Letters on education cuts, term limits, ISIS, vacationing downtown

Time to stand up for education

Why do citizens of Kansas meekly allow the destruction of our public schools?

Let’s make no mistake about it – that’s exactly what we are talking about.

We are witness to the dismantling of a state education system, once ranked as one of the nation’s best, on the altar of political ideology. Public education has become the biggest boogeyman created by the state GOP to blame for the state’s economic ills.

Let’s recount what the GOP wants to do: cut $44.5 million from schools immediately; eliminate the school funding formula because it is “broken” (principally because it seems that schools get too much money) and cut $127 million; change local school board elections to the fall rather than the spring, because public school teachers have too much influence on these elections; change the way we select Kansas Supreme Court justices because they have the annoying habit of upholding the Kansas Constitution that requires that education be funded “suitably” for citizens of Kansas.

Kansans believe in their schools. The impact is felt in every community. It is time for Kansans to stand up for education.

Enact term limits

The gridlock and many other problems we voters dislike about the functioning of our government in Washington, D.C., can be traced directly or indirectly to the “career professional” politicians we have unintentionally fostered by re-electing our legislators over and over.

Sadly, awarding our governmental representatives additional terms does not make them any better at what they were elected to do. It just exposes them to more opportunity for mischief and pressure from special-interest groups whose agenda is not always best for America.

We voters could voluntarily end this unhealthy cycle by withholding our votes for these “old-timers,” but many of us don’t do it. So it may be time to force ourselves to do so by enacting a term-limit amendment to the Constitution that sets specific term lengths for all governmental positions, including the president and Supreme Court justices.

The only way we voters can end the unhealthy grip our political parties, and in some cases the Supreme Court, have on the function of our government is to end all governmental “careers” and return our government to its intended representative republican form.

I, for one, am ready to enact term limits.

Half-day vacation

My husband and I recently took a half-day vacation in downtown Wichita. It was a bright, sunshine-y day – just right for a trip down memory lane.

Much has happened since we moved here in June 1955. We watched Century II and the Central Library come into being, and we have spent a lot of time in both of them.

Our morning began in the green room outside the Wichita Symphony Orchestra’s offices, where we were thrilled by the presentation of guest conductor JoAnn Falletta as she prepared us for the concert that weekend. As we strolled through Century II’s well-kept halls past an art show and banners proclaiming upcoming events, we pondered our blessings.

Maybe we need a new facility, but maybe we can focus on showcasing the facilities we already have. Maybe we can figure out a way to build and expand without destroying what has served us so well.

We then strolled through the Kansas African American Museum, which has excellent historical displays on the civil rights movement, the Piatt Street plane crash, and Wichitans who have played key roles from the abolition days on.

Next we stopped at the Nifty Nut House, then bought some bierocks to finish off our pleasant excursion. What a great way to spend half a day. How blessed we are to have been part of this community all these years.

New president

We don’t need a new strategy for defeating ISIS. What we need is a new president.

This story was originally published February 8, 2015 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Letters on education cuts, term limits, ISIS, vacationing downtown."