School Desk

May 11- Kansas must close its public schools this fall while it fixes constitutional flaws in its system for distributing aid to those schools.

That's the ruling today from a judge in Topeka, in a case already under appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court.

The order by Shawnee County District Judge Terry Bullock anticipates he'll soon issue a follow-up restraining order, preventing the spending of any money after June 30. That means today's order will not affect the academic year winding down now.

The State Board of Education says an appeal will be filed quickly, and could stay Bullock's order past the start of the new school year. The attorney general's office said it will have a response in about two hours.

Bullock's order was described as "ridiculous" by House Speaker Doug Mays.