It’s always good to see someone learn from his mistakes.

Kansas Atty. Gen. Phill Kline apparently learned something from the outcry that followed closed meetings he held earlier this year with selected members of the Kansas State Board of Education. A repeat incident was in the making Thursday when conservative state senators urged that a scheduled meeting between Kline and Senate Republicans be held in private. When reporters showed up at the meeting and wanted to listen in, Kline advised that they be allowed to do so.

Good answer. Reporters were allowed to attend the meeting and report on what was said.

It’s understandable that state senators who continue to bristle at the Kansas Supreme Court’s demand for additional school funding might have preferred to keep the meeting private. Most of Kline’s comments appeared geared toward whipping up opposition to the court’s ruling rather than finding a way to raise the funds it demanded.

Kline urged legislators to adopt a constitutional amendment prohibiting the courts from closing schools if, in the court’s opinion, legislators fail to adequately address its order. He also said the court appeared to be trying to cut the Legislature out of the school funding process by demanding that state aid to schools be based on actual costs. That leaves the Legislature at the mercy of any study it commissions to determine those costs, Kline said, just as it is being bound now by the Augenblick and Myers study on which the court is basing its latest ruling.

The other way to look at the issue is that the state Supreme Court is the last resort to provide a check on the Legislature to make sure schools are adequately funded.

The good news is that Kline’s discussion with Republican state senators took place in public and was reported on by the news media so Kansans can be aware of what was said. Private discussions no doubt also will occur, but coverage of this meeting shines a light on at least some information being considered by Kline and conservative legislators.

A legislative challenge to the powers of the state Supreme Court and a possible constitutional amendment to restrict the power of the court are extremely serious matters. If legislators move forward on this course, Kansas residents should be fully aware of the possible impact it could have on the state’s schools and constitution.