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Seg. 1: KCK Public Schools Fight Student Homelessness. Seg. 2: Police De-escalation Tactics.

Jessica Smith, the McKinney-Vento Program Specialist with Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, says, "we want the children to be able to stay in their school of origin. We don't want to interrupt them academically."
Luke X. Martin
/
KCUR 89.3
Jessica Smith, the McKinney-Vento Program Specialist with Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, says, "we want the children to be able to stay in their school of origin. We don't want to interrupt them academically."

Segment 1: How local activists are reducing student homelessness on the Kansas side of the metro.

Over the last several years a coalition of social services groups in Kansas City, Kansas, operating under the banner Impact Wednesday, have been working to cut in half the number of homeless students in the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. Today, we heard how the district is collaborating with Impact Wednesday and volunteer teachers to reach zero homelessness among students by 2020. 


Segment 2, beginning at 23:00: KCPD on training officers to diffuse crisis situations.

Recent instances where metro-area police have shot and killed persons armed with decorative swords have raised questions about officers' use of deadly force. We examined the Kansas City Police Department's de-escalation tactics, up to and including lethal measures, and looked at the various conditions officers face in critical moments.

Copyright 2021 KCUR 89.3. To see more, visit KCUR 89.3.

Steve Kraske is an associate teaching professor of journalism at UMKC, a political columnist for The Kansas City Star and has hosted "Up to Date" since 2002. He worked as the full-time political correspondent for The Star from 1994-2013 covering national, state and local campaigns. He also has covered the statehouses in Topeka and Jefferson City.
Dallas Johnson