Lesson in greed

To the editor:

State Sen. Kay O’Connor describes public schools as a financial “bottomless pit” that are “teaching the greed to our children.” You’re right, Senator, someone is teaching greed to our children, but it isn’t public schools. It is our Legislature. It is YOU.

Three cost studies, the latest costing taxpayers well over $1 million, point out the fact that Kansas schools are slighted by half a billion or more. This should come as no surprise after more than a decade of tax cuts and failure to increase school funding with inflation. Add to that the growing requirements placed on schools, largely by the same politicians who refuse adequate funding, and it is clear where the problem lies.

The Supreme Court ordered the Legislature to increase school funding in accordance with legitimate costs, not based on what legislators believed “affordable” or “politically safe.” But Sen. O’Connor and others like her refuse to do so. Instead, they try to redefine “suitable” education, or to legislate governmental checks and balances out of existence. They claim Kansas can’t afford hundreds of millions for our school system, even spread over several years. Yet, somehow they believe Kansas CAN afford hundreds of millions in tax cuts – this year.

Respectable funding of our public schools is not a matter of resources, but of priorities. Sadly, the majority in our legislators once again prioritize their own power, wealth and re-election over the well-being of our children. That is one lesson in greed our kids won’t soon forget.

David Reber,

Lawrence