Our reasons for NOT endorsing Steve Roberts: details and links
- Stand Up Blue Valley
- Oct 15
- 2 min read
Steve Roberts 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻, 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗹𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. He explained his actions by saying he aimed to “push the frontiers of political correctness.” As reported in the CJ online: “I’m willing to be considered politically incorrect,” he said. “I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
In response, he also offered to recite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech from memory at a public discussion. https://www.ksal.com/roberts-offers-to-recite-king-speech-from-memory/
School Board members represent our district on the local, regional, and national stage; they set the tone for staff and should be respectful to ALL students, families, staff, and patrons. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀, 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. A school district making headlines for such antics is less likely to draw businesses and entrepreneurs to locate in our area. In fact, years after the above incident, Roberts was described in the news: “Controversial former state board of education member Steve Roberts running for state treasurer.”
Roberts has also published statements 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿-𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 of tax money to private schools: “Parents should have control of and responsibilty (sic) for all funds expended for their children's education.”
During his time as an elected member of the SBOE, Roberts was criticized by fellow SBOE members for passing out brochures for his tutoring business at a SBOE meeting. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/community/johnson-county/overland-park-leawood/article330368.html Fellow Board members questioned the ethics of promoting his tutoring business to students attending the meeting.
A bit more background:
Roberts ran on the Libertarian Party ticket for US House in 2024, and lost with 4% of the vote. He ran as a Libertarian for Kansas Treasurer in 2022, losing with 4.6% of the vote. He ran in the 2020 Republican primary for US Senate and lost with 2% of the vote. He won election in 2012 and 2016 to the State Board of Education, running as a Republican. He lost the SBOE election in 2008, running as an Independent.
𝗚𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗞𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽, who has the background and experience to continue leading BV Schools in the right direction, is a far better choice for School Board.