OLATHE, Ks. — The Olathe Board of Education voted 5-0 Thursday night to dispose of seven school buildings once students are moved to other locations, marking another step in the district's school closure process.
The buildings slated for disposal are Black Bob Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Indian Trail Middle School, Ridgeview Elementary, Scarborough Elementary, Tomahawk Elementary, and Walnut Grove Elementary.
Under Kansas law, the state legislature will have first right to acquire the properties, although the board clarified none of that would happen quickly.
Meanwhile, Olathe Families United plans to deliver a petition to the Kansas State Board of Education Friday.
—Olathe school board votes to dispose of 7 buildings amid parent pushback—
The group has been collecting signatures through its 6100 Voices campaign since last month and gathered more than 7,600 signatures — surpassing its original goal.
Once the state board receives the petition, it has 45 days to review the totality of information provided by the Olathe School District.
The parents in Olathe Families United believe there are errors in district-provided data and want the state to take a closer look.
"We are still seeking answers and clarification that we haven't gotten, and we're hoping that the state board can help us get those as well," said Nicole Trendel, a Black Bob parent.
Any review by the state board would be advisory only, meaning the district could choose to ignore the state's findings.
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.
