To the editor:

I continue to be amazed at legislators and lawmakers who accuse judges of being “activist” for just doing their jobs. These lawmakers conveniently forget that our constitutions, again state and national, provide for three branches of government. Remember “checks and balances”? It is the job of the judicial branch to “check” on the legislative branch by ruling on the constitutionality of statutes brought before it.

Too many lawmakers call judges “activist” for making any ruling that calls their enacted laws unconstitutional. These judges are just doing what our constitution expects of them. Some legislators would be happy only if they were able to disregard state and national constitutions and have judges overlook it.

We should say a hearty “thank you” to our Kansas Supreme Court for the recent decision on school finance. Our state representatives and senators who don’t go to the special legislative session ready to work on a solution to the school finance issue should be condemned. I hope their districts remember their behavior in the 2006 election. I am thankful that my state representative (Paul Davis) and senator (Marci Francisco) are going back to Topeka with the goal of adequately funding K-12 education.

Margaret Holdeman,

Lawrence