Justice Department Secures Agreement with Highland Community College to Address Racial Discrimination

HIGHLAND, Kan. (KPR) — The U.S. Justice Department has announced a settlement with Highland Community College (HCC) in northeast Kansas to resolve the department’s investigation into allegations that Black students experienced discriminatory treatment. The complaints alleged that Black students, primarily Black student athletes, were targeted for searches and surveillance and disciplined more severely than their white peers, resulting in their unfair removal from campus housing or even expulsion from the school. Under the settlement, the college will improve the fairness and transparency of disciplinary proceedings to prevent such discrimination. Federal officials opened their investigation into HCC in January 2022.

(AP version)

Kansas College Reaches Settlement in Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Black Athletes

HIGHLAND, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas community college that was accused of discriminating against Black student-athletes has agreed to a settlement. The U.S. Justice Department announced Monday in a news release that the agreement requires Highland Community College to make its disciplinary proceedings fairer, to provide more training and to improve its procedures for responding to student complaints. College President Deborah Fox stressed the importance of the student body in a written statement and said “there is always room for improvement.”

“Our student body is the most important part of the Highland Community College experience,” said college president, Deborah Fox, who was named personally in one of the lawsuits filed over the allegations. The agreement resolves the department’s investigation into complaints that Black students were targeted for searches and disciplined more severely than their white peers, resulting in their unfair removal from campus housing or even expulsion, the department said in the release.

Former coaches and athletes described horrific treatment in a pair of lawsuits. The coaches’ lawsuit, which was settled this year, alleged that the school intimidated Black student-athletes into leaving and told coaches not to recruit African Americans. The American Civil Liberties Union alleged in another lawsuit, which also was settled, that Highland expelled Black students for minor or bogus infractions and subjected them to arbitrary searches, surveillance and harassment on campus.

Highland has about 3,200 students and is about 80 miles northwest of Kansas City. Fewer than 6% of the students are African American, but half or more of the student-athletes, until recently, were Black and came from out of state, one of the lawsuits noted.

Fox, who became the school’s president in March 2019, found herself in the middle of the controversy last year when The Kansas City Star disclosed that she had compared a Black football player to Hitler, whom she called “a great leader.” Fox made the remarks during a meeting about the alleged harassment of Black student-athletes, during which she questioned a Black football player’s leadership skills and his influence on other Black teammates. In an email to KCUR, Fox said she was trying to describe “negative leadership” and the short audio clip was taken from a long conversation. She said she had apologized to the students, faculty and college “for my poor choice of words.”

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Missouri Law Banning Minors from Gender-Affirming Treatments Takes Effect

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP/KPR) — Two new laws restricting transgender Missourians’ access to gender-affirming Health care and school sports are now in effect. Both laws took effect Monday and expire in 2027. One law bans minors from beginning puberty blocks and hormones and outlaws gender-affirming surgeries for minors. The other law requires student athletes from kindergarten through college to play on sports teams that align with their biological sex. LGBTQ+ advocates who sued to overturn the health care law were dealt a blow last week, when a judge allowed the law to take effect throughout the court challenge. Republican Governor Mike Parson signed the bills in June after he and other proponents of the laws pressured the GOP-led legislature to act during this year’s session.

HEALTH CARE
The health care law prohibits physicians from providing gender-affirming health care to minors, but young people prescribed puberty blockers or hormones before August 28 can continue to receive those treatments. Missouri’s Planned Parenthood clinics had been ramping up available appointments and holding pop-up clinics to start patients on treatments before the law took effect. Adults still have access to transgender health care under the law, but Medicaid will not cover it and access to surgeries is limited for prison inmates. Missouri Department of Social Services spokeswoman Caitlin Whaley said Monday that the state’s Medicaid program “has not historically paid” for gender-affirming surgeries. She said the agency has already enacted changes to Medicaid to prevent payments for hormones and puberty blockers. Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Monday sent a letter to a handful of health care providers, including Planned Parenthood, warning that the law is now in effect. Bailey had tried to enact limits on gender-affirming health care through rulemaking earlier this year. His office is now defending the health care law in court. Physicians who violate the law face having their licenses revoked and being sued by patients.

LAWSUIT
The ACLU of Missouri, Lambda Legal, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner filed suit last month seeking to overturn Missouri’s transgender health care law on behalf of doctors, LGBTQ+ organizations, and three families of transgender minors. Arguing that the law is discriminatory, they asked that it be temporarily blocked as the court challenge against it plays out. A St. Louis judge disagreed, and last week ruled that the law can take effect throughout the lawsuit. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 22.

SCHOOL SPORTS
Beginning Monday, student athletes will only be allowed to play on K-12 and college sports teams that align with their biological sex. That means transgender girls and women will not be allowed on girls’ and women’s school teams, and transgender boys and men can only compete on girls’ and women’s teams. Girls and women can play on boys’ and men’s teams if there is no corresponding sports program for girls and women. Compliance is based on students’ birth certificates or other government documents, but only records created shortly after birth are acceptable. Modified birth certificates are only allowed in cases of typos and other mistakes. The state education department is responsible for creating additional rules for enforcement of the law, which isn’t facing a challenge. Schools, including private institutions, face losing all state funding for violating the law. Parents, adult students and former students can sue if they believe a violation of the law led to the loss of an “athletic opportunity” for them.

OTHER STATES
At least 22 states have enacted laws banning or restricting gender-affirming care for minors, and most of the bans are being challenged in court. The most recent state to enact a ban was North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers overrode Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of a measure banning medical professionals from providing hormone therapy, puberty-blocking drugs and surgical gender-transition procedures to anyone under 18, with limited exceptions. North Carolina’s law took effect immediately. But minors who began treatment before August 1 may continue receiving that care if their doctors deem it medically necessary and their parents consent. Opponents of the law have vowed to file a lawsuit challenging it. A federal judge in June struck down Arkansas ‘ first-in-the-nation ban, and the state has appealed that decision. The judge in that case ruled the prohibition violated the constitutional rights of transgender youth and families, as well as those of medical providers. He also rejected proponents’ claims that the treatments were experimental. People opposed to such treatments for children argue that they are too young to make such decisions about their futures.

Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, have opposed the bans on gender-affirming care for minors and supported the medical care for youth when administered appropriately. The American Academy of Pediatrics earlier this month reaffirmed its support for the treatments, and voted to conduct an external review of research regarding the care.

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Woman Dies, Three Others Injured in Missouri Boat Crash

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. (KMBC) — One woman is dead and three others are recovering from injuries after a boat crash at the Lake of the Ozarks last weekend. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 44-year-old Nicolette Mckenna, from Sunrise Beach, died after the boat she was on crashed. KMBC TV reports that troopers were called to the area Saturday night. The driver of the boat and two others were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to moderate. Two on board were from Kansas City, Missouri. The crash remains under investigation.

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South-Central Kansas Moves Closer to Building a Regional Psychiatric Hospital

WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) — South-Central Kansas is moving closer to getting a regional psychiatric hospital. Governor Laura Kelly signed an executive order that creates an advisory panel for the facility, even though it has yet to be built. The panel will consist of 14 members who will gather public input and help with the designing, planning and construction stages of the proposed 50-bed facility, which will be constructed in Sedgwick County.

In May, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Service awarded Sedgwick County $25 million to create a new regional hospital to help ease the statewide shortage of health and behavioral health services. In addition, last year, the State Finance Council earmarked $15 million from the general fund for the hospital. There are currently two psychiatric hospitals operated by the state, one in Osawatomie and the other in Larned.

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West Nile Virus Human and Animal Cases Reported in Kansas

MANHATTAN, Kan. (KPR) — State health officials say two people have died from symptoms related to the West Nile virus over the summer and at least seven people have become ill. Multiple cases of West Nile virus have also been confirmed in horses across the state over the past few weeks. The animal cases have been reported in Douglas, Barber, Butler, and Pratt counties. State officials say West Nile is a preventable disease with annual vaccinations that have proven effective. All horse owners are asked to consult with their local veterinarians and make a vaccination plan for their animals. The virus can infect humans as well as horses, birds and other species. It is carried and transmitted by mosquitoes.

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Suicide Rates Rising in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Suicide rates are rising across the country and Kansas is no exception. The highest suicide rates in Kansas are in the state’s least populated counties. And the state’s youth suicide rate is higher than the national average. Wyatt Beckman, with the Kansas Health Institute, says suicide rates rose rapidly starting in 2007. “The suicide rate in our final two time periods was significantly higher for every single peer group,” he said. The state’s suicide rate ranked 33rd overall. Kansans can call or text the new emergency 988 number for help when going through a mental health crisis.

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Kansas to Conduct Survey to Decide Where to Spend Opioid Settlement Money

TOPEKA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) — The State of Kansas plans to conduct a statewide assessment of substance use disorder needs. The $1.5 million dollar assessment funded by opioid settlement money will take a comprehensive look at the needs of providers that help people with substance abuse. The state is currently looking for an entity to conduct the study. The assessment will help inform the board deciding where future state opioid settlement funds should go. Alyssa Nava is with the Sunflower Foundation, a Topeka nonprofit focused on health. She says the assessment will range from early childhood to long-term recovery. “We understand it is a spectrum and individuals just don’t magically appear in one area,” she said. The first round of opioid settlement funds for treatment will be awarded to providers in September. Funds for prevention will be disbursed later this year.

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SNL Star, Travis Kelce’s Mother to Take Part in ‘World Largest Tailgate’

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Saturday Night Live” star Heidi Gardner will be among several entertainers expected to take part in a virtual tailgate and concert experience before the NFL’s kickoff game in Kansas City next month.

The show dubbed as the “World’s Largest Tailgate” looks to celebrate the start of the football season as the Super Bowl defending champion Chiefs host the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7, the team announced Monday. The event will be held live outside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Along with Gardner’s appearances during segments, the 90-minute show will be hosted by YouTube stars the Merrell Twins along with performances from DJ-producer duo Two Friends. The show will also feature internet personality Tabitha Swatosh and Donna Kelce, the mother of Chiefs star Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Chiefs Kingdom is wherever you are, and the World’s Largest Tailgate is one way we can unite people in Kansas City, around the country and throughout the world around the fact that NFL football is back in a big way,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said in a statement. The virtual seats can be reserved online.

Donovan said the Chiefs are proud of their team and tailgate culture with the hopes of creating a “unique music and entertainment experience.”

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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Tom Parkinson and Kaye McIntyre. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. You can also follow KPR News on Twitter.