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Minutes for HB2662 - Committee on K-12 Education Budget
Short Title
Establishing the parents' bill of rights and academic transparency act, requiring school districts to establish parent transparency portals to provide information on materials that are used or made available in schools, removing the affirmative defense for schools for the crime of promotion to minors of material that is harmful to minors and prohibiting schools from non-renewing a teacher's contract for refusing to teach against certain beliefs or practices.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 16, 2022
Chairperson Williams opened the hearing on HB 2662.
Nick Myers, Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, reviewed HB 2662 bill brief with the Committee. (Attachment 1)
Mr. Myers responded to questions from the Committee.
Mike O'Neal, Kansas Policy Institute, provided testimony in support of HB 2662. He stated that if schools truly want what is best for students and have nothing to hide with what is being taught and how it is being taught, there should be unanimous support for curriculum and professional development transparency. (Attachment 2)
Mr. O'Neal responded to questions from the Committee.
Brittany Jones, Kansas Family Voice, provided testimony in support of HB 2662. She noted that parents are best positioned to know and raise their kids. Educational institutions can be an asset to this relationship. Recognizing and protecting the fundamental relationship between a parent and child is vital to ensuring the stability of our society. (Attachment 3)
Ms. Jones responded to questions from the Committee.
Matt Beienburg, Goldwater Institute, provided testimony in support of HB 2662. He noted that transparency provisions are necessary, because in K-12 schools across the country politically charged content is spreading at an extraordinary pace throughout nearly every grade and subject. Mr. Beienburg noted it is essential that parents have the ability to see for themselves what materials are being used in the classroom. (Attachment 4)
Written testimony in support for HB 2662 was received by:
Elizabeth Patton, State Director, Americans for Prosperity Kansas (Attachment 5)
Libby Sobic, Director of Education Policy, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (Attachment 6)
Sam Adolphsen, Visiting Fellow, Opportunity Solutions Project (Attachment 7)
Neutral written testimony for HB 2662 was received by:
Patty Jurich, President, Kansas Parent Teacher Association (Attachment 8)
Rabbi Moti Rieber from Kansas Interfaith Action provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. He noted the requirement that all pedagogical material be posted online is the imposition of an enormous burden on schools and teachers. (Attachment 9)
Thomas Witt from Equality Kansas provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. He noted that Equality Kansas opposes two sections of the bill, Section 4 and 5. He testified that this bill is a bill to criminalize teaching in this state. (Attachment 10)
Mitch Rucker from the Kansas Action for Children provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. He noted that bills like this weaken our public school system, seed distrust in education professionals, and set a bad example for our students as they learn how to solve real problems in their daily lives. (Attachment 11)
Aileen Berquist from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She noted that this bill infringes on the rights of students to receive an education that reflects the realities of our history and modern world. It infringes on the rights of students to access books and information that are essential for them to become informed and thoughtful citizens. Ms. Berquist stated that students have a right to learn the truth, to access information, and make up their own minds. (Attachment 12)
Lauren Tice-Miller from Kansas National Education Association provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She testified that we should be ensuring that teaching is the most attractive job in the state, and we should be working actively to recruit quality professionals, nurturing the joy of teaching, and trusting these professionals to do their jobs just as we do with so many other professions. (Attachment 13)
Kimberly Vogelsberg from the Kansas National Education Association provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She stated the bill is wrought with uncertainties and unintended consequences, all of which serve only to increase costs to taxpayers and deter schools from their constitutional duty of educating Kansas students. (Attachment 14)
Kelly Sommers from the Kansas State Nurses Association (KSNA) provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She noted the KSNA opposes any language that refers to amending requirements for childhood vaccines. KSNA supports all required childhood vaccines to attend schools to prevent outbreaks that can cause illness, permanent disability, and death of a child. (Attachment 15)
Sarah Irsik-Good from Immunize Kansas Coalition provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She testified that it is vitally important to maintain the status quo as it relates to required wellness vaccines for childcare and K-12 schools. (Attachment 16)
Samantha Neill, a teacher from Buhler USD 313, provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She noted that we cannot tie the hands of our educators. We must join hands and work together. We must trust the expertise of our community teachers and leaders. She testified that this bill drives a harmful wedge into our schools and communities. (Attachment 17)
Mattelyn Swartz, a student from Chaparral High School, provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She stated that this bill limits educational opportunities and ties the hands of an educator to provide a learning environment that is engaging and individualized. Ms. Swartz noted that this bill diminishes the value of being a teacher, which adds to the teacher shortage through the additional limitations to the art and creativity of teaching and learning. (Attachment 18)
Joel Addis, private citizen, provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. He stated that the impact of putting restrictions on professional educators' ability to adapt is to limit students access to responsive, personalized instruction. (Attachment 19)
Judith Deedy from Game On for Kansas Schools provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. She noted that this bill will not increase the quality of our children's education and is an unnecessary diversion of resources at a time when we need focus on the real work of educating our children. (Attachment 20)
Pastor Robert Johnson provided testimony in opposition of HB 2662. He testified that the job of history education is to teach the truth. (Attachment 21)
The conferees responded to questions.
Written testimony in opposition of HB 2662 was received by:
Deena Horst and Ben Jones, Legislative Liaisons, Kansas State Board of Education (Attachment 22)
Mark Tallman, Associate Executive Director, Kansas Association of School Boards (Attachment 23)
Martha Pint, Co-President, League of Women Voters of Kansas (Attachment 24)
Stephen Linkous, Chief of Staff, Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (Attachment 25)
Ali Hilton, Program Director, Mid America Immunization Coalition (Attachment 26)
Tony Helfrich, Superintendent, Pratt Schools USD 382 (Attachment 27)
Michael Poppa, Executive Director, Mainstream Coalition (Attachment 28)
Dr. Glenda Overstreet Vaughan, President, Kansas People of Color Action Coalition (Attachment 29)
Carlie Houchen, Chair, Immunize Kansas Coalition (Attachment 30)
Amy Voelker, Private Citizen (Attachment 31)
Andy Marso, Private Citizen (Attachment 32)
April Cremer, Teacher (Attachment 33)
Ashley Razak, School Board Member, Bonner Springs / Edwardsville USD 204 (Attachment 34)
Bernadette Roche, Teacher (Attachment 35)
Brooke Waters, Teacher (Attachment 36)
Cheryl Kucharik, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Scott City USD 466 (Attachment 37)
Chloe Chaffin, Student (Attachment 38)
Chris Bauer, School Board President, Smoky Valley / Lindsborg USD 400 (Attachment 39)
Christopher Hansen, Private Citizen (Attachment 40)
Claire Adamyk, Teacher (Attachment 41)
Curt Kornhaus, Teacher (Attachment 42)
Erica Shook, Chair, Kansas Educators Support Foundation (Attachment 43)
Jana Graham, Teacher (Attachment 44)
Jawanda Mast, Private Citizen (Attachment 45)
Jean Hendricks, Private Citizen (Attachment 46)
Jenna Gorton, Student (Attachment 47)
Jennifer Stark Fry, Private Citizen (Attachment 48)
John Sturn, Board of Education Member, Ellinwood USD 355 (Attachment 49)
Karen Burrows, Principal, Satanta Grade School (Attachment 50)
Karen Osborn, Teacher (Attachment 51)
Kendra Stoppel, Teacher (Attachment 52)
Kim Panzer, Principal, Lakin Grade School USD 215 (Attachment 53)
Kim Stanley, Teacher (Attachment 54)
Linda See, Teacher (Attachment 55)
Lisa Huesers, Private Citizen (Attachment 56)
Logan Hernandez, Teacher (Attachment 57)
Mandy Merando, Teacher (Attachment 58)
Melinda Holmes, Teacher (Attachment 59)
Mindi Blokzyl, Teacher (Attachment 60)
Paige Marett, Private Citizen (Attachment 61)
Pam Kraus, Private Citizen (Attachment 62)
Penny Guy and Lynda Crowl, Retired Teachers (Attachment 63)
Richard Martinez, Private Citizen (Attachment 64)
Ryan Hahn, Teacher (Attachment 65)
Sara Devine, Teacher (Attachment 66)
Sara Krug, Private Citizen (Attachment 67)
Dr. Shane Kirchner, Teacher (Attachment 68)
Shannon Kimball, Private Citizen (Attachment 69)
Shannon Wedel, Teacher (Attachment 70)
Dr. Shawn Roberts, Principal, Scott City Elementary School USD 466 (Attachment 71)
Taylor Bohannon, Student (Attachment 72)
Tim Collins, Student (Attachment 73)
Tina McIver, Teacher (Attachment 74)
Zachary Dickerson, Teacher (Attachment 75)
Last Names A - F (Attachment 76)
Last Names G - O (Attachment 77)
Last Names P - Z (Attachment 78)
There being no further conferees, Chairperson Williams closed the hearing on HB 2690.
