Author

Eric Thomas

Eric Thomas

Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, a nonprofit that supports student journalism throughout the state. He also teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. He lives in Leawood with his wife and two children.

OPINION
The U.S. men’s national soccer team warms up before a friendly match against the national team of Uruguay on June 5, 2022, at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Eric Thomas)

When the World Cup comes to Kansas City, tough questions will follow

By: - December 9, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. Last weekend, the team representing the United States at […]

OPINION
A crowd at Arrowhead Stadium

For Kansas City area fans, sports wins feel inevitable. Let’s appreciate them.

By: - November 25, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. Sunday night, I sat on the couch, a cocktail […]

OPINION
GOP elephant and Democratic donkey

Midterm squabbles distract from parties that remain ideologically unified, polarized

By: - November 18, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. In the aftermath of this month’s midterm elections, political […]

OPINION
The concourse of the B terminal of Kansas City International Airport, with a closed convenience store.

Glimpses of the new Kansas City airport make visiting current terminals a chore

By: - November 12, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. The cliché about the Kansas City airport used to go […]

OPINION
The People Pull event takes place at the Harvest Festival in Cuba, Kansas

Kansas photojournalists earn Hall of Fame awards by documenting countless moments

By: - November 4, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. The distinction of earning a spot in any hall of […]

OPINION
Survey asks: How would you rate your experience today?

Consumer surveys waste our time while promising elusive insights

By: - October 28, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. They are in my inbox. They are in my voicemail. […]

OPINION
An array of campaign mailers

Decoding the political mail we endure in a purple part of Kansas

By: - October 21, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. Our house receives basically three types of mail these days. […]

OPINION
Jeremiah Ariaz's "Osborne County Farmer, Osborne, KS, 2022"

Mournful and hopeful, an emerging photo project portrays rural Kansas newspapers

By: - October 14, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. When you walked into the darkroom of the small-town newspaper […]

OPINION
Eric Thomas photos of daughter

Cameras in hand, parents proudly document everything. Is that what’s best for our kids?

By: - October 9, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. Seventeen years ago, I pointed a gleaming silver camcorder at […]

OPINION
Kansas football fans cheer

Kansas celebrates victories in football, our morally fraught national pastime

By: - October 1, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. I wrote this column once on Thursday. I flailed around […]

OPINION
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s reelection could affirm political progress for women

By: - September 23, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. If you value women’s political progress, then the number of […]

OPINION
Graduates put messages on their mortarboard hats during graduation ceremonies. Eric Thomas wonders how we will mark our graduation from two years of COVID-19 concerns. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

What we lose when Kansas college graduates drift to surrounding states

By: - September 17, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. When a government invests in a bridge, that bridge serves […]