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Community divided over Kansas school district book ban push
The Gardner Edgerton School District has made news recently with a transgender student policy that the Kansas American Civil Liberties Union condemned as potentially unlawful. With the policy still under discussion and a vote delayed, it seemed as though things were finally settling down for the district. But the newest issue to come up is […]
Child sex abuse reports sent by abortion providers misleading, DCF secretary says
Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard said “we dropped the ball” in presenting child sexual abuse allegations reported by Kansas abortion providers at a Monday committee meeting. The data, which run from 2011 to 2022, weren’t available to the public until the Topeka Capital-Journal filed public record requests earlier this year, despite a […]
Kansas lawmakers dig into pandemic relief spending report
TOPEKA — Pastries, plastic tube people and festivals. Kansas lawmakers questioned whether federal COVID-19 relief funding was spent appropriately during a Wednesday review of expenditures. The Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit’s report focused on the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill passed by Congress. The act included $339.8 billion […]
‘A traumatic and fatal conclusion’: Kansas school district debates potential transgender policy
TOPEKA — Debate over a potential policy covering transgender students exposed a school district’s ideological rifts on Monday night, complete with two legal letters and details from anonymous teachers. Parents, students and board members in the Gardner Edgerton School District have wrangled over the policy since July, with many concerned it would hurt transgender students. […]
Kansas family struggles to adopt foster daughter, says system is broken
TOPEKA — Nicole DeHaven broke down in tears while giving testimony about her foster care experience during a meeting Monday with state lawmakers. DeHaven and her husband, John, have raised their foster daughter since she was three days old. But when the Gardner couple tried to adopt the 2-year-old, they were told they also would […]
Former U.S. representative denies sending false text messages before Kansas abortion vote
HUTCHINSON — Weeks after he was accused of sending false text messages in an attempt to trick people into voting for an anti-abortion amendment, former U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp claimed there was no proof of misconduct. “There’s no evidence of that,” said Huelskamp after the Kansas State Fair debate between Gov. Laura Kelly and Attorney […]
Kansas school district’s planned transgender policy could violate law, ACLU says
TOPEKA — The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas condemned a school district’s discussed transgender policy as potentially illegal and harmful, in anticipation of a deciding vote on the matter. Parents, students and board members in the Gardner Edgerton School District discussed the contentious policy during July and August board meetings. The policy would require […]
Kansas legislators clash with Labor secretary over report on unemployment fraud, identity theft
TOPEKA — Kansas’ IT system for unemployment claims could have been hacked by any fifth-grader, the chairman of an oversight committee said during a tense meeting Wednesday on security breaches. “Most of it was grade-school type stuff that we should’ve been aware of in the first place,” said Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stillwell Republican and […]
‘The key is always people’: Kansas governor creates new office for job training
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly created the Office of Registered Apprenticeship Tuesday, emphasizing statewide economic growth under her administration and new employment opportunities. Standing in a Washburn Tech auto garage, the Democratic governor said the new office would expand training opportunities for Kansans, especially for nontraditional workforce members, including women, formerly incarcerated people, people of […]