By NICK BUDD
Hays Post
111th District Rep. Sue Boldra, R-Hays, and her Democratic challenger, USD 489 School Board President James Leiker, D-Hays, held their first debate at the Ellis County Big First Tea Party’s meeting on Monday night. Boldra is seeking her second two-year term in the Kansas House of Representatives.
Both candidates talked about various issues facing the state of Kansas including education, wind energy and the state tax system.
Boldra and Leiker said they were in favor of Common Core Standards. According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the standards are “a set of mathematics and English-language arts standards that are created to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, their career and life regardless where the live.”
Both Boldra and Leiker said they were in favor of the certain parts of the initiative.
“(The standards) teach students how to think not what to think and, because of that, I stand for what the (Common Core Standards) stand for,” Leiker said. “We need to teach kids ‘why.’ It’s great just to know the answer, but you need to know why, because that is what pushes each generation to succeed in our country and to keep innovation going.
“When you look at the concept of what common core is doing, it is there to teach the student critical thinking.”
Boldra noted the Legislature has worked to “tweak” the national standards in order to keep the initiative at a state level. She said the state only adopted the mathematics and English-language arts standards.
“Everybody’s state has played with the name and almost every state is using something of it. If we say we can no longer teach the Common Core math standards, then what happens if I want my kids to count to 100 by 10? At some point somebody is going to have to tell us what part of the (standards) are so abhorrent and dangerous to everyone,” Boldra said. “We’re not finished yet. There will be some more debates, but I really do think we’re on the right track.”
Boldra also addressed the issue of privacy with the Common Core standards. The state passed a bill in the past legislative session that prevents the government from data mining.
“We never align the name with the student unless the parents want them to,” Boldra said.
“(Common Core Standards) also tracks data as the kids move through so their teacher can track them on an individual basis to find areas of improvement.” Leiker said.
Boldra and Leiker also discussed the recent school funding bill that was passed this spring. The bill increased aid for poorer school districts but also removed a due process provision from the bill and gave the option to local school boards. The recent contract signed by USD 489 contained no language regarding due process. Boldra voted against the legislative measure.
“I’d like a system where teachers are held accountable,” Leiker said. “From a school board standpoint, we’ve put in ways to help the teachers and show them areas of improvement and where they are doing great, and we’ve tied that into the safety net of that position.”
Boldra said that the due process portion did not go through the House Education Committee, on which she serves.
“If it would’ve gone through the committee, we would’ve had administrators, school board members and teachers talk about it and decide what needed to be changed,” Boldra said.
Both candidates discussed a recent bill that would have enacted state sovereignty over non-migratory animals. The bill eventually died in the House. Recently, the lesser prairie chicken was listed as a threatened species, which limits agricultural and business land use in their habitats. Both agreed that national governments should not be involved in the issue.
“I was really disappointed that bill went away,” Boldra said. “We really need to enforce the Tenth Amendment on this issue, which gives states rights. The idea of federalism, it’s very strong in our Constitution. Yet, the EPA and the National Fish and Wildlife Service have encroached on Kansas’ rights.”
“I was in Medicine Lodge in 2003 when they started the conservation piloting programs for (the prarie chicken),” Leiker said. “I have friends that work for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and they know what they’re doing and I’ve met a lot of people that are part of the national government that think they know what they’re doing. I’d trust my friends any day over somebody from Washington, D.C.”
Candidates were also asked about the proposed freezing of tax cuts by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paul Davis. Since the cuts were signed into law in 2012, the state has seen a decreased bond rating, and Davis’ campaign is projecting a multimillion-dollar shortfall in the coming years, which would threaten state services.
“From what I’ve seen, tax revenues are up right now, but I can’t say if I would vote for it or not until I’ve seen some numbers,” Boldra said.
“When you look at this, we’re outspending what we’re bringing in and, if we keep with this decline, you’re going to see a lot of services cut,” Leiker said. “Until we can actually get a plan on the ground that says what we’re doing, we cannot continue to outspend what we bring in. … We’ve been downgraded twice because there is no plan.”
Both candidates said the debate went well, noting the turnout of approximately 150 people. The candidates also will debate on Smoky Hills Public Television and with the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce.