Month: January 2021

Legislator believes protesters should be removed from Capitol building

Watching on television the protesters who have taken over the Capitol in Washington, D.C., State Sen. David Haley, D-4th Dist., today said the protesters should be taken out of the Capitol building.

Instead, they were allowed to roam through the Senate building, according to video on televised reports, looking through papers on senators’ desks. The protesters interrupted the Electoral College proceedings, with the U.S. House and Senate evacuated.

State Sen. Haley, the longest-serving state legislator currently in Wyandotte County, remarked that the authorities need to drag the protesters to the boundaries of the capital streets, not using bullets, but possibly tear gas or nets.

He said he didn’t understand why this was allowed to happen.

“I don’t see what benefit comes from it at all,” Sen. Haley said.

While some people have compared today’s events to the riots of 1968, Sen. Haley said he didn’t see it that way. Those protests were in the streets, not in the Capitol building.

News media also reported that there were protesters in the Topeka state capital today. Sen. Haley said he and many other legislators were planning to return to session on Monday, but were currently not in Topeka.

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-2nd Dist., has issued a statement strongly condemning violence at the U.S. Capitol.

“The lawless behavior at the U.S. Capitol is reprehensible and has no place in our country,” LaTurner said in the statement. “This is a stain on American history, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. The First Amendment guarantees the right of Americans to peacefully assemble, and I will always defend that right. This is un-American and an utter betrayal of that founding principle. This must stop now.”

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., posted on social media that she was safe and sheltering in place while they wait for further instruction from Capitol police.

“Today is a dark day for our country. It’s unacceptable that we have a President who has repeatedly condoned and even encouraged this despicable behavior. It must stop,” Rep. Davids stated in the social media post.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, stated his condemnation of the violence in a news release.

“I condemn the violence and destruction at the U.S. Capitol in the strongest possible terms. It is completely unacceptable and unpatriotic,” Sen. Moran stated. “God Bless Capitol Police and our law enforcement officers. Please pray for our nation.”

Newly elected U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, posted a statement on social media: “The freedom of speech and the freedom to protest are provided in our Constitution. I share the frustration many Americans have over the Presidential Election; however, what happened at the U.S. Capitol today is unreasonable and unacceptable and I condemn it at the highest level. America needs to know we will not be deterred by violence. I am thankful for the heroic law enforcement officers who are working feverishly to restore order.”

Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican, issued this statement on today’s violence at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.:

“The lawlessness at the U.S. Capitol today is sickening, shameful, inexcusable and counterproductive. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. This riot, like others before it over the past year, offends the law and order we fight to preserve every day, and it insults the men and women who fought and died for our Constitution and who serve the rule of law. America resolves even our most profound differences through democratic debate, through judicial processes, and sometimes through genuinely peaceful protest, but never through violence.”

Police notes

Domestic battery case reported

Officers were dispatched to a domestic disturbance call at 9:27 a.m. Jan. 5 in the 1500 block of North 63rd Terrace, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

A victim was struck multiple times by her boyfriend, causing bruising and red marks, according to the report. He also tried to strangle her, impeding normal breathing, the report stated. During the altercation, the suspect tried to strike one of the two children, and caused damage to the home, the report stated. EMS was not required, according to the report.

The suspect was taken into custody and booked into the Wyandotte County Jail, the report stated.

Three persons attack resident in her home

Police responded to an aggravated battery case at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 5 in the 300 block of South 13th, according to a social media note from the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The victim had let three known individuals into her home, according to the report. The suspects then sat on her, kicked and punched her, and one of them cut her with a knife, according to the report. She feared for her life, the report stated.

The suspects then fled. EMS responded and treated the victim at the location, according to the report.

Community residents talk about qualities they want in a school superintendent

Some residents want a superintendent who is from the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools district. Others said they wanted someone who will help improve reading and math scores. Still others wanted someone who would have a strategy or plan for the district.

At a town hall meeting on Tuesday evening, the search consultant heard several suggestions from residents and employees about the qualities they wanted in a superintendent.

The residents and community were able to participate virtually, through sending in their questions by email and through a chat feature while watching the meeting on YouTube through the district’s website.

Among the many other qualities or characteristics mentioned at the town hall meeting was someone who had a strategy for expanding resources for English language learners in the district. The community also was interested in learning about the timeline for the superintendent search as well as being concerned about hiring someone with experience who was knowledgeable about how to implement strategy.

One commenter wanted a professional with a passion for students and the community, and who would be willing to make a long-term commitment.

Another question that came in asked about a group of teachers being allowed to ask questions directly to the superintendent candidates. Another comment favored interim superintendent, Dr. Alicia Miguel, for the superintendent position.

James Guerra, CEO of JG Consulting, which is conducting the superintendent search, said the question about teachers asking direct questions to the candidates would be for the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education to decide. He also indicated that some of the superintendent candidates could drop out if their names become public. When they go beyond the board of education, they may run the risk of breaching confidentiality, according to Guerra.

Regarding a question about finding a superintendent who supports teachers and has a background in teaching, Guerra said all the superintendents they have recruited previously for other districts have served in the classroom in their past, along with experience leading schools as a principal or administrator. The search firm’s board partners have always chosen superintendents who have had experience in the classroom, he said.

“Our goal is to identify the best and brightest candidates,” Guerra said.

He said before any in-person interviews will be conducted with the school board, the search firm will require all the candidates who submit an application and meet minimum qualifications of the leadership profile to complete an on-demand virtual interview. Interviews this year are virtual because of the current pandemic conditions.

Some questions also were about superintendent candidates having an action plan for COVID-19. Guerra said in most cases, the candidates have a 90-day re-entry plan or action plan at a minimum.

The consultant is holding a total of four town hall meetings, and is inviting the public to give their questions and comments about the qualities and characteristics they want to see in a superintendent.

Many of the community responses were read at the town hall meeting on Jan. 5. That meeting will be available for viewing this week on YouTube.

Randy Lopez, school board president, said that the comments and questions will give them an idea of what is important to the community. They want the process to be transparent and open, he said.

The questions and comments at the town hall meeting, for the most part, were not answered, but are being used to indicate the community’s interest, and also to formulate questions later to ask the superintendent candidates.

Because of the current pandemic, the town hall meetings are being conducted virtually.

Besides the town hall meetings, the school district has a survey form for the superintendent search that people may fill out through its website at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N688YY6.

The current timeline for the superintendent search includes town hall meetings in January. Community engagement and outreach meetings are underway.

More virtual town hall meetings are scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, in Spanish; 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 9, in English; and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, in Spanish, through a link on the school district’s website at www.kckps.org.

Questions for the future town hall meetings can be emailed to [email protected].

Guerra also gave his email and phone number out so that anyone with concerns may contact him directly. His email is [email protected]. His website is at https://www.jgconsulting.us/.