Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas lawmakers who voted against school funding changes have been removed from a Kansas House committee that oversees education.
Republican Reps. Diana Dierks, of Salina, and John Ewy, of Jetmore, were notified this week that they had been taken off the committee, the Lawrence Journal-World (http://bit.ly/1QpjrOr ) reports. Their successors voted in favor of the bill that replaced the state's per-pupil formula for distributing aid to districts with stable "block grants" based on what districts received previously. The plan is to use the block grants for two years while the system for funding public schools is revamped.
"I truly feel this is a sad day for Kansas education," said Dierks, who was moved to the elections committee. "When I'm serving, I'm still serving the people of Kansas, and that's how I vote."
Gov. Sam Brownback and some GOP legislators had argued that the old formula was too complicated, didn't get enough dollars into classrooms and sometimes forced unanticipated increases in state aid. But lawmakers for four school districts suing the state over education funding said the changes adversely affected poor districts.
Republican Rep. Willie Dove, of Bonner Springs, who voted in favor of the block grant bill, was also removed from the education committee and made vice chairman of the health committee.
Republican House Speaker Ray Merrick, of Stilwell, who is in charge of assigning legislators to committees, made changes to the education committee as well as a health committee Wednesday. On the health committee, three members who supported Medicaid expansion were removed.
Merrick said in an email that the experience of all three of the newly named education committee members — Republicans Kevin Jones, of Wellsville, Kasha Kelley, of Arkansas City, and Becky Hutchins, of Holton — would bring helpful viewpoints and information to the committee.
"I believe that this mix of legislators gives the education committee a well-rounded perspective as they work to ensure the success of Kansas students is our top priority," he said.
Ewy, who was moved to the transportation committee, said he was disappointed to have been taken off the education committee, as he represented smaller schools and community colleges from western Kansas.
"Most of the issues we would hear about would happen in eastern Kansas, so I would call back home and see if the issues were happening there," said Ewy, adding that he wasn't told why he was removed, but that he is "98 percent sure" of the reason. "The only reason I can think of is that I did not always vote the way that leadership wanted me to."
___
Information from: Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World, http://www.ljworld.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
