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KC-MO Blocks Vote on Independence School Secession

By Sylvia Maria Gross

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-621760.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Petitions with more than 10,000 signatures on them were delivered to the Jackson County Board of Elections earlier this week. They called for a vote to re-organize the Independence and Kansas City Missouri school districts. Seven schools in western Independence and Sugar Creek belong to the Kansas City district, and many residents of those neighborhoods have for years wanted to secede, citing Kansas City's provisional accreditation, administrative turmoil and poor test scores. Some say that the seven schools are also dragging down home values in the area.

Both school boards would now need to place the issue on the ballot for the November 6 election; residents of each district would be able to vote. Independence is expected to do so next week, but on Thursday, the Kansas City School Board refused to take that step. Board president David Smith explained why to KCUR's Sylvia Maria Gross in a phone conversation on Friday morning.

This story was produced for KC Currents. To listen on your own schedule, subscribe to the KC Currents Podcast.

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