaching kids.
“I want to see every kid graduate and be able to pursue whatever their life dreams hold for them,” she said.
She said schools give local police the ability to see cameras and let professional security personnel do their jobs.
Meyer rejected the idea of arming teachers, which she argued O’Brien has supported. She said it was crucial to strengthen mental health resources and facilitate an inclusive school environment.
Supporting teachers
New said teachers need support and help is needed to usher students to become teachers. She said she sees fewer people wanting to become teachers. She said better pay and collegiality are motivators.
“Help is needed,” she said. “We recognize that there is a shortage of highly qualified individuals to stand before our children and deliver instruction.”
Meyer said she would work to support teachers and reduce class sizes.
“I will advocate for our teachers,” Meyer said. “I know firsthand the challenges they face. I was in classrooms. I’ve been in them recently.”
O’Brien said the Legislature has made it easier for people to become teachers in the state. She said Kansas has many professional people who get bored with their jobs, and the Legislature has made it easier for them to become teachers. She said she supported programs like these.
Schultz said it is easy to advocate for higher salaries, but it is not always the best answer. He said Kansas teacher salaries were above or similar to other states. Another way Kansas can retain teachers, he said, is to reform the system to allow for more community engagement and create a sense of belonging.
“This is really, really important,” he said. “It goes a long way toward satisfaction with their vocation throughout life.”
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting begins Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Tuesday, Oct. 15 is the final day to register to vote in Douglas County, and Oct. 29 is the final day to apply for an advance ballot. Douglas County voters can take care of both quickly at KSVotes.org.
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Cuyler Dunn (he/him), a contributor to The Lawrence Times since April 2022, is a student at the University of Kansas School of Journalism. He is a graduate of Lawrence High School where he was the editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper, The Budget, and was named the 2022 Kansas High School Journalist of the Year. Read his complete bio here. Read more of his work for the Times here.
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