Topeka ? Don’t expect a chorus to “Kumbaya” to float out of the State Board of Education’s meeting room anytime soon.

Board members argued for half an hour Tuesday – sometimes in raised voices – over how to force members to be more civil with each other. Two board members suggested there ought to be a way to punish fellow members who violate a policy to treat others with courtesy.

Amid an ongoing dispute over how evolution should be treated in state science standards, tensions remained high among board members, with conservative Republicans holding a majority.

“I don’t know how we’re going to get past this,” said conservative Ken Willard, of Hutchinson.

Last month, conservative Connie Morris, of St. Francis, angered moderates with a newsletter criticizing them by name and calling evolution “an age-old fairy tale.”

Morris also came under fire for having the state pick up nearly $3,600 in expenses from a six-day convention on magnet schools in April in Miami.

Moderates demanded a review of policies dealing with members’ behavior and travel expenses. A subcommittee, which included Morris, conducted a review Monday and decided against recommending changes – which only frustrated moderates.

Moderates Janet Waugh, of Kansas City, and Bill Wagnon, of Topeka, said the board should have a way to rein in members who engage in personal attacks.

“We weren’t following our policies, and something needs to be done,” Wagnon said. “This is an important issue.”

Board Chairman Steve Abrams, an Arkansas City conservative, directed the subcommittee to conduct another review – but he also told board members who feel aggrieved to make proposals in writing.

Morris remained quiet throughout the discussion. She has said previously that criticism of her actions is politically motivated and driven by the dispute over evolution.

Asked during a break about the continuing flap over her newsletter, Morris smiled and laughed and said, “That’s my response.”

Morris had the state pick up only $170 of her postage expenses over the past 12 months, but moderates still were upset. Not only was she the only member to ask the state repay her for postage, moderates viewed her newsletter as political.

“When you start naming individual board members, that’s absolutely political,” Waugh said.