Nebraska

Conservatives could win control of Kansas and Nebraska state school boards

Published

1 year ago

October 25, 2024

Conservatives could win control of Kansas and Nebraska state school boards

TOPEKA, Kan. — Conservatives could capture majorities on the Kansas and Nebraska state school boards in this year’s elections, making it easier for them to shape what’s taught in classrooms.

At issue are familiar efforts by conservative Republicans and groups to limit what public K-12 schools can teach about racism, diversity, sexuality and gender. But also up for debate are skill-building lessons that conservatives reject as social engineering.

An effort to teach soft skills — such as persistence, tolerance for others and managing emotions — came after surveys in recent years suggested that businesses see them as crucial for future employees. But some parents, state lawmakers and groups see what’s sometimes called social and emotional learning, or SEL, as promoting liberal values.

“We want to turn the direction away from social engineering and back towards education,” said Fred Postlewait, a retired computer systems manager and a Republican candidate for a Kansas City-area seat on the Kansas board.

Conservative parents, groups on the right and Republican officials across the U.S. who’ve wanted to ban some books and other materials are increasingly including SEL among the “woke” concepts or programs they want removed from the classroom. SEL has joined DEI — for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — and CRT for critical race theory, which centers on the idea that racism is systemic in U.S. institutions.

Both states lean Republican, helping conservative candidates down the ballot in the Nov. 5 election. In Nebraska, state board races are officially nonpartisan, but in Kansas, they’re partisan and party affiliation could prove decisive.

“I am worried that people don’t have this on their radar,” said Judith Deedy, executive director of the pro-public education Game On for Kansas Schools. “If the board flips, there will be a lot of unhappy people.”

The Kansas State Board of Education is perhaps best known for debates two decades ago over whether evolution should be taught in school. The state had five sets of science standards for its K-12 schools between 1999 and 2007, as the board’s majority repeatedly changed hands.

Conservatives last won control in 2004 and rewrote standards about teaching evolution in schools to reflect doubt about the well-established scientific theory — and to leave room for arguments that the universe’s complexity points to an intelligent design. In 2006, the moderate bloc recaptured control and quickly returned to standards grounded in science. The latest standards were adopted last year.

“That kind of topic could come back,” said Kansas state board Chair Melanie Haas, a Democrat facing Postlewait for a second term. “I don’t know that the board would have tremendous success getting it through as policy, but I think it can be really disruptive to education in Kansas.”

Besides Kansas and Nebraska, only Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, Texas and Utah elect all their board members, but those states’ current majorities appear unlikely to lose power. In a majority of states, governors appoint most or all state school board members, according to the Education Commission of the States.

Nebraska’s State Board of Education is split 4-3 against hard-right Republicans, with one vacancy. Half the seats are on the ballot, including the vacant one, and in the other three districts, members of the board’s majority, all longtime educators, aren’t running again. Members serve four-year terms.

If conservatives flip two seats for a 5-3 majority, they can pursue GOP-led policies such as banning some books and materials from schools, and ending social and emotional learning programs.

Board member Kirk Penner, a conservative Republican who’s denounced “woke culture,” described social and emotional learning in a social media post last year as “the TROJAN HORSE for all the gender and CRT lessons being brought into schools.”

“After ’24 elections we should have the majority to have it removed,” he predicted.

Kansas board members also serve four-year terms, and five of the board’s 10 seats are on the ballot this year. A coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans holds six, but three of those members are not seeking reelection.

The push to focus more on social and emotional learning in Kansas began in 2015, and state Education Commissioner Randy Watson said SEL addresses what business and community leaders want from public schools. In past surveys, Watson said, they’ve told the state board that students are doing “pretty well” academically but need to develop soft skills.

One controversy surrounds questionnaires for parents who enroll their kids in kindergarten or preschool programs. One for parents of 5-year-olds poses 39 questions, including whether their children can go to the bathroom by themselves, like playing with other children, have long tantrums, and, “Does your child seem happy?”

The aim, officials told the board at its October monthly meeting, is to help teachers address individual children’s needs and better manage their classrooms.

But Republican state board member Danny Zeck, a retired northeast Kansas automobile dealer who was elected to the state board in 2022, said he worries that schools are telling parents how to treat their children and “want all kids to react the same way to everything.”

“That’s not what our great country is founded on — it’s founded on you and me being different,” Zeck, who also served on his local school board, said during a break in the October meeting. “I’m concerned about indoctrinating kids.”

In challenging Haas for her seat, Postlewait argues that “social engineering” initiatives takes too much classroom time. As evidence, he points to Kansas students’ scores on annual standardized reading and math tests overseen by the state.

The State Department of Education reported earlier this month that two-thirds of Kansas students taking this spring’s state tests had the basic knowledge and skills to be ready for life after high school. It reported slight improvements in the percentages of students scoring at “effective” or “excellent” levels.

But almost a third of the students showed only “limited” knowledge and skills. That strikes Postlewait and other conservatives as far too high, especially when the figures are worse in individual districts and schools.

“To me it’s important that the State Board of Education is assuring that we have rigor in the classroom,” said state Senate Education Committee Chair Molly Baumgardner, another Kansas City-area Republican.

Baumgardner said that while the Legislature tackles education issues, it can’t move as quickly as the school board can, so she sees lawmakers taking action as “the last resort.”

“The workforce needs that we have in our state are: folks need to be able to read. They need to have strong math skills as well,” she added.

Haas, the current board chair, said social and emotional learning programs help ensure that students are prepared both academically and socially so they can thrive in their post-graduation jobs.

Considering the election, she said, “It potentially puts the way that we handle social-emotional learning at risk.”

____

Associated Press writer Margery A. Beck contributed to this report from Omaha, Nebraska.

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Nebraska

ESPN’s Analytics Reveal Strong Prediction in Illinois vs. Nebraska Matchup

Published

6 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

ESPN’s Analytics Reveal Strong Prediction in Illinois vs. Nebraska Matchup

On Saturday afternoon (3 p.m. CT, Peacock), No. 13 Illinois (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) will host No. 23 Nebraska (10-0, 1-0 Big Ten) in Champaign for an early-season ranked-on-ranked Big Ten showdown.

The Cornhuskers made their season debut in the AP poll this Monday. Two days later, they dismantled – by 30 points – a Wisconsin club that entered the season ranked in the top 25, knocking off the Badgers 90-60 in Lincoln.

Blood in the water. 🦈📹https://t.co/LKzCqN3tcz
— Nebraska Men’s Basketball (@HuskerMBB) December 11, 2025

ESPN’s matchup predictor makes its pick for Illinois-Nebraska

Nov 29, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg watches from the sideline during the first half against the South Carolina Upstate Spartans at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Yet on Saturday, according to ESPN’s analytics, the odds are not at all in Nebraska’s favor. The matchup predictor gives Illinois a 77.5 percent chance of staving off the visitors this weekend.

And it makes sense for two key reasons: 1) Home-court advantage. Playing at home, especially in Big Ten action, already gives any team a massive leg up. For example, the Illini, despite losing 14 conference games over the past two seasons, have just five league losses on their home floor during that stretch.

2) Illinois is really good.

The AP poll doesn’t always reflect reality. Both of these clubs may, in fact, be better than their respective rankings in that poll. Nevertheless, the difference between the No. 20 team and the No. 25 team isn’t nearly as drastic as the difference between the No. 5 and No. 10 team.

The Illini should absolutely dominate the Cornhuskers on the glass. Given the relative shortcomings of Brad Underwood’s squad in that department in its past few outings, it’s possible the margin is closer than it should be, but Illinois will undoubtedly control the boards to at least some extent.

And given the level the Illini defense has been operating at, specifically on first attempts in each possession, the Cornhuskers are going to find points extremely tough to come by. Offensively, Illinois will surely rely heavily on its talent once again, staying away from any complex schematic design and simply letting its players operate.

As the old adage goes: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And with an Illinois offense currently ranked No. 5 in KenPom in terms of efficiency, it very clearly isn’t broken.

As Nebraska has done all season thus far to its opponents, Fred Hoiberg’s unit figures to make the Illini appear somewhat less than. But between the size and talent disparity, not to mention the home-floor advantage, Illinois will still very likely put an end to Nebraska’s exceptional undefeated start – even if it is a tighter battle than the Illini would like.

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Nebraska

York lottery player wins $3,125 in Nebraska Pick 4 drawing

Published

18 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

York lottery player wins ,125 in Nebraska Pick 4 drawing

LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) – One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 4 ticket for the Wednesday, Dec. 10, drawing is holding a ticket worth $3,125.

The ticket was sold at Pump & Pantry No. 16 at 109 Lincoln Avenue in York. The winning numbers from Wednesday’s Nebraska Pick 4 drawing were 02, 00, 01, 05.

Winning Nebraska Lottery tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Tickets with total prize amounts of $501 to $19,999 must be claimed by mail or at a regional lottery claim center. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at nelottery.com or by calling 800-587-5200.

Nebraska Pick 4 is a daily lotto game from the Nebraska Lottery. Players select four numbers, each from a separate set of digits from 0 through 9, for a chance to win up to $6,000. Players choose one of six bet types to set their play style and potential prizes. The odds of winning the $3,125 prize in Nebraska Pick 4 are 1 in 10,000.

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Emmett Johnson leaves Nebraska with sterling legacy, All-America status

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Emmett Johnson leaves Nebraska with sterling legacy, All-America status

LINCOLN, Neb. — One month ago, on the heels of a breakthrough performance by Emmett Johnson against UCLA, Nebraska launched a Heisman Trophy push for the junior running back.

Johnson enjoyed the limelight. Fans flocked to see him during an appearance in downtown Lincoln and at the high school championship games inside Memorial Stadium. He traveled home to Minneapolis during the Huskers’ bye week and visited his high school, Academy of Holy Angels. He had stopped in previously, but this trip was different.

“It was like a celebrity came to the school,” Holy Angels coach Jim Gunderson said.

In the final two games of the regular season with Nebraska, Johnson rushed for 320 yards, but the Huskers lost them in ugly fashion against Penn State and Iowa to cap a 7-5 regular season. As fast as the Heisman campaign began, it was over — but worthwhile, nonetheless.

Johnson ran this season in part so that running backs at Nebraska who follow him can fly. He leaves Nebraska with a sterling legacy.

On Wednesday, Johnson became the first Nebraska player to receive first-team All-America mentions since linebacker Lavonte David in 2011 — and the fourth running back in the past 70 years, matching Mike Rozier (1982 and ’83), Jarvis Redwine (1980) and Jeff Kinney (1971). His final year ranks among the top five in school history by a running back. Stack it alongside Rozier’s 1983 Heisman season, Lawrence Phillips in 1994, Ahman Green in 1997 and Ameer Abdullah in 2013.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule and his staff aim to use Johnson’s success to help bring backs to Lincoln who can finish what he started.

“It’s very much not in vogue anymore not to wait your turn,” Rhule said. “Sometimes, it’s like, ‘I’ll just go here and do this, just go there.’ But guys like Emmett had chances. And they stayed. And he deserves everything that he’s getting.”

Johnson was named the Big Ten running back of the year, a first at Nebraska. Last Friday, he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, foregoing his final season of eligibility and the Dec. 31 Las Vegas Bowl.

High praise for the B1G’s top back@Emmett21Johnson pic.twitter.com/g7EhpUE2EP
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) December 11, 2025

What separated Johnson this year?

• His 1,130 yards in Big Ten play were the most by a Power 4 back in conference play. He stands alone with 1995 Heisman winner Eddie George as the only Big Ten players to total 1,100 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards in one season of league play.

• Johnson led the nation by accounting for 40.8 percent of his team’s total yards.

• He was the fourth FBS player since 2017 to average 120 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving.

• His 1,821 yards from scrimmage and 1,451 rushing ranked second and third, respectively, in the FBS.

In form true to his roots, Johnson proved wrong skeptics who believed he could not handle 20 carries per game in Big Ten play.

Does everyone realize how freaking good Emmett Johnson is for @HuskerFootball ? Dude is a straight balla. Quick, decisive, tough, great as a receiver. One of the most underrated RB’s in the Country!
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) November 28, 2025

“He has always had that chip to prove people wrong and be great,” Gunderson said. “This is how he envisioned it going, and he wasn’t going to be denied.”

Four years ago, on a Sunday in mid-December, less than a week before the signing period opened, Johnson accepted a Nebraska scholarship offer. Ron Brown extended it.

A month earlier, Scott Frost, the Nebraska coach from 2018 to 2022, fired four offensive assistants. Brown, with 24 years of experience as a Nebraska assistant under three head coaches, was elevated late in that season from offensive analyst to running backs coach. He reviewed tape of Johnson, who scored 42 touchdowns and rushed for 2,500 yards at Holy Angels in 2021.

And Brown wondered why no big school had snatched up Johnson.

“I was perplexed,” Brown said. “Because when I saw Emmett play, I thought, ‘This guy is special.’”

Brown had recruited Abdullah from high school in Alabama to Nebraska in 2011. And Brown coached Abdullah in his back-to-back 1,600-yard seasons as a junior and senior before an NFL career that continues this year in its 11th season. In Johnson, Brown saw some of Abdullah’s vision, change of direction, endurance and ability to recover.

Brown quizzed Gunderson, the Holy Angels coach, about Johnson.

“I probably threw 100 questions at him,” Brown said, “looking for something that might be a little bit off, something that I had missed.”

Nothing.

“Coach Brown could just see the intangibles,” Gunderson said, “the stuff that isn’t measured. He saw the potential and the kind of kid who was going to work and who believed in himself.”

Johnson started six games as a redshirt freshman in 2023. He started five in 2024 and found his rhythm in the Nebraska offense when Dana Holgorsen arrived as coordinator last season. In December 2024, Johnson considered entering the transfer portal.

Holgorsen’s commitment helped get him to stay.

“ I think he just wanted to know that somebody had a plan for him,” Gunderson said.

The plan was never to leave Nebraska early. Johnson simply wanted the chance to receive a heavy workload.

He got 32 offensive touches against Cincinnati in the 2025 opener, 24 against Michigan, 23 against Maryland and 29 against Northwestern. In November, after quarterback Dylan Raiola was injured, Johnson stacked three games with 31 opportunities apiece and a 27-touch effort against Penn State.

“This dude really did what he said he was going to do,” Nebraska tight end Luke Lindenmeyer said.

His reliability never came into question.

“I’m so proud of Emmett, man,” senior cornerback Ceyair Wright said. “I think his success is a product of who he is as a person, how he treats people and the work that he puts in.”

Emmett Johnson shouldered a heavy load late in the season, garnering 27-plus touches in each of his final five games for Nebraska. (Harry How / Getty Images)

His humility and care for others rate as Johnson’s most admirable trait. Johnson said he wanted to share credit with his teammates for the accomplishments of this season. He rushed for 177 yards in the first half against Iowa and 217 for the game. But he stressed in the aftermath that he felt badly for older teammates who played their final games in Lincoln on Black Friday.

Turns out, he was among them. Johnson takes pride, he said, in building a new reputation for Nebraska running backs — more than a decade after Abdullah departed, three decades after Green and 42 years after Rozier’s Heisman.

“It matters a lot,” Johnson said, “because Nebraska is a special place. I want to be able to have recruits look at this place and know it’s special. It is special. I’m blessed to be the one doing that and helping. It’s bigger than just football.

“There are a lot of great humans here. That’s what I want to help push.”

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