Vote yes on Kansas City school bond to send our kids a message: You matter
I am a mother and educator, and I proudly serve as superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools. But most important, I wholeheartedly believe in and love children — seeing their optimism, their brilliance and the potential of their future. It's in our hands as our community makes a critical decision regarding the general obligation bond issue on the April 8 ballot. I want to share a few pertinent points of fact that all in our community should know in order to make an informed decision.
Kansas City Public Schools serves roughly 15,000 students, and employs a host of amazing teachers, administrators and other staff members who have worked diligently to bring our district to full accreditation status. Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in our Annual Performance Report score, increase in enrollment, increase of the graduation rate to nearly 90%, band and orchestra offered in all elementary schools, as well as other programming tailored to meet the academic and socio-emotional needs of our children.
We've seen national recognition in science, technology, engineering and math, as we were named the 2024 Discovery Channel Education District of the Year. Our students engage in real-world learning as they develop apps that boost energy efficiency, make prosthetic limbs and run their own in-school restaurants. Additionally, we have almost two dozen state medalists in band, orchestra and vocals.
A yes vote April 8 would mean a $474 million general obligation bond for KCPS and nine local charter schools. While we'd love to see extravagant additions, these funds would primarily address some of the critical deficiencies and decades' worth of deferred maintenance in our buildings, including upgrades to safety and security systems, secure entry points and fixes to elevators, heating and cooling, roofs, windows, electrical systems, plumbing and bathrooms.
School districts in Missouri tackle these issues with bonds, passing them every three to seven years. KCPS is the only school district in the region without a bond. In fact, Kansas City hasn't passed a school bond since 1967. Let's consider this fact in context. In 1967, the Chiefs were in Super Bowl I. The Royals didn't exist yet, and putting a man on the moon was still a dream unrealized. Speaking of dreams, we weren't far removed from Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech.
There's been a lot of history since 1967 — and no bond funding for Kansas City's children during that entire time.
Every child deserves a quality education, from pre-kindergarten through high school. We believe that. We believe it so much that we are welcoming nine Kansas City charter schools to join us in this monumental, historical pursuit. These funds would go a long way toward ensuring Kansas City's children are able to learn in educational environments that are not only warm, safe and dry, but ones that also inspire creativity, critical thinking and a passion for learning.
We've reached a defining moment in the life of Kansas City, and on April 8 our community will decide what history will say of our commitment and care for our children, and thus the hopes and future of our city. The health and well-being of any community is inextricably tied to how well it takes care of its children.
One decision leads to educational spaces that match the achievements of our students. It communicates to our children that they matter and that we believe in them and their future.
The other decision leads to classrooms and hallways that continue to degrade, that send a message to our children that they are not important. The spaces we expect you to learn in every day don't matter.
One decision costs the average homeowner a cup of coffee a week — 64 cents a day, an equivalent of approximately $20 a month.
The other decision might yield no immediate cost, but would inevitably cost a lot more in the long run. A strong city can't exist without strong schools. No local economy has ever thrived in the shadow of crumbling schools.
We are at a proverbial fork in the road, with a grand opportunity to usher this city into a new era. Which path will you choose?
As you cast your ballot, I want to make one request:
Imagine one of Kansas City's children in that voting booth with you. What do they deserve? What message are you going to send to them?
Dr. Jennifer Collier is superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools.
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He said he does not believe he would be able to identify the man he saw even if he saw him again," the report continued. "Meyer thought nothing of the incident until he heard of the shooting of Martin Luther King. Then he thought there might possibly be some connection, but he did not report the matter to the local police because he was afraid they would only laugh at him. He said he went back to the area [where] the man was firing and was unable to find any cartridges. He looked at the tree that had been shot at and noted that the places where the bullets hit indicated that a high-powered cartridge was used," the report said. READ THE FILE – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: The CIA compiled a five-page report on Cuba's response to MLK's assassination, including reports from Cuban independent and state-controlled media. The report shows that Granma, the official newspaper for Cuba's communist party, highlighted the violence and riots that took place in the wake of MLK's death. "Twenty-seven persons have been killed in the U.S. as a result of the fighting which has been going on since the assassination of Martin Luther King. In Washington alone there are 750 wounded and 4,186 persons arrested. Snipers continue to be active in different cities in the U.S. The White House and the Capitol are under heavy guard," the paper wrote, according to the CIA report. The report also highlighted Cuban radio outlets and others amplifying calls for violence from certain "black power" activists. One such message came from Stokely Carmichael, who urged Black Americans to "arm ourselves with rifles and pistols and launch an assault on the streets of the cities of the United States." Radio Liberacion also highlighted Carmichael's prediction that there would be "executions in the streets." READ THE FILE – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: An FBI report included in the release says that a man threatened to murder MLK during a May 1967 appearance in Wisconsin. The FBI said they received a call from an anonymous male vowing to "put a bullet through KING's head." Investigators determined that man to be Theodore Adank, with local police saying he was a possible mental case who could have capabilities of committing violence. "At the news conference held by King on 5/12/67 the area was sealed off by police to ensure that only newsmen were admitted," the FBI reported. "Theodore Adank showed up on that occasion posing as a newsman, but was evicted by local police." Investigators returned to interview Adank in the days after MLK's death, but they uncovered no connection to the assassination. "Adank was interviewed by [special agents] Kenna and Walker on 4/8/68 and impressed interviewing agents as being somewhat of a mental case," the report read. "Adank advised he has been in Wausau during the entire recent 2-week period except for one occasion when he traveled to Milwaukee, Wis. for treatment at a Wood, Wis. VA Center in connection with his medical disability pension." READ THE FILE – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: The FBI became aware of several aliases Ray used in the lead-up to MLK's murder. Documents show he used two different names while purchasing the murder weapon from a gun store in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 29 and 30, just days before the assassination. Ray identified himself to the store clerks as "Harvey Lowmeyer," though he used an address and drove a vehicle linked to another alias, "Eric Galt." FBI agents connected the two aliases when store clerks were shown a picture of "Galt" and said he was identical to "Lowmeyer." "Galt first visited Aeromarine Supply Company on two occasions: Friday, 3/29/68, when be purchased a .243 caliber Remington rifle, Model 700, which was equipped with Redfield scope. On following day, Saturday, 3/30/68, same individual returned after telephonic contact and exchanged this rifle for the murder weapon, a Remington Model 760, 30.06 caliber, to which scope was attached," the FBI report reads. READ THE FILE – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: Ray's younger brother, Jerry Ray, conducted an interview with law enforcement following MLK's murder, and he suggested to them that his brother may have been paid by a third party to be "used" in the attack. He told law enforcement that he hadn't seen James in four years, when he visited his elder brother in prison. "I don't think he was involved. I think he was used as a--he was used some way in it, though. I think that because, you know, of the money he spent and all that. I think his name was used, and because he couldn't turn himself in because he had so much time to do in Missouri. I think he was implicated in some way, more likely used," Jerry said. "Are you saying that someone paid him to pretend to be King's murderer?" the interviewer asked. "Well they have two Eric Starvo Galts within about two miles of each other, and every time he went some place there would be another guy like him, and it seems kind of strange," Jerry responded. Jerry went on to say he believes his brother thought it was "honorable" not to reveal whether anyone else was involved in King's murder. He then said he planned to go to Memphis and talk to his brother once Ray arrived in the city in police custody. "If he definitely didn't do it, he'll tell me that, but he won't tell me the other things, how come he was used or what," Jerry predicted of talking with Ray. "But he'll tell me if he did or if he didn't do it, but he won't implicate anybody else." "So, Jerry, your whole theory is that Ray was paid to implicate himself?" the interviewer pressed. "That's what my theory is," he responded. "I figure he was paid for his name being used. That's as far as I think he's involved in it." Missives from the Chinese Communist Party collected by U.S. intelligence called for Americans to begin an uprising against "yankee imperialists." The booklet, found with both Spanish and English translations, was titled "Statement by Comrade Mao Tse-Tung, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, in Support of the Afro-American Struggle Against Violent Repression." Published roughly a week after MLK's death, the book "cites the Negro struggle in the United States as part of the world struggle against the 'yankee imperialists,' and asserts that the world revolution has entered a new era, and urges all people to unite and eliminate this enemy," the FBI report reads. READ THE FILE – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: Included in the trove of documents released this week is a CIA paper titled "Talking Points for Interview with Dan Rather," with the date of Oct. 29, 1975. "The CIA was in no way involved in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King," the proposed talking points begin. "In addition, I would like again to deny categorically that there was any CIA like involvement in the assassinations of President Kennedy or Senator Robert Kennedy, or the attempted assassination of Governor Wallace." The talking points document does not identify the CIA official for whom it was intended. Rather and CBS published an interview with then-CIA Director William Colby on Nov. 26, 1975. The interview focused on supposed CIA ties to Lee Harvey Oswald, but did not address MLK's assassination in the broadcasted portion. Rather did publish a segment on MLK's death in late November 1975, but the segment did not include any interview with a CIA official. READ THE FILE – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:
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