TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A member of a group that advocates for Kansas schools is walking 60 miles to Topeka to talk to lawmakers about improved funding.
Thirty-five-year-old Heather Ousley of Merriam began walking Saturday morning and plans to arrive in Topeka on Monday night. Teacher’s union members have invited her to attend several legislative sessions Tuesday.
The mother of three is a member of Game on For Kansas Schools. She’s angered by several legislative proposals, including one to amend the Kansas Constitution to give the Legislature sole authority to determine funding for public schools, thereby cutting out the courts.
The proposal comes after a Shawnee County District Court ruled in January that the state’s school finance system was unconstitutional and ordered legislators to boost spending. Proposal backers say the court overstepped its boundaries.
