Kansas school board members confronting legal issues in their positions now have access to a free hotline, courtesy of the School Boards for Academic Excellence (SBAE).
A webinar sponsored by the Kansas School Board Resource Center (KSBRC), like The Sentinel, a subsidiary of The Kansas Policy Institute, brought together KSBRC Executive Director Ward Cassidy and Director of Engagement and Strategy Tracey Frederick, Ph.D., along with SBAE Executive Director David Hoyt and Kansas attorneys Ryan Kriegshauser and Josh Ney, who will be responding to questions at the legal hotline, but as Ney cautioned:
Middle – David Hoyt, Ryan Kriegshauser
Bottom – Josh Key
“We’re not your attorneys, just providing a service to board members through the SBAE.”
Board members can access the SBAE Hotline through the KSBRC website linked here.
Among the legal issues confronting board members currently include The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a U.S. Department of Education directive providing certain rights for parents regarding their children’s education records, and recent Trump Administration executive orders concerning possible actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and affirmative action programs in education.
SBAE Executive Director David Hoyt says the hotline comes at an opportune time as contentious issues confront school boards:
“Legal challenges are one of the most common impediments to education reforms that put student outcomes first. School board members in Kansas can reach out to KSBRC for advice of any kind, and when they have a question that would benefit from legal analysis, KSBRC can refer them to SBAE for guidance from SBAE’s legal counsel, who have specific expertise in Kansas education law.”
KSBRC Executive Director Ward Cassidy says the hotline will make board members more effective in their positions:
“Providing a legal hotline will benefit school board members who need a better understanding of Kansas education law and the statutes in their districts as they pursue reforms that advance academic excellence and return the focus of their districts to student outcomes. We are thrilled that SBAE offers this resource free of charge to Kansas school board members.”
