Melanie Haas defends Kansas Board of Education seat against two challengers

Democrat Melanie Haas is trying to keep her Kansas Board of Education seat from two challengers.

Republicans have won this seat three times in the past five elections.

Election day is Nov. 5. Oct. 15 is the last day to register to vote. Early voting starts Oct. 16. You can find your polling place and the races you vote in here .

Who are the candidates for the Board of Education’s 2nd District?

Independent Kiel Corkran

Corkran didn’t respond to the voter guide and The Beacon couldn’t confirm the authenticity of any campaign website.

Democrat Melanie Haas (Incumbent)

Haas is running for a second term on the State Board of Education.

She’s been appointed to the Kansas Volunteer Commission and is the state board’s liaison to the Kansas State School for the Blind.

Haas and her husband have two children in the public school system.

“As your children grow, you realize that the time they spend in K-12 is ultimately short! Therefore, I bring a sense of urgency to get things done,” she said. “Anyone who doesn’t currently have a school-age child can’t acknowledge how much school has changed in the past several years and it’s continuing to change rapidly with the introduction of technology like AI.”

She is endorsed by the Kansas National Education Association and Game On for Kansas Schools.

Her website is here .

Republican Fred Postlewait

Postlewait retired from the Leavenworth Public Library in 2015. He graduated from Southern Nazarene University with a bachelor’s degree in physics and math. He also has an associate degree in electronics from the Electronics Institute of Kansas City and a master’s degree in information systems management from the University of Phoenix.

He and his wife have two children.

His website is here .

What is the first thing you’d do in office if elected?

Corkran: Corkran didn’t respond to the voter guide.

Haas: Districts need to receive guidance on appropriate use of devices like laptops, tablets and cellphones so they can adopt policies. If that is complete before January, the next issue is our new school district accreditation process. This is an opportunity to keep our standard high and to ensure that districts are meeting the needs of each student. For instance, students are required to have an individual plan of study that they help create — and update — which helps guide them through high school to graduation. While some districts are doing great work on this, others need to improve.

Postlewait: Postlewait didn’t respond to the voter guide.

How can the Board of Education better support students who are falling behind?

Corkran: Corkran didn’t respond to the voter guide.

Haas: It’s important to understand why students fall behind in the first place. If it’s learning how to read, that’s an opportunity to promote the interventions which help struggling students. Our board directed some of Kansas’ federal COVID-relief funding to provide updated teacher-training in reading. But other external factors can hold students back: economic challenges, having to work after school and/or care for family members. Hiring and keeping high quality teachers who will see each student for who they are and what they face — that’s a huge factor in being able to recognize and then meet each student’s needs.

Postlewait: Postlewait didn’t respond to the voter guide.

What role should the Board of Education play in LGBTQ+ issues?

Corkran: Corkran didn’t respond to the voter guide.

Haas: The role of the state board is to focus on meeting the needs of each student, which means regardless of gender, race or ZIP code. Sadly, the Kansas Legislature passed HB 2238, banning transgender athletes from participating in female sports. It’s vitally important that all students have access to opportunities to work and play with others in cooperative environments — evidence shows that active, engaged kids are healthier physically and emotionally. Let kids be kids. Our schools should be places to learn, free of intimidation.

Postlewait: Postlewait didn’t respond to the voter guide.

How can the Board of Education support teachers?

Corkran: Corkran didn’t respond to the voter guide.

Haas: I always tell teachers, thank you! Kansas has an alarmingly high rate of teacher attrition due to low pay, coupled with the damage inflicted on teacher morale during COVID. The board can advocate for better pay, we can press for improved retirement benefits by way of KPERS, but we don’t hold the purse strings. Beyond the financial aspect, there’s a need to raise the bar on what it means to be a school administrator and a good leader. There’s a huge opportunity to improve school culture through continuing education and mentoring. Great principals improve teacher retention.

Postlewait: Postlewait didn’t respond to the voter guide.

Do you think Kansas schools have quality curriculum? Why or why not?

Corkran: Corkran didn’t respond to the voter guide.

Haas: Yes! But sometimes, no. Local school board members are elected by voters in their districts. It’s the local board who selects or approves the purchase of curriculum to be used locally. The State Board of Education sets state standards, telling schools what they need to teach, but the local board has authority on how subjects are taught. I encourage local board members to reach out to the Kansas Department of Education if they have questions or would like support when it comes to curriculum adoption. As a board member, I’m always happy to help make those connections.

Postlewait: Postlewait didn’t respond to the voter guide. His campaign website said: “Over the past decade social engineering has replaced education. The train is off the tracks. We need to return to teaching science, mathematics and English Language Arts. Let’s not forget about educating students (about) U.S. History and U.S. Government.”

Is there an issue/question that you weren’t asked that you want to talk about?

Corkran: Corkran didn’t respond to the voter guide.

Haas: What’s at stake in this election? This board doesn’t affect me, right? When the maps for the State Board of Education were redrawn in 2022, leaders in the Kansas Legislature didn’t hold back about their intent to redraw SBOE maps to make the board more conservative and less “monolithic.” What Kansans may not realize is that the state board has, for many years now, been very moderate. Democrats and Republicans on the board have set aside politics and focused on the needs of students, families and those who work in education. That is very much at risk in this election as half of the board is on the ballot and three of the five open seats don’t have incumbents. Moderate Republicans with experience in education were all ousted in the August primary. It’s possible that the November election will result in a partisan board in the sense that it will be deadlocked at 5-5 or even 6-4, which could result in a massive funding decrease, the end of our own federal dollars flowing back to Kansas schools.

Postlewait: Postlewait didn’t respond to the voter guide.

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