- City commissioner wants state to revoke nightclub's liquor license May 21, 2013 · 52 comments
- City accepts recreation center bids, but won' t proceed with building until Fritzel provides infrastructure costs May 21, 2013 · 23 comments
- Opinion: Amid crisis, Europe resists extremism May 21, 2013 · 57 comments
- Blog: Lawrence hosts mayor of Greek sister city this week May 22, 2013 · 6 comments
- Blog: Kansas science and math teachers easily recruited away May 20, 2013 · 54 comments
- House Republican leaders propose 1.5 percent cut to higher education for each of next two fiscal years May 21, 2013 · 21 comments
- Planning Commission recommends approval of Menards store for south Lawrence May 20, 2013 · 67 comments
- Blog: FreedomWorks urges Legislature to reject Common Core reading and math standards May 21, 2013 · 24 comments
- Budget cuts force Head Start to close Edgewood Homes facility May 21, 2013 · 6 comments
- Blog: Oklahoma City tornado sparks discussion of building code standards at Lawrence City Hall May 22, 2013 · 1 comment
- Tarik Black strong, physical May 22, 2013
- Opinion: Wayne Selden sizes up recruits May 21, 2013
- Opinion: Scandals undermine trust in Obama May 19, 2013
- City accepts recreation center bids, but won' t proceed with building until Fritzel provides infrastructure costs May 21, 2013
- Editorial: Judicial joust May 22, 2013
- LHS student earns perfect ACT score May 21, 2013
- Fix-It Chick: Gutter repair May 20, 2013
- KU makes sudden change in Statehouse presence May 20, 2013
- Budget cuts force Head Start to close Edgewood Homes facility May 21, 2013
- Local organizations aim to support tornado victims May 21, 2013
Have you been to the Lawrence Public Library’s temporary location?
Yes, and it's no more crowded than the old one was.
May 22, 2013 at 7:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kansas science and math teachers easily recruited away
Yes, and professionals in the private sector often work more than 8 hours per day, as well. My spouse was a very good teacher and an administrator in several different districts in several different states, so I do have some idea of how the system works.
Some educators, like my wife, put in extra time and their own money into making the education experience the best that it can be. On the other hand, more "educators" than you would like to think, coast through their day, using the same lesson plans and teaching materials that they've used for years. I've heard of more than one teacher basically saying, "I'm done working" while continuing to show up and collect a pay check. And, do you know what? Those teachers get the same pay, based on years of experience and education, that the great teachers do.
The system is broken, and isn't likely to be fixed any time soon.
May 21, 2013 at 9:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kansas science and math teachers easily recruited away
The annual contract for teachers is around 187 days. That, times 8 hours per day computes to 1496 work hours for a teacher. Divide that into the $32964 starting salary and you find a $22.03 per hour rate. If you multiply that times the 2080 hours in a full-time work year you find that teachers' starting pay is the equivalent of $45,832 in the private sector.
I venture to say that a lot of new grads won't make that in their first job.
May 20, 2013 at 9:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
As planners debate Menards project, new study finds retail vacancy rate at 7.2 percent citywide
Unemployment of 7.5%, retail vacancy of 7.2%. Coincidence, or conspiracy? Hmmm?
May 20, 2013 at 10:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Would you rather have a lower income tax and higher sales tax, or lower sales tax and higher income tax?
Eliminate the income tax and impose a national sales tax. Issue a rebate equal to the sales tax on the established poverty level so that no one pays tax if they are living at the poverty level. This policy would accomplish several things. First, each of us would see exactly what our federal government is costing us every time we made a purchase. That should put some additional accountability on the government. Second, we would began to realize taxes on the underground economy, which some estimates place as between 15-25 percent of GDP. Finally, everyone would pay their "fair" share.
Afraid the "rich" will quit spending and just park their money in investments? Don't worry, the rich will continue to spend, and the "sales" of stocks, bonds, and other investments would also carry a sales tax.
May 17, 2013 at 8:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Letter: Moral choice
Well said.
May 12, 2013 at 6:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Letter: An angry rant
Blah, blah, blah, Brownbeck, blah, blah, Kobach, blah, blah, blah, Walmart, blah, blah, blah.
Exactly what we've come to expect from most of the Lawrence letter writers.
May 9, 2013 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Letter: Missile message
We have a locomotive on display in a park. The train helped accelerate westward expansion, thus facilitating the displacement of the Indians from their traditional locales. Do we really want that symbol in one of our parks? What kind of message is that to our children?
May 4, 2013 at 12:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lawrence ranked second-worst-performing small metro area, according to new national economic index
We're not worst! Yippee!
May 1, 2013 at 8:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
What is your favorite poem?
The pig, if I'm not mistaken,
Supplies us sausage, ham, and bacon.
Let others say his heart is big.
I call it stupid of the pig.
Ogden Nash
April 19, 2013 at 9:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )