Topeka ? The State Board of Education deadlocked Wednesday to limit a travel policy that is allowing board member Connie Morris to spend one week in Washington, D.C., at taxpayer expense just days before she leaves office.

The board deadlocked 5-5 on a proposal that would prohibit board members from using tax dollars to travel out of state after they are defeated in an election. Measures must have six votes to pass on the board.

Morris, a Republican from St. Francis, was defeated in August by Sally Cauble of Liberal in the GOP primary.

Morris’ term expires Jan. 8. She said she planned to travel to Washington later this week to meet with immigration and education organizations and elected officials. Expenses related to previous travel plans were an issue in her campaign.

On Wednesday, Morris pushed for a stricter travel policy in the future, although she said she wouldn’t abide by the proposal for her own travel plans.

“This whole thing is a sham. I know it’s all politics and just a matter of getting me off the board,” Morris said of complaints about her travel expenses.

Education Board Chairman Steve Abrams, a Republican from Arkansas City, defended Morris, saying that her travel bills were within her board travel allotment.

“She’s been the one beat up on this and without reason. She’s been abiding by our policy from the get-go,” Abrams said.

Some board members voted for the tighter restrictions while supporting Morris, but others criticized her judgment but voted against the restrictions because they said it was unfair to apply the proposal to a future board and not Morris.

When the new board takes office next month it will have a 6-4 moderate majority, a change from the current 6-4 conservative majority.

Board members argued heatedly over Morris’ travel.

But Morris said she intended to go to Washington to work for her constituents until the last minute of her term.

“I’m young and there are a lot of doors opening,” she said.

In 2005, Morris was criticized for billing taxpayers for six nights in a $339-per-night resort hotel and other expenses when she attended a conference in Miami on magnet schools. She later repaid most of the expenses.

After her defeat in the August primary, she billed taxpayers for a trip to Bloomington, Minn., to attend a conference of a group called EdWatch, Education For A FREE Nation. The topics discussed at that meeting included how international baccalaureates undermined American citizenship and how mental health screening affected gun ownership rights.

Travel proposal

The proposal would have prohibited taxpayer-paid, out-of-state travel for board members who were defeated in an election, or had decided not to run for re-election, unless they were traveling as designated representatives of the board. The measure failed on a 5-5 vote.

Voting for the proposal were Steve Abrams, R-Arkansas City; Ken Willard, R-Hutchinson; Iris Van Meter, R-Thayer; Connie Morris, R-St. Francis; and Bill Wagnon, D-Topeka.

Voting against the proposal were Carol Rupe, R-Wichita; Janet Waugh, D-Kansas City; Sue Gamble, R-Shawnee; John Bacon, R-Olathe; and Kathy Martin, R-Clay Center.