Kansas legislators press state school board on race theory

ANDY TSUBASA FIELD
Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Chairpersons of the House and Senate education committees are taking the Kansas State Board of Education to task because they don’t think the panel is taking seriously enough lawmakers’ and parents’ concerns about how race and racism are discussed in schools. Republican Sen. Molly Baumgardner of Louisburg, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, told board members to direct state Department of Education staff to look into how Kansas schools are applying the concept of “critical race theory,” which centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions. Baumgardner said in Wednesday’s meeting that she is aware of four bills being prepared for the 2022 session that oppose teaching some theories of race and racism.