Kansas passes new law aimed at limiting K-12 protests and walk outs
Despite a veto from Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Kansas Republicans have passed a new law, that aims to limit walk outs in K-12 schools.
The new law, which was added to the state budget bill, will punish K-12 schools who are caught organizing a student protest, or encouraging students to participate in a protest. Penalties for this could total up to $100,000.
Additionally, it will require students to get written permission from a parent before participating in a protest during the school day.
“We don’t want you to sit down, we want you to be responsible activists,” said Kansas Representative Jason Goetz (R). “If you’re going to take an absence from school, there are consequences. If you walk out, you should have a marked absence for that class or that day.”
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly line item vetoed this provision within the state budget bill, but Republican lawmakers overrode the veto with a two thirds majority vote in each chamber.
Democrats voiced their opposition to the law.“They want you to just sit down and be quiet. They want to make an example of you that if you do stand up there will be consequences for you or your school,” said Kansas Representative Rui Xu (D). “Like our forefathers, you are being engaged citizens and the moment that the government starts writing laws to silence it’s youngest voices is the moment that your voices become the most important ones in the room.”