Opinion
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s reelection could affirm political progress for women
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 […]
What the Big Lie and Jan. 6 insurrection have to do with Kansas values
The 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. Thomas Weiss is emeritus professor of economics at the University of Kansas and a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. When former Kansas […]
Biden says the pandemic is over. That’s good for Kelly but bad for Schmidt — and Kansans.
President Joe Biden made a striking pronouncement about COVID-19 on Sunday’s “60 Minutes”: “The pandemic is over. We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lotta work on it. … But the pandemic is over.” That simple statement, which was quickly qualified by both the president and his staff, captures something vital […]
This early-1900s law revoked married women’s citizenship. Why don’t Kansans learn about it?
The 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. Diana B. Carlin is a retired communication professor and author of political communication books and articles. She is a proud second-generation American from southeast Kansas. When […]
In Johnson County and Emporia, a sheriff and college president unravel the fabric of Kansas
Watching Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden from afar, I can’t shake the suspicion that he’s actually a 19-year-old anarchist from Lawrence — coated in old-age makeup and destroying a law enforcement agency from within. How else could I possibly explain Hayden’s descent into right-wing fever dreams and seeming endorsement of “slippery” actions? Kansas Reflector senior […]
With another Sept. 11 passed, let’s dedicate ourselves to faith without fear in Kansas and world
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. Inas Younis was born in Mosul, Iraq, and emigrated to the United States as a child. She is a writer and commentator who has been widely published […]
What we lose when Kansas college graduates drift to surrounding states
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 […]
Flipping U.S. Farm Bill right side up will be better for Kansas, farmers and environment
The 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. Paul Johnson is an organic market gardener and a policy analyst and advocate for the Kansas Rural Center. Zack Pistora is president of KRC’s board of […]
Kansas AG’s office enforces open records law while overlooking key piece
The 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. Max Kautsch is an attorney whose practice focuses on First Amendment rights and open government law. On Wednesday, I reviewed the unwillingness of the Attorney General’s […]
Attorney General’s Office ignores plain text of Kansas open records law, sets poor example
The 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. Max Kautsch is an attorney whose practice focuses on First Amendment rights and open government law. One of the framers of the U.S. Constitution, John Adams, […]
Emporia State University is about to suspend tenure. Here’s why you should care.
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. Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist. I may be fired for writing this. It would be an improper firing, a violation of my First Amendment […]
These five Kansas State Fair foods sustained and entertained Reflector staff this weekend
When I arrived at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson on Saturday morning with the Kansas Reflector crew, I moved backward and forward in time. Backward because every summer my mother would drag my unenthusiastic preteen and teenage self to county fairs. I remembered the pungent smell of sheds overflowing with goats and sheep, cows […]