photo by: Associated Press

Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach speaks about issues facing Kansas as he campaigns for Kansas Governor during the gubernatorial debate at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kan., Saturday, Sept 8, 2018. (Jesse Brothers/The Hutchinson News via AP)

WICHITA — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s claim that a Wichita high school has a dozen assistant principals is not true but his campaign says he stands by his contention that Kansas schools have too many administrators.

Kobach made the statement Saturday during a debate between GOP governor’s candidates at the Kansas State Fair. The Wichita Eagle reports Kobach spokeswoman Danedri Herbert said a state legislator told Kobach about the Wichita school.

After Wichita school officials objected, Herbert said the campaign checked and found that East High School and North High School in Wichita combined have a dozen principals and vice principals, which she says is “clearly excessive.”

Mark Tallman, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, said he isn’t aware of any school in the state with 12 assistant principals.