TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ state school board has scheduled a special meeting for Friday to discuss personnel issues after Education Commissioner Randy Watson made what one board member called an inappropriate remark during a conference last week.
State Board of Education member Ann Mah told The Capital-Journal on Wednesday that the board was taking Watson’s comments “very seriously.” She said Watson had reached out to her after the comments but she couldn’t share exactly what Watson said in his remarks.
“What you need to know is that it was an inappropriate comment, and we’re going to deal with it,” said Mah, a Topeka Democrat.
Watson did not immediately return a telephone message or email Wednesday evening seeking comment, nor did department spokespeople.
The 10-member elected board appoints the commissioner, who is the top administrator at the State Department of Education. Watson became commissioner in 2014 after serving as superintendent of McPherson’s public schools.
Board Chair Jim Porter, a Fredonia Republican, said members had been made aware of the alleged remarks but, “I have not heard the tape.”
As commissioner, Watson is perhaps best known for pushing for a redesign of the state’s public schools to place more emphasis on personalized learning and better preparing students for adult work.
