Top Kansas school official resigns over offensive remark

By JOHN HANNA
Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The top public school administrator in Kansas has resigned over an offensive remark about Native Americans at a recent public conference. Education Commissioner Randy Watson’s decision was announced Friday by Jim Porter, the chairman of the State Board of Education. The elected 10-member board appoints the commissioner to run the State Department of Education and called a special meeting for Friday to deal with Watson’s remark. The announcement came a day after Gov. Laura Kelly, three indigenous state legislators and the chair of one of the state’s four Native American nations called on Watson to resign. Watson was not at the board’s meeting.