University of Kansas bows to GOP pressure, removes art

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Kansas on Wednesday removed an art display that includes an altered U.S. flag after complaints from Gov. Jeff Colyer and other GOP political candidates that it was disrespectful.

The flag, which was part of a national art project called “Pledges of Allegiance,” was taken down about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, about an hour after Colyer’s spokesman said Chancellor Doug Girod had agreed to remove it from the campus in Lawrence, Kan.

“It was disrespectful to have something like that on permanent display on campus,” Colyer spokesman Kendall Marr said.

Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who is running against Colyer in the Republican primary for governor, also had called for the artwork to be taken down.