The Kansas State Board of Education has rejected Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order to delay the start of the school year until after Labor Day. (The full meeting video is below)
The board voted 5-5, leaving the decisions to when schools can reopen to individual districts. District 6 board member Deena Horst, whose district encompasses Riley and most of Pottawatomie County, voted no on accepting the governor’s order.
“It isn’t right for the state to impose a solution on non-COVID experienced communities that reflects on the COVID-experience which is occurring in more urban communities,” she said.
District 7 board member Ben Jones, whose district encompasses Geary, Wabaunsee and a portion of Pottawatomie County, also voted no on accepting the governor’s order.
“COVID-19 is real, it is not fake. I have discussed this with survivors of COVID-19, but I believe the right thing to do is turn down the executive order and to give local districts the levity to operate within their own timelines,” he said.
Most area districts had initially planned to start the school year in mid-August. USD 383 Manhattan/Ogden’s initial start date had been Aug. 12, prior to Gov. Kelly’s order.
Regardless of when the official start date is, students, staff and visitors will be required to wear masks. The state board did not have the authority to rule on the governor’s order requiring masks in school buildings.
The final votes were as follows: voting yes: District 1 – Janet Waugh, District 4 – Ann Mah, District 8 – Kathy Busch, District 9 – Jim Porter, District 10 – Jim McNiece. Voting no: District 2 – Steve Roberts, District 3 – Michelle Dombrosky, District 5 – Jean Clifford, District 6 – Deena Horst, District 7 – Ben Jones.
