LCSD1 trustees vote to join WEA suit

CHEYENNE — The Laramie County School District 1 Board of Trustees voted Monday evening to join the Wyoming Education Association’s lawsuit against the state, alleging it has negatively affected the state’s largest school district by failing to adequately fund education. 
Board members voted on the measure following an executive session, during which student suspensions and expulsions were also discussed. 
Trustee Alicia Smith appeared to be the only “no” vote. Trustee Christy Klaassen recused herself from the vote due to a conflict of interest. Her husband, Mark A. Klaassen, is a deputy attorney general with the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, and is representing the state in the WEA lawsuit. 
The motion to join the lawsuit echoes claims by the WEA that the state has violated the Wyoming Constitution, causing the quality of education to suffer. 
LCSD1, the motion says, “concurs with (the WEA’s) claims against the state, and has additional and distinct claims of educational harm to students resulting from the state’s failure to adequately and equitably fund education.” 
It also says that the state’s educational system and “physical facilities with which to carry on the process of education are not currently being funded according to constitutional mandates and governing law, resulting in harm to this district.” 
According to the motion, the decision to join the litigation came after the board “diligently exhausted all potential means to resolve this conflict without pursuing legal action, including communicating with state agencies, and elected representatives of the Wyoming Legislature, advocating for the Legislature to fully fund K-12 education, state funding to address the district’s facility needs, and exploring all possible options under the district’s authority to secure funding for the replacement, renovation, repair and maintenance of school facilities.” 
Such efforts “have proven unsuccessful,” the motion says.
It was unclear Tuesday which other school districts have joined the lawsuit, although the motion says “other similarly situated districts throughout Wyoming have also authorized litigation against the state.” 
Sweetwater NOW last month reported that Sweetwater County School District 1 had done so. 
WEA President Grady Hutcherson provided a statement to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Tuesday following the LCSD1 Board of Trustees’ vote. 
“School districts across the state are grappling with students being negatively impacted by underfunding – districts bring a unique perspective about what their students need,” the statement read. “Districts are trying to meet students’ needs, and they need adequate funding to accomplish that. WEA applauds Laramie County School District 1’s willingness to join the suit and tackle the longstanding, pervasive underfunding of our public schools.” 
When reached for comment, Michael Pearlman, spokesman for Gov. Mark Gordon, referred to a comment the governor’s office provided when the initial lawsuit was filed: “Over the past few years, Wyoming has had to make record cuts to almost all services other than K-12 education. So it is unfortunate that this lawsuit comes at this time, especially considering that the work of the governor’s education initiative – RIDE – is in full swing. It is his hope that this lawsuit will not distract from this important effort to determine exactly what it is that the Wyoming people want their education system to deliver – a key element of school funding. 
“While the governor recognizes that a thorough examination of our K-12 funding system may be necessary, he would prefer to work on that outside of the courts. Strengthening Wyoming’s education system to meet the needs of students, and attracting and retaining the families that make up the fabric of its communities is critical to Wyoming’s future. That said, the attorney general is defending Wyoming’s interests in the courts.” 
The WEA filed the lawsuit in Laramie County District Court on Aug. 18. 
The state filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Sept. 12, and a hearing on that motion is set for 2 p.m. Nov. 7 before Laramie County District Judge Peter Froelicher. 
 
This story was published on Oct. 5, 2022.