The fate of Kansas public education is in the crosshairs of political extremists. Their agenda includes striking down any efforts of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) - incorrectly lumped under the conservative rallying cry of CRT - claiming a decline in school achievement scores to justify gutting public school funding in favor of private vouchers, and empowering angry parents to supervise teacher and administrative choices over curriculum and banned books.

This week, the KS legislature’s Special Committee on Education will meet to discuss these issues and more in preparation to introduce terrible bills once session begins in January. The agenda includes an exclusive list of invited presenters, including Dave Trabert of the Kansas Policy Institute and other private citizens with loud, angry voices. Guess who wasn’t invited. YOU.

Once again, members of the Kansas legislature have chosen to elevate the voices of private citizens who have publicly taken stances against DEI and masks in schools, want to pull tax dollars from public schools and invest in vouchers, and prioritize parent authority over the expertise of trained educators. They’re ignoring the voices of countless parents, community members, teachers, administrators, and students who have their own vision for public education in Kansas.

So, let’s take that vision to them. They may not be inviting you to participate, but we are.

Take our survey and we’ll share your responses with the committee members. We’ve created one for interested stakeholders - adults invested in the success of our schools - and another one just for students - those directly impacted by decisions made by this committee and our legislature. Too often, these voices aren’t just ignored, they’ve never even been heard, and we think it’s about time we listen.

The surveys will close on Friday, December 3. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and supporting Kansas public education.