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School Standoff in Kansas City - Between School Districts

By Justin Bathon

There is a standoff, literally, going on between Kansas City and Independence, Missouri School Districts. The Independence School District wants to take control of seven schools that were formally operated by the Kansas City School District. The KC School District seems to acknowledge that Independence has a right to take over the buildings, but because of an ongoing dispute between the districts over the cost of the school buildings owed to the Kansas City District and the lack of payment from Independence Schools, the doors were locked and security guards were posted to keep the Independence officials out of the buildings. Finally on Monday, a judge ruled that Independence has a right to enter the buildings. But, on Tuesday morning, the doors were still locked. 

Here is the Superintendent of Independence Schools after being locked out:

Things seem to be slowly resolving (video), but the Independence School District has still not been allowed to make repairs to the buildings, which is their intention before school starts.

Anyway, this whole thing is a bit embarrassing. If the school districts can't even get along and work together, what kind of public image is that sending these communities?

Full post as published by Edjurist on July 02, 2008 (boomark / email).