TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents, in response to a question from a state senator, is asking its universities to produce a list of courses that include critical race theory, an academic concept that has become a target of Republicans across the country.
The request went to all six universities — including the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Wichita State University — but became public after screenshots of an email seeking the information at Pittsburg State University were posted online.
The request was made by Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, said Matt Keith, a spokesman for the regents. Dietrich told The Star she isn’t concerned about CRT in Kansas schools but wanted more information for constituents.
Dietrich said she contacted KBOR President and CEO Blake Flanders, who lives in her district, seeking general information on critical race theory in colleges because she was unable to fully answer constituent emails on the topic.
“I think that’s really one of the most important things we do as legislators: we find out information and we pass it on to our constituents. I think we have an obligation to make sure it’s accurate,” Dietrich said.
Dietrich, a former superintendent of Auburn Washburn USD 437, is one of the more moderate GOP senators. In 2020, she defeated hard-right Sen. Eric Rucker in the primary.
Prior to receiving constituent emails last month, Dietrich said, she wasn’t aware that critical race theory had become a political discussion. She said she reached out to Flanders in an innocent effort to answer constituent questions on its use in Kansas colleges and did not intend to create a chilling effect on classrooms.
“I don’t see that we’ve got an issue here in our state. What we’re doing now makes sense,” Dietrich said.
“I’m pretty much a limited government person. I don’t like to craft or draft statutes or bills just for the sake of doing so.”
Keith said the board frequently receives requests for information from legislators on a broad range of topics.
“In this case, Senator Brenda Dietrich requested information that we did not have at the Board office, so we reached out to the six state universities to gather the information,” Keith wrote in an email.
Gwendolyn Bradley, director of external communications for the American Association of University Professors, called the request to faculty uncommon and “entirely inappropriate.”
“This type of request has a chilling effect on academic freedom. Administrators and faculty may fear repercussions, and even where there is no bill or law prohibiting the teaching of race theory, they may censor themselves,” Bradley said.
Even if the chilling effect was unintended Mark Desetti, a lobbyist for the Kansas National Education Association, said that is the likely result as other states have restricted curriculum.
“It’s gonna make administrators tell professors ‘slow it down,’” Desetti said.
