High court’s ruling reflects public opinion

A collective sigh of relief was felt round the state Friday morning when the Kansas Supreme Court issued its decision that Kansas schools, indeed, are not receiving adequate funding.
We could relax, knowing the decision reaffirms what every student, parent, teacher and school administrator knows — corners are being cut on education and as a result, our schools are falling behind in equipping our children for today’s world.
As equally important, is the feeling that as citizens, we finally have someone in our corner with the high court.
For too long, Kansans have felt ignored by their legislators and Gov. Sam Brownback as they continue to run ramshod unpopular measures such as cutting funds to schools, relaxing gun laws, halting the Common Core school curricula, denying to expand Medicaid, eliminating the state income tax, increasing sales and food taxes, targeting healthcare Navigators, and allowing a more invasive government when it comes to our personal lives.

HERE’S MORE grist for the mill.
For the last 30 days a bill has been working its way through the Kansas House of Representatives that would suppress the right to vote in Kansas.
House Bill 2210 would prohibit registered voters from switching their party affiliation between June 1 and Sept. 1 of election years — the time from when candidates have filed for office until after the primary elections.
Proponents say the measure is necessary to prevent Democrats from switching over to the Republican Party in order to participate in their primary election, which, they maintain, is for only the party faithful.
They also admit a tinge of paranoia, saying Democrats voting in a Republican primary do so to promote the weakest candidate to win the nomination; or, do so to swing the outcome to the more liberal side of the ballot.
Making it more difficult for citizens to vote in a primary election is nothing more than voter suppression. Which is illegal. And puts us in league with Russia, Venezuela, Chad, and a host of other countries that stuff the ballot box come Election Day.
That we even have to have this discussion is infuriating.
So yes, we celebrate an authoritative voice telling legislators — at least when it comes to education — they are failing their constituents.
We pray the Legislature has the sense, and the respect, to follow the court’s order.

— Susan Lynn