Topeka ? Topeka officials want to know why the couple who bought the historic Sumner School property are not maintaining it.

Zaire and Mary Beth Thomas of Topeka have been asked to explain next week in an administrative hearing why they haven’t repaired broken windows and a retaining wall at the property.

The Thomases have received several violation notices from the city for failing to adequately maintain the property, which they bought in February.

However, the couple say they have deeded the school, which was the at the center of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education desegregation case, to the leader of their church in Los Angeles.

Zaire Thomas said he and his wife plan to attend the hearing and ask for more time to fix the property.