Conservatives sweep Kansas State Board of Education races

Kansans voted overwhelmingly last Tuesday for parental rights and curriculum accountability in schools, in helping conservatives win all five of the open Kansas State Board of Education seats.

This year, odd-numbered districts were up for election to the 10-member board.

Republican incumbents Michelle Dombrosky (District 3) and current board chairman Jim Porter (District 9) retained their seats, with Porter running unopposed.

Newly elected Republicans Dennis Hershberger (District7) and Cathy Hopkins (District 5) also ran unopposed after defeating Republican incumbents in the Aug. 2 primary.

In District 1, Danny Zeck defeated his Democratic opponent Jeffrey Howards by a wide margin, around 23%.

Zeck, Dombrosky, Hopkins and Hershberger campaigned on parental rights and transparency in education, also emphasizing the importance of local control and funding of public schools.

“It is time to stop the Washington Liberal Standards from dictating values that do not fit Kansas Education,” Zeck’s campaign website reads. “We must put Parents In Charge of their child’s Education.”

“I believe and advocate for Kansas parents and guardians to have the unalienable, uninfringeable authority to direct the education of their child,” Dombrosky declares on her campaign website.

Republicans now hold a 7-3 majority on the board, having gained one net seat Tuesday.

Newly elected board members will assume office Jan. 3 and serve a four-year term.