TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' school board suspended the state's top public school administrator Friday over an offensive public comment about Native Americans, rejecting the resignation he submitted after the governor and indigenous leaders demanded it.

Education Commissioner Randy Watson will be suspended for 30 days without pay, starting Monday. The 10-member elected State Board of Education appoints the commissioner to run the State Department of Education.

A special meeting Friday of the Republican-majority board began with Chair Jim Porter announcing that Watson had submitted his resignati...