Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson announces retirement
Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson announced his impending retirement Wednesday. He plans to remain in the post until his successor is named.
Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson announced his impending retirement Wednesday. He plans to remain in the post until his successor is named.
The Kansas commissioner of public education apologized Tuesday for telling attendees of an online education conference that when growing up he attempted to convince people visiting the state they should be more afraid of dangerous American Indians than violent tornadoes.
Several Lawrence school board members expressed anger during their meeting Monday after Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson retained his job despite video showing him making racist comments about Native Americans.
“Now is the time for the State of Kansas to act and invest in our educational systems. Our communities of color deserve better,” Carole Cadue-Blackwood writes in this letter to the Times.
The Kansas State Board of Education rejected the resignation Friday of the state education commissioner following evidence he said during a video conference that during his youth he tried to persuade children to fear for their safety among American Indians.
A professional group of Native American educators from Kansas called for reform after the state’s top educator made racist comments that were recorded on video.
Kansas education commissioner Randy Watson said during a conference earlier this month that as a child, he convinced his out-of-state cousins that American Indians posed a bigger threat to their safety than tornadoes.
Gov. Laura Kelly said Thursday the state’s education commissioner must resign after making a discriminatory remark and urged the Kansas State Board of Education to work on addressing problems raised by the comments.
The Kansas State Board of Education plans to meet Friday behind closed doors to discuss an “inappropriate” comment education commissioner Randy Watson made earlier this month regarding American Indians.
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