TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A union representing Kansas teachers has filed two district court lawsuits alleging three teachers were removed from their positions without independent hearings, even though they earned tenure before the state Legislature repealed teacher protections in 2014. The lawsuits filed by the Kansas National Education Association come as the union and the state prepare for a showdown before the state Supreme Court over the 2014 law. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the lawsuits filed against school districts in Wyandotte and Butler counties say three teachers were denied due process. The union argues teachers who earned tenure before 2014 can't be denied those rights now. The union contends in the Supreme Court case that the Legislature's decision to remove the teacher protections is unconstitutional. Oral arguments for the case haven't been scheduled.
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