NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After winning Tuesday's Republican primary for the State Board of Education in District 7, Dennis Hershberger believes there are changes that need to be made in K-12 curriculum.
"Some of these things seem to be driven by some kind of elite group or whatever that are publishers that are pushing their agenda to create a socialist type of nanny state," Hershberger said. "I'm not sure how that's going to work out. There's always money attached to those things, it seems like."
Hershberger is a local control advocate, as much as possible.
"I really just like the idea of the local board and administration being as much in control as possible, along with parent involvement," Hershberger said. "That was really one of my campaign efforts was to try to separate out the responsibilities, so that the state board would do what they are supposed to do, to present good alternatives, but then let local boards and superintendents handle the teaching issue."
Hershberger's children were not public school kids.
"We homeschooled our own children for 15 years," Hershberger said. "My wife was determined to do that and did a great job. Then we had some private education at the end for one of our children. I know that there are good ways of approaching problems. I'm just hopeful that we, as a board there, can look at alternatives and not just do some of the old approaches that have failed."
There is no Democrat in the race, so Hershberger will begin serving on the State Board in January.