I lived in Kansas until '77, and there sure ARE some very conservative, fundamentalist enclaves there. Probably no more than in many other areas, but it only takes a few activists to make headlines and stir up controversial issues. You get some school board with a majority of troglodites and they'll lobby for some VERY unusual programs!

Texas, Alabama, Montana,,etc...all have groups who would back creationism in schools, if someone got the project off the ground.....Kansas just had a brief 15 minutes of fame.