Letters on West Street detour, voting out Brownback backers, school funding, political spin, talking dogs

Don’t kill students on West Street detour

This is a public-service announcement for all drivers using the West Street detour on McCormick: Please stop trying to kill Newman University students.

Unbeknownst to drivers careening at 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, McCormick is the divider between the two most populated dorms and the rest of campus. Students frequently cross for class and meals.

Not only are the majority of drivers speeding, but they fail to yield to pedestrians – even at the crosswalk. I have almost been hit twice while using the crosswalk. One driver sped up upon seeing me crossing, in a horror movie style of “beating the train.” The potential of committing second-degree murder (worth at least 12 years in prison) was not an adequate deterrent.

Students are facing a choice between jaywalking and using an unsafe crosswalk. Jaywalking is only marginally safer, because of a clearer view of traffic, and it eliminates the question of whether the driver is going to break the law. It is still a major liability risk, putting students in a constant state of jeopardy.

Newman students aren’t angry with the Kellogg construction. Neither are we inherently opposed to increased traffic. However, we selfishly desire to continue living.

Do voter homework

Our Legislature recently made two unusual choices. Gov. Sam Brownback wanted approval of a constitutional amendment that would have granted him more power in appointing our Kansas Supreme Court justices. He also wanted to rob from the Children’s Initiatives Fund. Both were denied.

In November, all of our senators and representatives will be up for re-election. Could it be that those who have followed Brownback’s directions lockstep are finally more fearful of their constituents’ voting power than of their governor?

Now is the time for all voters to do their homework. Did your representatives side with Brownback, or did they vote for your needs and concerns? A temporary turn of conscience means nothing if they survive the election and go back to supporting Brownback.

Topeka tantrums

The last time I threw a tantrum, my shoes had Velcro straps and I was still writing some letters of the alphabet backward. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Kansas political leaders.

Recently, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that Kansas schools were being funded inequitably. In response, state leaders threw tantrums. The governor called the court “activist,” and the speaker of the House called the court’s timing “fishy.” Instead of going back to work to correct the funding, state leaders stood in front of microphones, pointing fingers at the court.

As a teacher, I am at a loss. I’m concerned the governor and legislators have forgotten about their own teachers. They would not hold the offices they hold without the teachers who educated them. Yet they disregard the importance of teachers now that they have ascended the throne.

Someday my students will ascend to positions of authority themselves. All I can possibly hope for is that when things don’t go their way, they respectfully work things out with their peers instead of throwing a tantrum and calling names.

How much spent?

To make a judgment whether school financing is adequate, we need to learn first just how much is being spent, what all is included.

Does school spending include state funding, local option budgets, gate receipts and concession sales at sporting event and school presentations, such as plays? Does it include book fees, parking fees, booster club fundraisers, in-kind donations, take-home weekend lunches, free meals at schools (even in the summer), endowments, etc.?

Just what is the total per-pupil funding per student, including all of the above and whatever else that I missed?

How to spin

Many claim not to understand the political spin. Read carefully.

The personal server e-mails sent and received by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were not classified at the time, even though at the time they must have been classified or they would not be deemed as unclassified now. Or maybe then does not apply to now, or now does not apply to then.

Maybe future e-mails should be banned. All government correspondence should be done via Facebook, with a current photo. Each photo would also include a thumbprint. See? There it is. You have forgotten and are confused about the e-mails already. Is that clear now? Of course it is.

It is just that I have forgotten what I should know about this. Or maybe what you should not know.

Like talking dogs

When I look and listen to America’s execrable collection of squabbling, backbiting Republican president aspirants, exacerbated now by the passing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, I am reminded of these lines by author Alan Furst from his book “Dark Star”: “Politicians were like talking dogs in a circus: the fact that they existed was uncommonly interesting, but no sane person would actually believe what they said.”

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Letters on West Street detour, voting out Brownback backers, school funding, political spin, talking dogs."