Parents weigh in as KCKPS faces Tuesday deadline to comply with DOJ demands or risk losing almost $70 million

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.

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Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools has less than 24 hours to comply with the Department of Justice's demands over its transgender policy or risk losing millions in federal dollars.

The DOJ is threatening to sue the district if KCKPS continues to enforce its transgender guideline.

According to the DOJ, parents not knowing their student's transgender status is unlawful.

The district is at risk of losing almost $70 million in federal funds if it keeps enforcing the guideline after Tuesday.

As of Monday evening, the district had not yet sent the DOJ a full response.

I sat down with KCKPS Superintendent Anna Stubblefield on Friday to discuss the ongoing dispute.

Al Miller/KSHB 41

"We do plan to respond by the deadline," Stubblefield said.

Stubblefield said the district evaluates each student on a case-by-case basis.

"Majority of the students, their parents are fully aware, and their parents are informing us," Stubblefield said.

For parents like Devon Teran, the stakes go beyond dollars.

Rachel Henderson/KSHB 41

A former teacher and instructional coach in the district, Teran has two daughters in KCKPS schools and said the culture educators have built matters deeply to him.

"They spent so much time building a healthy culture, a supportive culture where students looked across all kinds of different scenarios, different forms of diversity and really formed community and supported each other emotionally and socially to be safe," Teran said.

Teran said his day-to-day experience in the district has been positive.

"It's really easy to get caught up in drama,” Teran said. “What I know is that my kids love their teachers and feel safe with them, and they love their classmates and feel safe with them, and they take care of each other.”

He acknowledged that funding has real consequences, but said skilled educators stay focused on what is in front of them.

"The money matters,” Teran said. “The money changes what can get done and what there's funding to do. Highly skilled educators, really good educators, are going to do what they need to do in the moment. The money makes it a lot easier or a lot harder when it's not there, but in the moment, it's just a kid in front of them.”

Still, he raised concerns about the broader impact of the dispute on students.

"Will there be students who feel less safe in their classrooms because of policy and guideline changes and because of politicians making kids into puppets for political talking points?" Teran said.

Wyandotte County native Tamara Barnes, who also has children in the district, said the situation adds pressure on a district already stretched thin.

Rachel Henderson/KSHB 41

"USD 500 is already struggling," Barnes said. "They're struggling to have supplies, extracurriculars are behind, and there's no support with family and community engagement.”

Barnes, who said she is a product of USD 500 herself, called the dispute disheartening.

"It's disheartening because it puts our children in a place of true confusion," Barnes said. "I’m a product of USD 500, and it has gotten worse since when I was in school."

I met Barnes at KCK's City Hall, where she was following another funding matter.

She is also looking ahead to a community event she hopes reflects the strength of Wyandotte County.

Several vendors and nonprofits will gather at Schlagle High School on Aug. 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering haircuts, braids, tennis shoes, headphones and food for the Gifted Back to School Experience.

She also shared that on Aug. 9, the community center at 2100 East 13th St. will have a fish fry and school supply giveaway for anyone in the district needing supplies ahead of the first day of school, which is Aug. 12 for grades K-5, 6th grade, 9th grade, and students new to Sumner Academy (early release day) and Aug. 13 for all remaining students.

Despite her frustrations with the district, Barnes said she believes the community has the strength to move forward together.

"There's so much good within USD 500 and Wyandotte County as well, so if we can come together and focus on the assets that we already have within our community, that's where we need to start,” Barnes said. “This community needs to heal.”

KSHB 41 reached out to the DOJ for a status on the district’s response.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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