Troubled by what they see as a perceived pattern that favors wealthier neighborhoods, some Shawnee Mission school board members have begun to discuss how the district should handle private donations, bequests and gifts. A three-member task force of board members Jessica Hembree, Jamie Borgman and David Westbrook met for the first time on the topic last week. Their aim is to better understand the existing policies on donations and find a way to clarify the district’s position on how that money should be spent. Almost every Shawnee Mission school board meeting includes at least one vote on whether to accept private donations and bequests. Often those votes are part of a consent agenda lumped in with various other non-controversial items. But some board members have been uncomfortable with the limited descriptions and discussion of those donations and have asked for a fuller explanation of the mechanics and rules.
Source: Johnson County Post
