Readers write: Education and the election, renewable jet fuel and victim blaming | Opinion

Vote for education

As you go to the polls in the Kansas primary Aug. 6, please think about our children, their future and the future of our great state.

If you believe that education is important for all children, if you believe that public education is important, and that you prefer teachers who are highly qualified, you need to make sure you know how your candidate voted or will vote on funding public education!

Sadly, we have leadership in the Kansas House and Kansas Senate that has tried to undermine our Kansas public schools.

They push a false narrative that school funding is being wasted, that certain students that are considered at risk are not being properly helped. They want to ignore the Kansas Supreme Court decision on funding and they want to degrade public education, to make a case for vouchers.

The need to educate our young people is far too important a priority. Adequately funding our schools, respecting the Kansas Constitution and supporting our teachers and families to ensure our youngsters will succeed should not be a partisan, political fight.

I ask you to know your candidates before you go to the polls.

Please talk with your local school board members, district officials and public school advocates to learn more about what is going on in your public schools and what the priorities should be for those representing us in Topeka.

Early voting has already started.

Vote!

Roberts is right

Former Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts’ recent opinion piece (Sustainable Aviation Fuel could help clear the air, former Kansas senator says, July 15) rightfully describes sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as a “game changer” and calls upon federal and state lawmakers to take action in expanding access.

SAF is one of the most effective climate solutions on the table today, and policymakers on both sides of the aisle recognize its promise.

It will play a critical role in achieving aviation’s bold commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Accordingly, the aviation sector is accelerating investments in SAF engineering, manufacturing, and airport infrastructure.

As a former United States senator and representative for the Sunflower State, Roberts understands the role lawmakers can play in supporting aviation’s path to net zero and scaling up production of the SAF market.

Roberts touches on the inclusion of SAF tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act as a catalyst for initial investment but caveats that these tax credits are short-term.

This underscores an important reminder as policymakers consider the way forward: to reach our climate goals, they must prioritize a long-term SAF policy framework.

State-specific policies are being implemented across the country — from California to Nebraska to Illinois — incentivizing the agriculture and aviation industries to invest in this growing market.

But we can’t stop there.

It is critical that federal and state lawmakers do not ignore this opportunity to expand access to clean fuels, which will subsequently support American farmers and create jobs.

Blaming victim

I am deeply troubled by the headline in The Wichita Eagle, “Man killed by Wichita police car had high level of alcohol in his system, autopsy says.” (July 17).

This narrative unjustly shifts focus away from the primary issue: a pedestrian was fatally struck by a police cruiser.

Regardless of the driver’s identity, it is always the driver’s responsibility to avoid collisions with pedestrians. Pedestrians always have the right of way. Drivers must yield, whether a pedestrian is in a crosswalk or jaywalking.

Emphasizing the pedestrian’s blood alcohol level is akin to highlighting a rape victim’s sexual history to mitigate the perpetrator’s guilt. Such reporting is not only insensitive but also shifts blame onto the victim.