Efforts continue at blocking Common Core in Kansas

I'm a bit confused - aren't these the same people that wanted public schools to fail so they could get vouchers to subsidize their own kid's/grandkid's private school education, while the masses get stuck with whatever's left?

May 31, 2013 at 7:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

City refuses to change local law to comply with state law allowing concealed carry of knives

Perhaps the city should look at the legality of an ordinance prohibiting the transportation of specifically classified weapons. You can have it in the bar, but only if it was there first....

May 29, 2013 at 7:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

City seeking input on new study of bike, transit, and other multimodal transportation options

Do we really need to spend more money looking at how the 'T' costs way more than it's worth? The problem with the concept of 'mass transit' in Lawrence is the fact that we don't have 'the masses'. The huge empty buses simply add to pollution and create excessive wear on our streets. A cab voucher system would have made way more sense.

May 27, 2013 at 11:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Brownback signs 'Celebrate Freedom Week' bill

At least we're getting one thing that makes sense with it - " It also amends current law related to school districts' bullying policies to include staff members."

May 25, 2013 at 7:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Revenue secretary says tax cuts are working

"Let them eat cake!"

May 5, 2013 at 12:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Revenue secretary says tax cuts are working

@your worst nightmare - essentially you are correct. Many whose tax burden was reduced/eliminated really didn't 'feel' that until they filed their taxes. Others may have been conservative - questioning if it was too good to be true. The 'job creation and business expansion frenzy' this is suppossed to create would just be getting started (if at all). This is a dangerous game - touting questionable at best 'math' to push an agenda forward. If that's really what it's from they should feel perfectly safe allowing the sales tax to expire (as was the law).

May 5, 2013 at 12:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Revenue secretary says tax cuts are working

While I'm pretty fiscally conservative I don't buy Brownback's plan. I'm a business owner and could've elected to change my corporation type to take advantage of these cuts I haven't. Sure, I'd like to have more money and realistically I'd probably be one of those that might use that for expansion. Fact is, I'm already expanding. Fact is that I believe in working for a living and I'm a very hands on business owner. The reality is that if they wanted growth and expansion and more importantly to attract new business to Kansas the tax cuts should be DIRECTLY tied to that activity. The type of corporation that this tax cut is for is mostly benefiting are doctors and lawyers, which don't typically expand and were probably already here.

The only way to see if this is working is to look at how many new businesses there are and how much lower unemployment is. I really wouldn't have a problem with sales tax (although I really believe we shouldn't be taxed in so many directions) if medicine and groceries were exempt - we all have to eat and be healthy. It's way too easy for the current administration to say 'See? It's working!" - other states didn't do it and whatever 'it' is seems to be working there too - so that's not likely to be 'it'.

May 5, 2013 at 10:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Truancy policies can catch parents by surprise

It certainly is one sided - and the district should be speaking up. They don't need to discuss or dispute anything about this specific case to explain their policies and procedures publicly and I doubt the paper would be unwilling to do so. The superintendent needs to speak up - either to explain the policies clearly or to state that a standardized policy is being produced. I'm concerned that the silence indicates they know they have a policy problem, and announcing they're going to change it could be used against them in the event of a lawsuit. It's a catch 22 for the district - if they say they're going to change policy it can be construed as an admission of guilt and used against them, or it could resolve the situation and prevent legal action (which would really be the best for everyone in my opinion). I'm not much of a gambler, but when I mess up I try not to make excuses and just be honest and lay out a plan to fix it as best as I can. It seems to work pretty well for me, so I take that bet every time.

May 2, 2013 at 10:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Truancy policies can catch parents by surprise

Even when you speak to staff they don't tell you (nor make the decision) that the absence is excused or unexcused - that's left to the principal to determine. Once again - my problem isn't that the absences should have been excused - some may and some may not - perhaps even all of them should have been unexcused.. My problem is that they apparently chose not to communicate with the parent when the unexcused absences were approaching a serious level. If I though I smelled a gas leak coming from your house I'd knock on your door and tell you to get out before it blows up instead of assuming you know you've got a gas leak and it serves you right when it blows up. It's common human decency to try to help prevent people from getting into a train wreck. Those who live by the 'give them enough rope to hang themselves' mentality shouldn't be influencing our children in my opinion. If the parent was properly notified then this is a non-issue. So far district officials are silent - which only reinforces the illustration that they have some serious communication issues. This district is too small to not have uniform policies - it is a huge legal liability when each school makes it's own rules and we as taxpayers will be paying the tab when the district has to try to defend an action that should have been mediated first. If they notified the parent and the parent ignored their communication (certified mail is the preferred method when it's a serious matter) then this parent got what they deserved. Otherwise, failing to communicate with a parent about a serious issue (attendance IS a serious issue) is a major failure.

May 2, 2013 at 9:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Truancy policies can catch parents by surprise

Been to Deerfield plenty. Calling the schools frequently requires leaving a voicemail, which is really no different than an email. Furthermore if she did email, the school should have emailed back with "Your child's absence has been recorded as unexcused. To date she has 'x' number of unexcused absences and 'x' number of absences may result in notifying SRS to evaluate the situation." Now wasn't that easy?

May 2, 2013 at 9:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )