Lobbyist confronts Topeka teacher over Brownback mention in speech

A lobbyist who used to work as Gov. Sam Brownback’s chief of staff is defending his confrontation with a Topeka teacher he claims was unprofessional in referencing the governor in her speech at a Model UN competition.

But witnesses tell The Topeka Capital-Journal that David Kensinger’s behavior was rude and hostile toward teacher Jenay Weekly, who says she was upset after being approached.

Weekly reviewed the competition’s history in her Monday speech, noting that organizers were pleased about securing Brownback as keynote speaker one year when he was a senator.

She then asked, “Who could have known?”

Teachers say they interpreted the rhetorical question to mean that no one knew Brownback would later become governor.

Kensinger didn’t say how Weekly’s speech was inappropriate in his email to the newspaper.

Kensinger, who was also a campaign manager for Brownback and is one of his longest-standing political advisers, didn’t explain via email how Weekly’s speech was inappropriate.

Witnesses said he arrived shortly after she ended her speech and demanded to read it, telling her he had learned from his son that she had mentioned the governor repeatedly.

A review of the speech by The Topeka Capital-Journal found one direct mention of the governor.

Kensinger said via email his demeanor was forthright and professional and he believes Weekly “compromised the educational environment for the students.”

“It takes a remarkable sense of self-entitlement for an adult to harangue students as a captive audience and then object when a parent of one of those students shares their concerns,” he said.

Teachers who witnessed the confrontation said Weekly was visibly shaken afterward and added that Kensinger had made them feel uncomfortable.

Weekly leads gifted services at Robinson Middle School in Topeka and was named Kansas gifted teacher of the year in 2006.

The governor’s spokeswoman, Eileen Hawley, hadn’t responded to an email by 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

In 2011, the governor’s office drew national media coverage after his staff contacted a Shawnee Mission East High School about a student who posted a negative tweet about him while attending a Kansas Youth in Government event where Brownback spoke.

Brownback later apologized and said his staff had overreacted.

This story was originally published March 6, 2015 at 6:40 AM with the headline "Lobbyist confronts Topeka teacher over Brownback mention in speech."