Opinion
Do Kansas legislators understand that we’re all in the middle of a pandemic?
Does the Kansas Legislature know there’s a pandemic going on? Do Kansas senators and representatives understand that we’re all enduring a once-in-a-century event, one in which millions of people are falling ill and being hospitalized, with thousands dying each day? I ask because last week’s session launch demonstrated that state legislators aren’t just pursuing policies […]
Reclaiming Martin Luther King Jr. Day from watered-down convenience
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. The Rev. Michelle Higgins is founder and executive director of Faith for Justice and senior pastor St. John’s UCC-The Beloved Community in St. Louis. Mike Milton […]
A year after the insurrection, Sen. Jerry Moran could stand on principle and safeguard our nation
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. David Norlin is a retired Cloud County Community College teacher, where he was department chairman of Communications/English, specializing in media. Dear Sen. Moran, I address you not […]
Week 98: A window facing north
You could feel the dread rolling over us like a cloud. There was a somber quality to all of the past week that imbued every sight and sound with a peculiar gravity, a murmuring at the edge of our consciousness that whispered despair. The weather was mild and the sunsets were pastel and I should […]
What is wishcycling? Two waste experts explain
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. Jessica Heiges is a PhD candidate in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. Kate O’Neill is a professor of Global Environmental […]
In banishing reporters, Kansas Senate joins destructive GOP trend
Kansas Senate leadership’s decision to bar reporters from the floor during debate should trouble everyone who values a free and fair press in the Sunflower State. Unfortunately, the ramifications spread further and should trouble concerned citizens across the country. To put it bluntly, this move appears to be part of a multistate effort on behalf […]
Audio Astra: The never-ending, slithering specter of opioids
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. “Empire of Pain” Patrick Radden Keefe, April 13, 2021 Purdue’s $4.5 Billion Opioid Settlement Got Thrown Out. Now What? The Journal, Dec. 22, 2021 […]
Kansas Senate has no good reason for removing journalists from floor action
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. Steve Morris, a Hugoton Republican, served in the Kansas Senate from 1993 to 2013, including eight years as Senate president. During my eight years as president […]
To track Kansas Statehouse accurately, distinguish shiny objects from vital basics
News from the Kansas Statehouse operates on a couple of levels. On one, you have headline-grabbing hearings about critical race theory and vaccine mandates. On the other, you have the nuts-and-bolts work of allocating tax dollars, funding schools and highways, and overseeing social service programs. Those who follow current events should learn to make the […]
Kelly delivers dazzling show of bipartisanship — however unlikely — at State of the State
If Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly was an aging pop diva, last night’s annual State of the State address would have been a spirited greatest hits show, packed with favorites such as balancing the budget, supporting education and economic development. She previewed a new effort, repealing the sales tax on food, and dipped into her back […]
Don’t look up: Kansas conservatives ready destructive asteroid of proposals that threaten us all
What’s the difference between a Kansas-sized asteroid barreling toward our state and the latest conservative proposals for our new legislative session? The asteroid won’t insist it’s being helpful. The space rock has other benefits, too. It will definitely lower taxes, as Republicans say they want, by obliterating all taxpayers and services. It will reduce the […]
Does CRT make white students feel bad? Try being a Black student
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. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. Patrick recalled the horror […]