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Topeka school district hires advisors to help with name change

Topeka Seaman.jpg
Posted at 1:40 PM, Apr 20, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-20 14:40:23-04

TOPEKA, Kan. — A Kansas school district named after a 1920s Ku Klux Klan leader has voted to pay an advisory group to help with discussions on changing the name.

The Seaman School District's Board of Education voted Monday to make a base payment of $30,000 to the Kansas Leadership Council to help with the discussions.

The district is named after Fred Seaman, a former Kansas leader of the KKK. Students, teachers and some community groups have pushed to have the name changed.

The school board had already appointed an advisory task force — comprised of teachers, business owners, community members and a student — to provide a report on the issue. The board will make the final decision.

Ed O'Malley, CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center, said his group will "advise the advisory group," KSNT-TV reported.

School board President James Adams said the board decided it needed to work with people who have previous experience leading discussions on complex issues.

He said the board doesn't have a time frame for making a decision.