Lawrence Journal-World 10-10-2016

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JAYHAWKS FOR

A CURE

Linebacker Arnick played for breast cancer survivor mom on Saturday. 1C

20 Trump lawsuits catalog years of sexism. 1B

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Monday • October 10 • 2016

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Think tank questions privatized government services Kansas’ among social welfare programs that may worsen inequality, segregation

By Peter Hancock phancock@ljworld.com

Topeka — At a time when Kansas’ privatized child welfare programs are coming under heightened scrutiny, a new national report says privatization generally leads to lower quality services,

especially for the poor and people of color. The report, by the Washington, D.C., think tank In the Public Interest, says that privatization, especially at the state and local level, is threatening the

very mission of programs that provide public goods and services. “Private companies have left social safety net programs in tatters,” the report states. “Many workers employed by

government contractors have plunged further into poverty because of declining wages and benefits. And as private interests continue to siphon money away from public services, the dismantling

of public goods not only perpetuates pervasive economic inequality, but also contributes to increasing racial segregation.” In the Public Interest describes itself as a

research and policy center whose goal is to “ensure that government contracts and agreements and related public policies increase transparency,

> SERVICES, 2A

School district experiences 25 percent increase in staff of color, report finds

ALL EARS

By Joanna Hlavacek jhlavacek@ljworld.com

John English/Special to the Journal-World

A FARMER HARVESTS CORN RECENTLY in a field south of Clinton Lake.

As Farmer awaits sentencing, restitution order remains uncertain By Conrad Swanson cswanson@ljworld.com

While Lawrence’s former mayor, Jeremy Farmer, awaits sentencing for his recent felony conviction of interstate transportation of stolen funds, it remains unclear if he will be ordered to pay back the money he took.

Farmer

Though Farmer’s conviction states that he stole more than $5,000, the Lawrence food bank he stole from, Just Food, estimates the actual amount of illgotten money is closer to $55,000. Jim Cross, public information officer for acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall, declined to

comment on Farmer’s case specifically and said any possible order for Farmer to pay back stolen money will be entirely up to Kansas Federal Court Judge Carlos Murguia, who is handling the case. “The judge is the one who decides if there is restitution and how much it’s going to

be,” he said. Farmer pleaded guilty to the single felony charge on Sept. 28. He could face prison time, fines and orders to pay restitution. In addition, Farmer may be ordered to forfeit his personal assets to make up for the stolen money.

> FARMER, 4A

A new report, to be heard today by the Lawrence school board, reveals a 25 percent increase in the number of people of color employed by the district from the 2014-2015 school year to the 2016-2017 school year. That’s cause for district leaders such as Anna Stubblefield, assistant superintendent of education support, to celebrate. But in a district that, not unlike public school systems SCHOOLS across the country, remains overwhelmingly white, district officials “still have a ways to go” before achieving a racially diverse workforce that better represents the students it serves, Stubblefield said. “Having a background and under- Stubblefield standing of the national statistics, I’m pleased with the progress, but we absolutely will continue to try to increase the numbers,” said Stubblefield, who coauthored the report with Danica Moore, a teacher on special as- Moore signment for equity. In August 2014, the U.S. Department of Education projected that children of color would make up more than 50 percent of publicschool enrollment nationwide by that fall, outnumbering whites in classrooms for the first time. That same year, the National Education Association reported that educators

> SCHOOLS, 2A

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VOL. 158 / NO. 284 / 18 PAGES

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