Editor's note: Story was revised at 2:49 pm on October 16th to include Koch's response.
(KNZA)--The concern was without merit and no further actions will be taken at this time.
That is stated in a press release Monday sent by Vermillion USD 380, following allegations made last week that Democratic Kansas Senate candidate Steve Lukert caused a violation by speaking to students in a Centralia High School Government class.
The complaint was made by Emmet Koch, a Centralia resident and patron of the school district
His Oskaloosa attorney, Joshua (Nigh) Ney, says Koch's allegations are not made for political reasons and would be raised against any candidate.
Ney, in a press release last week, said his client didn't plan to pursue the issue further, despite possible legal ramifications, should the district investigate fully and put safeguards in place to keep such an incident from happening again.
The release also alleged that the candidate had requested to make the address, which Lukert denies, saying he had been asked to talk to the class.
Once the complaint was made to the School Board, they voted October 8th to begin an inquiry into the matter, which the district says is now completed.
According to the school district's press release, signed by Superintendent Richard Flores, Lukert's address did not violate the district's two standing policies, or procedures, already in place. It further states that the district has allowed candidates from both political parties to speak to classes in the past, and would welcome any other Kansas Senate candidate to contact the Centralia or Frankfort High School teachers should they also wish to address a class prior to the November election.
Lukert, who is challenging Republican incumbent Dennis Pyle in the November election.
The school district's press release concludes by saying that they do consider such matters as serious and investigate them on a case by case basis with the advice of legal counsel from the Kansas School Board Association.
Ney, responding on behalf of his client, says, “While Mr. Koch plans to review all of his legal options, including a possible referral of this matter to the county attorney or state governmental ethics commission, he is happy that there are clear school policies in place that prohibit school resources from being used for political advocacy in the classroom. He hopes that these policies and state law will be followed more closely in the future.”
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