News & Commentary

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas on Wednesday issued a report critical of what it calls a “severe under-utilization” of diversion practices by county prosecutors across the state, but highlighted the practices of Shawnee County District Attorney Michael Kagay as an example of a positive exception.

The Lawrence Journal-World outlines how the increased use of diversion could impact Douglas County.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has called for a school district in the Kansas City area to eliminate a policy prohibiting public complaints about individuals at board meetings.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas this week called on the Shawnee Mission School District to appoint an independent investigator to look into four students’ claims of racial harassment by a coach at Shawnee Mission South.

In May, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas asked the Shawnee Mission board of education to halt its practice of telling patrons not to mention district employees by name during board meeting open forums. Instead, the board of education just adopted a new open forum policy that expands its restrictions on “inappropriate” comments beyond those that mention individual employees. Now, patrons can’t mention elected members of the board, either.

We call on the Shawnee Mission School District to appoint an independent investigator to explore racial harassment allegations against Shawnee Mission South basketball coach Brett McFall.

“Who is Kris Kobach?” Kubic asks, repeatedly and with relish.

 A Muslim student athlete who refused to observe the national anthem for religious reasons at a basketball game in Kansas has been kicked off the team following altercations with a team supporter, who accused him of disrespecting the American flag, and a coach.

The American Civil Liberties Union wants to know why a student athlete at Garden City Community College was kicked off the basketball team after he continued shooting baskets during the playing of the national anthem.