After only six months on the job, the spokesman for the Kansas Department of Education, David S. Awbrey, resigned last month, saying that he found the way education policy is made in the state to be 鈥渒ind of frightening.鈥�
Mr. Awbrey, 57, said in an interview June 23, his last day at the department, that he took the job after more than 30 years as a journalist in Kansas and Vermont because he was interested in 鈥減eeking in behind closed doors鈥� to watch education policymaking.
But Mr. Awbrey, who says he has been called everything from a fascist to a communist based on his past stances as an editorial writer, said that he found the political climate in the state to be intensely polarized鈥攕o much so that the 鈥渆xtremes鈥� at both ends of the political spectrum 鈥渁re running the show in Kansas.鈥�
Controversial actions by the state board of education have made national headlines over the past several years. For example, during Mr. Awbrey鈥檚 tenure, the conservative majority on the state board adopted an 鈥渙pt in鈥� policy for sex education.
The board also added language in its accreditation standards encouraging schools to offer abstinence-until-marriage programs in health education.
Kathy Martin, a member of the state board, disagreed with Mr. Awbrey鈥檚 assessment, and said that the board, in passing its policies regarding sex education, was looking for 鈥渢he best message for everybody.鈥�
鈥淭he ones who are the extremes are the ones who won鈥檛 allow any other ideas into the classroom,鈥� she added.
In May, Mr. Awbrey drew the media鈥檚 attention after an appearance at a Kansas City Press Club forum on intelligent design鈥攖he belief that life on Earth is so complex that a divine hand must have played a role in its creation. In his talk, he challenged the intellectual constructs of various sides of the debate over human origin.
According to an audio recording, he asked, 鈥淎nyone see the origin? Anyone see the Big Bang? Anyone see the dinosaurs? These are metaphysical speculations.鈥�
He has said that the negative reaction to his comments had nothing to do with his decision to resign. The whole matter, he said, was 鈥渂lown out of proportion.鈥�
Rather, he plans to move to Springfield, Mo., four hours southeast of Topeka, where his wife and 6-year-old daughter reside. He will teach middle school social studies there.
