NEA backs Wichita group
WICHTA (UPI) — The Board of Education president said yesterday that the 3,400 teachers here were not being fired, but the Wichita City Teachers Association (WCTA) disagreed.
Conflicting statements came
following action Monday night by the board in terminating contracts of the teachers.
Patrick Thiessen, board president, said it was a procedural step. But WCTA officials said it amounted to firing all the teachers.
Association spokesmen said all the teachers would have to re-negotiate what they already had.
"The board isn't trying to get out of anything," Thiessen said, "but is trying to reach agreement on changes which will
make it a better contract for both of us—the board and the teachers."
Thiessen said that in order to make changes in last year's contract, the board had to cancel it.
Carl Elvin, executive director of the WCTA, asked "How can mutual agreement be reached when the board would now be free to offer a contract on their own terms which if not accepted by the teachers, could result in their being terminated."
Wichita teachers debate school board's statement
WICHITA (UPI) - The Board of Education Monday night voted to send letters to all teachers "terminating the provisions of the 1968-69 contracts."
The board claimed it was merely a formality before negotiating for a new contract with the teachers for next year.
But the Wichita City Teachers Association (WCTA) charged that all 3,400 teachers here have
been fired, and is contemplating court action against the school system.
More than 400 teachers packed the Board of Education meeting room to protest the action.
Earlier Monday, the teachers applauded their attorney, Robert Arnold, former school board president, when he told them "with the law on our side we'll break the back of any
board that tries to push this down our throats.
"This association knows what it's doing, and I'll guarantee we won't lead with our chin."
Negotiations for next year's salaries are going on. The Wichita teachers felt the board action was an attempt to weaken their negotiating position.
Atchison city election candidate requests Supreme Court hearing
TOPEKA (UPI) — John F. Settich, a candidate for Atchison city commissioner and a student at St. Benedict's College, has gone to the Kansas Supreme Court in an effort to have his name on the Atchison city election ballot.
Attorneys for the 21-year-old St. Louis, Mo., native filed a petition with the high court Monday requesting an order of mandamus to force city officials to place his name on the April 1 ballot.
The petition named Robert L. Noble, city clerk, and Graham Lukens, Atchison County Clerk.
Settich filed Feb. 11 for city
Aid to other countries discussed in panel
A panel discussion, "American Foreign Aid," will be presented by the International Club at 4 p.m. tomorrow in the Kansas Union Jayhawk Room, said Masoud Moayer, Iran junior and International Club treasurer.
The panel will consist of Clifford Ketzel, professor of political science; Koll Morgan, professor of geography; Katusuaki Terasuawa, graduate student from Japan, and Jose Fonseca, graduate student from Brazil.
Moayer said due to panel members' varying backgrounds, most sides of the Foreign Aid issue will be included in the discussion.
Exemption proposed
TOPEKA (UPI) - The House Assessment and Taxation Committee yesterday recommended passage for a measure to grant a homestead exemption for property owners and renters 65 years old or older.
The amount of the exemption would depend on the income of the household. It would range on a graduated scale ranging from 60 per cent of property taxes or of rent that constitutes property taxes down to 15 per cent.
A state fund of $4 million would provide a refund to local governments to take up the loss in revenues caused by the exemptions.
The scale would grant 60 per cent to those with an income of under $1,000 and decrease to a 15 per cent exemption to those earning over $2,500.
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commissioner at Atchison where he attends college. Because there were not enough candidates, no primary election was necessary.
Election officials, however, failed to certify Settich's name for a place on the April 1 ballot because of a question of residency.
Leaders of the teachers group said they have received assurances of support from the National Education Association (NEA), and teachers associations around the state, including the local one in Topeka.
The St. Benedict's student claimed there are residency requirements under Kansas law for mayor-council forms of government, but not for mayor-commission forms such as that in Aitchison.
The Supreme Court will take the petition under advisement. If it accepts the case, hearings would be held.
The Atchison County District Court was bypassed and Settich took the case directly to the State Supreme Court because of the short time left before the April 1 election.
Last year, negotiation problems with the Board of Education almost led to a full-scale teachers strike. At that time, the Kansas State Teachers Association (KSTA) did not give full support to Wichita teachers.
Many local teachers said they wanted to disassociate from the KSTA.
Highway_bill is passed
TOPEKA - The House yesterday passed the $300 million accelerated highway construction bill. The vote was 84-36.
Republicans voted heavily in favor of the bill as expected. Most of the opposition came from the Democratic side of the House.
The bill will now go to a conference committee of Senate and House members to resolve amendments made by the lower chamber.
People-to-People to sponsor a bus tour of dairy and ranch
Spring Break Canoe Trip Sponsored by SUA
March 30 - April 2
Ozark canoeing for only $29
Contact SUA office or Dave Reibstein. Deadline March 21
A tour of a dairy and a cattle ranch provides an opportunity to talk with foreign students, said Frank Hummer, Topeka senior and president of People-to-People (P-to-P).
Students will be shown cattle and general farming techniques, she said.
"Anybody who wants to come is welcome," Hummer said. "The trips consist mostly of foreign students and the bus ride provides an excellent opportunity to talk to them," he added.
P-to P hospitality chairman, Karna Ostrum, Shaker Heights, Ohio, junior, said a bus tour for foreign students will leave at 1 p.m. March 20 from the Kansas Union to tour the All-Star Dairy in Lawrence and a cattle ranch in McLouth.
Hummer said P-to-P plans bus tours once a month to places of interest to foreign students.
He added that previous tours have gone to a hockey game, art galleries and the Leavenworth Penitentiary. A future trip has been planned to a Kansas City Royals baseball game.
Murphy Hall Main Stage
Box Office: 317 Murphy Hall
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