By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher The world belongs those who show up. That simple idea has become one of the cardinal rules in my life. What I love about this rule is it doesn’t hinge on predisposed talent or having the right connections. The only way to unlock the potential of this rule is to just keep showing up.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Showing up has been on my mind as I contemplate the upcoming primary. Over the years, I have heard many people dismiss primaries as unimportant. They may say their vote doesn’t matter or claim they will vote when the “real” election happens. That type of thinking is flawed because often the primary election is the real race. If you live in an area that is largely affiliated with one party, the primary likely determines the front runner or the only name that will be on the ballot in the general election. In our state, there are dozens of state and local races where only one party has candidates who have filed for election. This is your chance to show up for your community. If you hesitate to vote because you aren’t sure who to vote for, I invite you to visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kfb.org/">KFB.org</a>&nbsp;to see a list of the candidates endorsed by Kansas Farm Bureau’s Voters Organized To Elect Farm Bureau Friends. These candidates have been recommended by our local members through a grassroots process. KFB’s political action committee takes local feedback and, in cases of incumbents’, voting histories into consideration to make endorsements for candidates who understand, value and support agriculture in our state. If that is not enough of a reason to show up for the primary, here an important question: Do you have an opinion on abortion? This is such a heated and prominent issue on the national stage that I am guessing most people do. This primary election is your opportunity to share that opinion without having to put a sign in your yard and jeopardize any relationships. The primary will feature a proposed constitutional amendment that would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion, and the right to pass laws to regulate abortion. If the amendment fails, the constitution would not change leaving in place the recently recognized right to abortion. I am not advocating for or against the amendment. However, I am advocating for you to show up and cast a ballot for your beliefs and values. If I haven’t convinced you in any of my previous points, let me try one more. You probably already knew an election was coming from the seemingly endless advertisements on social media, TV, streaming services and in your mailbox. These advertisements are overly sensational, meant to vilify one candidate while making a hero out of another, and often make claims that are irrelevant to the position in question. The reason we are bombarded with these advertisement is because organizations, many outside the state, are spending millions of dollars to sway your vote. All that money is spent in hope that an unengaged voter will show up to the poll and pick someone based on the faint memory they have of an advertisement. If you don’t want our elections to be determined by the highest bidder, show up as an informed voter for the primary. Politics can be overwhelming and it is easy to feel like your vote doesn’t matter, but it does. The world and elections belong to those who show up and I hope you will on Aug. 2.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher The world belongs those who show up. That simple idea has become one of the cardinal rules in my life. What I love about this rule is it doesn’t hinge on predisposed talent or having the right connections. The only way to unlock the potential of this rule is to just keep showing up.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Showing up has been on my mind as I contemplate the upcoming primary. Over the years, I have heard many people dismiss primaries as unimportant. They may say their vote doesn’t matter or claim they will vote when the “real” election happens. That type of thinking is flawed because often the primary election is the real race. If you live in an area that is largely affiliated with one party, the primary likely determines the front runner or the only name that will be on the ballot in the general election. In our state, there are dozens of state and local races where only one party has candidates who have filed for election. This is your chance to show up for your community. If you hesitate to vote because you aren’t sure who to vote for, I invite you to visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kfb.org/">KFB.org</a>&nbsp;to see a list of the candidates endorsed by Kansas Farm Bureau’s Voters Organized To Elect Farm Bureau Friends. These candidates have been recommended by our local members through a grassroots process. KFB’s political action committee takes local feedback and, in cases of incumbents’, voting histories into consideration to make endorsements for candidates who understand, value and support agriculture in our state. If that is not enough of a reason to show up for the primary, here an important question: Do you have an opinion on abortion? This is such a heated and prominent issue on the national stage that I am guessing most people do. This primary election is your opportunity to share that opinion without having to put a sign in your yard and jeopardize any relationships. The primary will feature a proposed constitutional amendment that would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion, and the right to pass laws to regulate abortion. If the amendment fails, the constitution would not change leaving in place the recently recognized right to abortion. I am not advocating for or against the amendment. However, I am advocating for you to show up and cast a ballot for your beliefs and values. If I haven’t convinced you in any of my previous points, let me try one more. You probably already knew an election was coming from the seemingly endless advertisements on social media, TV, streaming services and in your mailbox. These advertisements are overly sensational, meant to vilify one candidate while making a hero out of another, and often make claims that are irrelevant to the position in question. The reason we are bombarded with these advertisement is because organizations, many outside the state, are spending millions of dollars to sway your vote. All that money is spent in hope that an unengaged voter will show up to the poll and pick someone based on the faint memory they have of an advertisement. If you don’t want our elections to be determined by the highest bidder, show up as an informed voter for the primary. Politics can be overwhelming and it is easy to feel like your vote doesn’t matter, but it does. The world and elections belong to those who show up and I hope you will on Aug. 2."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Primary reasons to show up

To those of you who know me well,&nbsp;you know I hate the Kansas summer. My dad&nbsp;loved heat, and&nbsp;with each passing year, I hope I will become more like him, but if&nbsp;anything,&nbsp;my hatred of the&nbsp;heat just gets worse. I’m trying to smile as I write this, so maybe something in this column will take your mind off this beastly heat&nbsp;for&nbsp;awhile&nbsp;and bring&nbsp;you a smile.

Last Sunday after church, a western Kansas rancher and a visitor from Washington State struck up a conversation and the topic naturally turned to how dry it was there&nbsp;in western KS. “Does it ever rain in this blooming state?” the visitor asked. “Oh sure,” answered the rancher. “Do you remember the story in the Bible where it rained for forty days and forty nights?” “Yes, I’m familiar with Noah’s flood,” replied the visitor. “Well,”&nbsp;began the rancher, “That time we got about 2 ½ inches.”&nbsp;

A new friend of mine, a recent transplant to Kansas&nbsp;from a cooler climate, shared with me some pages from his diary:

June 10th&nbsp;–&nbsp;Just moved to Kansas, now this is a state that knows how to live; beautiful sunny days and warm, balmy evenings. It’s beautiful, I love it here!

June 14th&nbsp;– Really heating up, got to 100 today. Not a problem, I live in an&nbsp;air-conditioned&nbsp;home, and drive an&nbsp;air-conditioned&nbsp;car. What a pleasure to see the sun everyday like this.&nbsp;

June&nbsp;20th&nbsp;–I&nbsp;had the backyard landscaped with western plants today, lots of rocks and cactus. No more mowing the lawn for me. Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 3&nbsp;– The temperature hasn’t been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this heat? At least is kind of windy though. Getting used to this heat is taking longer than I expected,&nbsp;but I’ll get there.

July&nbsp;7&nbsp;– The air conditioner shot craps and the repairman charged me $200 to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts. I’ve been sleeping outside on the patio for three nights now; a $225,000 house and can’t even go inside! Why did I ever come here?

July 10&nbsp;– Got the AC fixed; it cost $500 and drops the temperature down to&nbsp;85. If one more wise guy asks“Hot enough for you today?” I’m going to strangle them. I hate this stupid state!

July 12&nbsp;– My new air conditioner barely gets the inside of my house cooler than my morning coffee, my new cactus can’t even live in this blasted heat, and the weather report might as well be a recording! Does it ever rain in this God&nbsp;forsaken place?

July 14&nbsp;– Welcome to HELL! Forgot to crack the car windows at work today and since&nbsp;it was 115, the windshield blew out. When the repairman came to fix it, guess what he asked me??? “Hot enough for you today?” …It cost my sister $1,500 to bail me out of jail. What kind of demented idiot would want to live in a place like this?&nbsp;

Just when&nbsp;you thought you’d heard every possible way to finish this sentence “Its soo dry that … let me offer a&nbsp;couple&nbsp;more:

It’s so dry that the river only runs twice a week.

And finally, it’s so dry that they’ve had to close two lanes at the&nbsp;local&nbsp;swimming pool and swimmers are&nbsp;actually&nbsp;encouraged to pee in the pool.

As a farm boy in Ohio, the Ohio State Fair was the perfect end to summer. We took our flock of registered sheep and stayed there for most of the fair. Just up the midway from the sheep&nbsp;barn was a dunk tank manned by a clown&nbsp;calling himself&nbsp;BoBo. Now BoBo knew&nbsp;just&nbsp;exactly how to&nbsp;taunt kids to the point where they would spend their life savings&nbsp;just to try to dunk him. His famous one-liner that I can still remember echoing across the midway into the wee hours of the morning was “BoBo, High and&nbsp;Dry!” BoBo, I feel your pain! &nbsp;

Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors anyway!&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>To those of you who know me well,&nbsp;you know I hate the Kansas summer. My dad&nbsp;loved heat, and&nbsp;with each passing year, I hope I will become more like him, but if&nbsp;anything,&nbsp;my hatred of the&nbsp;heat just gets worse. I’m trying to smile as I write this, so maybe something in this column will take your mind off this beastly heat&nbsp;for&nbsp;awhile&nbsp;and bring&nbsp;you a smile.Last Sunday after church, a western Kansas rancher and a visitor from Washington State struck up a conversation and the topic naturally turned to how dry it was there&nbsp;in western KS. “Does it ever rain in this blooming state?” the visitor asked. “Oh sure,” answered the rancher. “Do you remember the story in the Bible where it rained for forty days and forty nights?” “Yes, I’m familiar with Noah’s flood,” replied the visitor. “Well,”&nbsp;began the rancher, “That time we got about 2 ½ inches.”&nbsp;A new friend of mine, a recent transplant to Kansas&nbsp;from a cooler climate, shared with me some pages from his diary:June 10th&nbsp;–&nbsp;Just moved to Kansas, now this is a state that knows how to live; beautiful sunny days and warm, balmy evenings. It’s beautiful, I love it here!June 14th&nbsp;– Really heating up, got to 100 today. Not a problem, I live in an&nbsp;air-conditioned&nbsp;home, and drive an&nbsp;air-conditioned&nbsp;car. What a pleasure to see the sun everyday like this.&nbsp;June&nbsp;20th&nbsp;–I&nbsp;had the backyard landscaped with western plants today, lots of rocks and cactus. No more mowing the lawn for me. Another scorcher today, but I love it here.July 3&nbsp;– The temperature hasn’t been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this heat? At least is kind of windy though. Getting used to this heat is taking longer than I expected,&nbsp;but I’ll get there.July&nbsp;7&nbsp;– The air conditioner shot craps and the repairman charged me $200 to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts. I’ve been sleeping outside on the patio for three nights now; a $225,000 house and can’t even go inside! Why did I ever come here?July 10&nbsp;– Got the AC fixed; it cost $500 and drops the temperature down to&nbsp;85. If one more wise guy asks“Hot enough for you today?” I’m going to strangle them. I hate this stupid state!July 12&nbsp;– My new air conditioner barely gets the inside of my house cooler than my morning coffee, my new cactus can’t even live in this blasted heat, and the weather report might as well be a recording! Does it ever rain in this God&nbsp;forsaken place?July 14&nbsp;– Welcome to HELL! Forgot to crack the car windows at work today and since&nbsp;it was 115, the windshield blew out. When the repairman came to fix it, guess what he asked me??? “Hot enough for you today?” …It cost my sister $1,500 to bail me out of jail. What kind of demented idiot would want to live in a place like this?&nbsp;Just when&nbsp;you thought you’d heard every possible way to finish this sentence “Its soo dry that … let me offer a&nbsp;couple&nbsp;more:It’s so dry that the river only runs twice a week.And finally, it’s so dry that they’ve had to close two lanes at the&nbsp;local&nbsp;swimming pool and swimmers are&nbsp;actually&nbsp;encouraged to pee in the pool.As a farm boy in Ohio, the Ohio State Fair was the perfect end to summer. We took our flock of registered sheep and stayed there for most of the fair. Just up the midway from the sheep&nbsp;barn was a dunk tank manned by a clown&nbsp;calling himself&nbsp;BoBo. Now BoBo knew&nbsp;just&nbsp;exactly how to&nbsp;taunt kids to the point where they would spend their life savings&nbsp;just to try to dunk him. His famous one-liner that I can still remember echoing across the midway into the wee hours of the morning was “BoBo, High and&nbsp;Dry!” BoBo, I feel your pain! &nbsp;Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors anyway!&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

 Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Its sooo dry that …

Despite the fervent support the Republican leadership has given to the Value Them Both amendment, its fate on August 2 may not tell us much about the current Kansas GOP. But the Republican contest for Kansas attorney general, by contrast, may actually tell us a great deal.

Three candidates are campaigning for the Republican nomination: former Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who needs no introduction to Kansas voters; Kellie Warren, a state senator and attorney with a background in civil law; and Tony Mattivi, a former federal prosecutor with a long track record of criminal conviction on both the state and federal level. Mattivi, who polls put in third place in this race, makes his lack of a history of political engagement part of his campaign against Koback and Warren—and that is what makes this Republican fight so interesting.

It is not that Mattivi has no political opinions. His strong conservative beliefs—including firmly opposing abortion rights and strongly supporting gun rights—are prominently displayed in his campaign literature. And yet it is the fact that he also insists an attorney general should not spend their time on politics, always filing lawsuits against the Biden administration—as Kobach has promised, with Warren concurring—which presents Kansas Republicans with a difficult choice.

Two things are clear about Kobach. First, he has devoted Republican supporters who see in him, with his attacks on the threats supposedly posed by illegal immigrants and President Biden, a Kansas version of their beloved leader, Donald Trump. Second, those supporters do not constitute a majority of the Kansas Republican electorate, much less Kansas voters overall. He is not, in short, a consensus candidate—and lacking that consensus support, many other Republicans fear him as a divisive spoiler. At a recent Mattivi event in Wichita, one prominent Republican elected official stated with great confidence that, should Kobach win the nomination, Democrat Chris Mann’s election to the attorney general office would be assured.

I disagree with this official that a Kobach nomination would necessarily mean a loss for the Republicans in November, but the many prominent Republicans and conservative organizations behind Warren’s candidacy provides evidence of how widespread that fear is. Warren’s strategy is to reach out to the very same zealous conservatives who support Kobach, as well as the major donors who once did, with one simple argument: I’m actually electable, and Kobach isn’t.

Ordinary campaign politics suggest that when two conservative candidates fight over the same faction, a path opens up for moderate candidates to win. This, however, is not something Mattivi is doing—not officially, anyway. He knows the Kansas Republican primary electorate well, and knows that a moderate tone would open him up to fervent attack. And yet, perhaps taking a non-political tone instead when it come to national or cultural controversies, preferring to talk about fighting criminals rather than Value Them Both, is what passes for moderation in 2022. (That the abortion amendment will likely bring to the polls more of Kansas’s small Republican moderate population than is typical for an August election may be part of that quiet calculation too.)&nbsp;

The attorney general contest shows us Kansas Republicans playing a guessing game with the future of their party. Will Kobach’s ideological convictions return him to power? Are his extreme opinions a winner, so long as someone else expresses them? Or are a plurality of Kansas Republican voters supportive of a conservatism that, while passionate, focuses on the job rather than fighting a culture war? Mattivi’s bet on the latter is a long one, but an admirable one too.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583339056495.jpeg" alt="Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite the fervent support the Republican leadership has given to the Value Them Both amendment, its fate on August 2 may not tell us much about the current Kansas GOP. But the Republican contest for Kansas attorney general, by contrast, may actually tell us a great deal.Three candidates are campaigning for the Republican nomination: former Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who needs no introduction to Kansas voters; Kellie Warren, a state senator and attorney with a background in civil law; and Tony Mattivi, a former federal prosecutor with a long track record of criminal conviction on both the state and federal level. Mattivi, who polls put in third place in this race, makes his lack of a history of political engagement part of his campaign against Koback and Warren—and that is what makes this Republican fight so interesting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>It is not that Mattivi has no political opinions. His strong conservative beliefs—including firmly opposing abortion rights and strongly supporting gun rights—are prominently displayed in his campaign literature. And yet it is the fact that he also insists an attorney general should not spend their time on politics, always filing lawsuits against the Biden administration—as Kobach has promised, with Warren concurring—which presents Kansas Republicans with a difficult choice.Two things are clear about Kobach. First, he has devoted Republican supporters who see in him, with his attacks on the threats supposedly posed by illegal immigrants and President Biden, a Kansas version of their beloved leader, Donald Trump. Second, those supporters do not constitute a majority of the Kansas Republican electorate, much less Kansas voters overall. He is not, in short, a consensus candidate—and lacking that consensus support, many other Republicans fear him as a divisive spoiler. At a recent Mattivi event in Wichita, one prominent Republican elected official stated with great confidence that, should Kobach win the nomination, Democrat Chris Mann’s election to the attorney general office would be assured.I disagree with this official that a Kobach nomination would necessarily mean a loss for the Republicans in November, but the many prominent Republicans and conservative organizations behind Warren’s candidacy provides evidence of how widespread that fear is. Warren’s strategy is to reach out to the very same zealous conservatives who support Kobach, as well as the major donors who once did, with one simple argument: I’m actually electable, and Kobach isn’t.Ordinary campaign politics suggest that when two conservative candidates fight over the same faction, a path opens up for moderate candidates to win. This, however, is not something Mattivi is doing—not officially, anyway. He knows the Kansas Republican primary electorate well, and knows that a moderate tone would open him up to fervent attack. And yet, perhaps taking a non-political tone instead when it come to national or cultural controversies, preferring to talk about fighting criminals rather than Value Them Both, is what passes for moderation in 2022. (That the abortion amendment will likely bring to the polls more of Kansas’s small Republican moderate population than is typical for an August election may be part of that quiet calculation too.)&nbsp;The attorney general contest shows us Kansas Republicans playing a guessing game with the future of their party. Will Kobach’s ideological convictions return him to power? Are his extreme opinions a winner, so long as someone else expresses them? Or are a plurality of Kansas Republican voters supportive of a conservatism that, while passionate, focuses on the job rather than fighting a culture war? Mattivi’s bet on the latter is a long one, but an admirable one too.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics in Wichita.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Politics of a (partly) non-political AG candidate

By HUASCAR MEDINA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/23/kansas-exhibit-unites-worlds-of-artistry-and-family-into-a-big-hearted-whole/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

“Making It Work” is currently on display at the <a target="_blank" href="https://lawrenceartscenter.org/">Lawrence Arts Center</a>.
 The exhibit takes a deeper look into the generative processes of 
artists as parents and how familial bonds inform their work.&nbsp; The featured artists include <a target="_blank" href="https://pilaraguero.com/">Pilar Agüero-Esparza</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://albertoaguilar.org/">Alberto Aguilar</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.christadonner.com/">Christa Donner</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lisehallerbaggesen.org/">Lise Haller Baggesen</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cararomerophotography.com/home">Cara Romero</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="http://blacklunchtable.com/about/founders/">Jina Valentine</a>.

The show “brings together six 
contemporary U.S. artists who are artists and parents who make that 
relationship visible in their work,” said Maria Velasco, a professor at the University of Kansas’ <a target="_blank" href="https://art.ku.edu/">Department of Visual Art</a>, along with being a mother and artist herself.
 “It is part of their dynamic, their conception and their making. So 
from that point of view, it is really unique. Because we’re used to 
having to choose between one or the other. The culture tells us that you
 must be one or the other. That if you are a good parent you can’t be a 
good artist and if you are a good artist you can’t be a parent. So you 
really have to challenge that belief. And still deal with the 
difficulties in existing in that kind of juncture.”&nbsp;

The show was co-curated by Velasco and Rachel Epp Buller, professor of visual arts and design at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bethelks.edu/">Bethel College</a>.&nbsp;

When asked about the artists chosen, 
Velasco said that, “For us, from the beginning, the choice was based on 
what we call generative practices, which are ways in which we look at 
processes, collaboration, conversations, activities that may take place 
normally internally, in terms of the making of the work, but also with 
the existing community.&nbsp;

“We were looking at how those 
processes materialize into some kind of work. It’s not so much the 
old-fashioned way of making work, where you are thinking about an object
 on the wall that is self contained. This is looking at how we make work
 from a different platform to begin with.”

Featured artist Agüero-Esparza presents a
 wall installation with three-dimensional elements in acrylic and wood 
titled: “Multicultural Crayon: White, Apricot, Peach, Tan, Mahogany, 
Burnt Sienna, Sepia, Black — What Color Are You?” This piece converses 
with another piece, “Dance &amp; Conversations: Castings” Both include 
casts of her daughter’s feet at different ages. At age 10, the 
conversation is about skin tone. The artist uses a crayon skin tone 
color palette to have discussions about race.&nbsp;

This conversation began with her 
daughter coming home after school, asking why people don’t identify with
 the peach color that most white people consider skin color. Agüero-Esparza also connects this work with her upbringing in Mexico. Her family had a shoe shop that made huaraches. The tint of the leather strands are represented in the base of the casted feet, dancing at age 17.&nbsp;

“Since an early age, she (Agüero-Esparza) has
 been involved in seeing and being a part of that process,” Velasco 
said. “That process is stripes of leather that are tinted in different 
forms and has carried that stylistic choice in her work. The story 
behind this work is intergenerational. A story she is having with her 
parents and her daughter. When you become a parent that lineage becomes 
so apparent.”&nbsp;

Donner’s interactive piece, “A Portal
 Is Opening,” is also an intergenerational work in which the viewer is 
projected into the future. It has a QR code and map that will send you 
to a spot in South Park by a bench, where you can listen to a letter 
that a child from 2226 telling us about extinction and species that have
 disappeared.

&nbsp;“This is a conversation on 
sustainability and how unaware we are of the damage that we are 
creating. The fact that our children will inherit that world and life 
doesn’t stop when we stop. Having kids makes that more obvious than 
ever.” Velasco said. “We are connecting with a child from the future. It
 makes obvious these political issues in a poetic way. The piece is 
narrated by the daughter of the artist. It is a way of collaborating 
with your kids.”&nbsp;

Velasco continued: “It is not just a 
sentimental or cute thing. You are having a conversation with a 
legitimate human being that is a small person, because of course, it’s 
cute because kids are cute, but that is not what the point is. But when 
you are engaged as a parent who is also an artist, and you are having 
conversations with your kids that are very serious like this one about 
race, sustainability or others.”

Another conversation presented in the show addresses racial violence against Black men. It’s titled “Testimony.”

Valentine was inspired by her 
inability to process the news about the shooting deaths of young Black 
men. The piece is difficult to absorb. It includes excerpts of news 
reports about the deaths of Black sons. You can only read a little bit 
at a time. In this work, Valentine used an ink that eats the paper away.
 Possibly she’s commenting about erasure, whitewashing, or an attempt to
 remove a reality that should not have taken place. Perhaps she is 
facilitating time being pressed forward, to a point where these stories 
may not exist.&nbsp;

Baggesens describes her work 
“Mothernism” as “a nomadic tent camp, audio installation and a book 
dedicated to staking out and making speakable the “mother-shaped hole in
 contemporary art discourse.”&nbsp;

In this created space, you can listen
 to music and read books that Baggesens has selected. The place projects
 a sense of sanctuary, contemplation and isolation all at once.&nbsp;

The familial bonds displayed 
throughout this show magnify the works of all these artists. Each one 
creates simultaneously as an artist and parent. There is no delineation 
in the work that has to be done and the conversations that need to be 
had. Creating art that addresses issues affecting both parents and 
children is not only good parenting, but important artistry. “Making it 
work” exemplifies the power of artists as parents with real profundity.&nbsp;

“Making It Work” will run until July 
30. A curator’s INSIGHT Art Talk will occur July 28, at 7 p.m.. This 
will include a presentation of Epp Buller’s book “<a target="_blank" href="https://demeterpress.org/books/inappropriate-bodies-art-design-and-maternity/">Inappropriate Bodies: Art, Design, Maternity”</a> and the first local screening of Velasco’s award-winning documentary “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mariavelascostudio.com/all-of-me-artistsmothers">All of Me: Artists+Mothers</a>.”

A closing reception will be held July 29 at the Lawrence Arts Center from 5 to 9 p.m.

Huascar Media — the Kansas poet laureate — is a poet, writer, and performer who lives in Topeka. He works as a freelance copywriter and as the literary editor for seveneightfive magazine, publishing stories that spotlight literary and artistic events in northeast Kansas. His poems can be found in his collection "How to Hang the Moon" and "Un Mango Grows in Kansas." He is the winner of ARTSConnect’s 2018 Arty Award for Literary Art.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658602054729.png" alt="“Dance &amp; Conversations: Castings” by Pilar Agüero-Esparza (front) and “Testimony” by Jina Valentine are both part of the “Making It Work” exhibit currently on display at the Lawrence Arts Center. (Huascar Medina/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>“Dance &amp; Conversations: Castings” by Pilar Agüero-Esparza (front) and “Testimony” by Jina Valentine are both part of the “Making It Work” exhibit currently on display at the Lawrence Arts Center. (Huascar Medina/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By HUASCAR MEDINA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/23/kansas-exhibit-unites-worlds-of-artistry-and-family-into-a-big-hearted-whole/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>“Making It Work” is currently on display at the <a target="_blank" href="https://lawrenceartscenter.org/">Lawrence Arts Center</a>.
 The exhibit takes a deeper look into the generative processes of 
artists as parents and how familial bonds inform their work.&nbsp; The featured artists include <a target="_blank" href="https://pilaraguero.com/">Pilar Agüero-Esparza</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://albertoaguilar.org/">Alberto Aguilar</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.christadonner.com/">Christa Donner</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lisehallerbaggesen.org/">Lise Haller Baggesen</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cararomerophotography.com/home">Cara Romero</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="http://blacklunchtable.com/about/founders/">Jina Valentine</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The show “brings together six 
contemporary U.S. artists who are artists and parents who make that 
relationship visible in their work,” said Maria Velasco, a professor at the University of Kansas’ <a target="_blank" href="https://art.ku.edu/">Department of Visual Art</a>, along with being a mother and artist herself.
 “It is part of their dynamic, their conception and their making. So 
from that point of view, it is really unique. Because we’re used to 
having to choose between one or the other. The culture tells us that you
 must be one or the other. That if you are a good parent you can’t be a 
good artist and if you are a good artist you can’t be a parent. So you 
really have to challenge that belief. And still deal with the 
difficulties in existing in that kind of juncture.”&nbsp;The show was co-curated by Velasco and Rachel Epp Buller, professor of visual arts and design at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bethelks.edu/">Bethel College</a>.&nbsp;When asked about the artists chosen, 
Velasco said that, “For us, from the beginning, the choice was based on 
what we call generative practices, which are ways in which we look at 
processes, collaboration, conversations, activities that may take place 
normally internally, in terms of the making of the work, but also with 
the existing community.&nbsp;“We were looking at how those 
processes materialize into some kind of work. It’s not so much the 
old-fashioned way of making work, where you are thinking about an object
 on the wall that is self contained. This is looking at how we make work
 from a different platform to begin with.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658602124523.jpeg" alt="In this closeup from “Testimony,” by Jina Valentine, you can see how excerpts from newspapers are written in an iron gall ink that eats away at the paper. (Huascar Medina/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>In this closeup from “Testimony,” by Jina Valentine, you can see how excerpts from newspapers are written in an iron gall ink that eats away at the paper. (Huascar Medina/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Featured artist Agüero-Esparza presents a
 wall installation with three-dimensional elements in acrylic and wood 
titled: “Multicultural Crayon: White, Apricot, Peach, Tan, Mahogany, 
Burnt Sienna, Sepia, Black — What Color Are You?” This piece converses 
with another piece, “Dance &amp; Conversations: Castings” Both include 
casts of her daughter’s feet at different ages. At age 10, the 
conversation is about skin tone. The artist uses a crayon skin tone 
color palette to have discussions about race.&nbsp;This conversation began with her 
daughter coming home after school, asking why people don’t identify with
 the peach color that most white people consider skin color. Agüero-Esparza also connects this work with her upbringing in Mexico. Her family had a shoe shop that made huaraches. The tint of the leather strands are represented in the base of the casted feet, dancing at age 17.&nbsp;“Since an early age, she (Agüero-Esparza) has
 been involved in seeing and being a part of that process,” Velasco 
said. “That process is stripes of leather that are tinted in different 
forms and has carried that stylistic choice in her work. The story 
behind this work is intergenerational. A story she is having with her 
parents and her daughter. When you become a parent that lineage becomes 
so apparent.”&nbsp;Donner’s interactive piece, “A Portal
 Is Opening,” is also an intergenerational work in which the viewer is 
projected into the future. It has a QR code and map that will send you 
to a spot in South Park by a bench, where you can listen to a letter 
that a child from 2226 telling us about extinction and species that have
 disappeared.&nbsp;“This is a conversation on 
sustainability and how unaware we are of the damage that we are 
creating. The fact that our children will inherit that world and life 
doesn’t stop when we stop. Having kids makes that more obvious than 
ever.” Velasco said. “We are connecting with a child from the future. It
 makes obvious these political issues in a poetic way. The piece is 
narrated by the daughter of the artist. It is a way of collaborating 
with your kids.”&nbsp;Velasco continued: “It is not just a 
sentimental or cute thing. You are having a conversation with a 
legitimate human being that is a small person, because of course, it’s 
cute because kids are cute, but that is not what the point is. But when 
you are engaged as a parent who is also an artist, and you are having 
conversations with your kids that are very serious like this one about 
race, sustainability or others.”Another conversation presented in the show addresses racial violence against Black men. It’s titled “Testimony.”Valentine was inspired by her 
inability to process the news about the shooting deaths of young Black 
men. The piece is difficult to absorb. It includes excerpts of news 
reports about the deaths of Black sons. You can only read a little bit 
at a time. In this work, Valentine used an ink that eats the paper away.
 Possibly she’s commenting about erasure, whitewashing, or an attempt to
 remove a reality that should not have taken place. Perhaps she is 
facilitating time being pressed forward, to a point where these stories 
may not exist.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658602157042.png" alt=" “Mothernism,” by Lise Haller Baggesen, includes a nomadic tent camp, audio installation and a book. (Huascar Medina/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> “Mothernism,” by Lise Haller Baggesen, includes a nomadic tent camp, audio installation and a book. (Huascar Medina/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Baggesens describes her work 
“Mothernism” as “a nomadic tent camp, audio installation and a book 
dedicated to staking out and making speakable the “mother-shaped hole in
 contemporary art discourse.”&nbsp;In this created space, you can listen
 to music and read books that Baggesens has selected. The place projects
 a sense of sanctuary, contemplation and isolation all at once.&nbsp;The familial bonds displayed 
throughout this show magnify the works of all these artists. Each one 
creates simultaneously as an artist and parent. There is no delineation 
in the work that has to be done and the conversations that need to be 
had. Creating art that addresses issues affecting both parents and 
children is not only good parenting, but important artistry. “Making it 
work” exemplifies the power of artists as parents with real profundity.&nbsp;“Making It Work” will run until July 
30. A curator’s INSIGHT Art Talk will occur July 28, at 7 p.m.. This 
will include a presentation of Epp Buller’s book “<a target="_blank" href="https://demeterpress.org/books/inappropriate-bodies-art-design-and-maternity/">Inappropriate Bodies: Art, Design, Maternity”</a> and the first local screening of Velasco’s award-winning documentary “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mariavelascostudio.com/all-of-me-artistsmothers">All of Me: Artists+Mothers</a>.”A closing reception will be held July 29 at the Lawrence Arts Center from 5 to 9 p.m.Huascar Media — the Kansas poet laureate — is a poet, writer, and performer who lives in Topeka. He works as a freelance copywriter and as the literary editor for seveneightfive magazine, publishing stories that spotlight literary and artistic events in northeast Kansas. His poems can be found in his collection "How to Hang the Moon" and "Un Mango Grows in Kansas." He is the winner of ARTSConnect’s 2018 Arty Award for Literary Art.

KS poet laureate: Exhibit unites worlds of artistry, family

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

From open plains to outer space, Ron Evans experienced a remarkable journey. He was a Kansan who played a record-setting role in the United States’ final mission to the moon.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The year was 1972. NASA had planned for a series of moon missions but budget limitations cancelled additional lunar flights. Instead, NASA changed the focus of future flights to the space shuttle and lower earth orbital flights.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, NASA moved forward with what would be the final deep space manned mission to date. It was named Apollo 17. The person selected to serve as command module pilot on Apollo 17 was a Kansan, Ron Evans.&nbsp;

Evans was born in the rural northwest Kansas community of St. Francis, population 1,329 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Evans had two younger brothers, Larry and Jay. When Larry came down with liver cancer, the family relocated to Topeka to be closer to treatment. Unfortunately, Larry passed away in 1951.&nbsp;

Brother Jay played football for K-State. By his senior year, he was team captain and was second in the Big 8 in yards receiving. Jay went on to play in the NFL for the Denver Broncos.&nbsp;

Jay left pro football to join the Marines during the Vietnam war era and became one of the most highly decorated Marines of the Vietnam War.&nbsp;He received the combat medal, Navy Cross, Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, three Air Medals, Combat Gold Wings and three personal citations from the Vietnamese government, one of which was the Cross of Gallantry with four gold stars -- the equivalent to the Congressional Medal of Honor from the U.S.&nbsp;

Ron chose to study electrical engineering at the University of Kansas. In order to finance his studies, he joined the Navy ROTC program. Part of that program involved a tour of a naval air station in Texas, which inspired him to become a naval aviator. He became a fighter pilot and flew more than 100 missions during the Vietnam War. He served on the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga.&nbsp;

In 1966, Ron Evans joined the astronaut corps. He became a member of the backup crew for Apollo 14 and, in 1972, was selected as the command module pilot of Apollo 17. This would prove to be the last manned flight to the moon.&nbsp;

As command module pilot, he remained on the command module while his two fellow crew members made a landing on the surface of the moon. They spent three days on the lunar surface and deployed numerous scientific instruments before rejoining Evans on the command module for the trip back home to earth.&nbsp;

During the flight back to earth, Evans conducted a spacewalk to retrieve materials from the service module. Upon leaving the space capsule and seeing the vastness of space, he uttered words which truly sound like a Kansas kid: “Hot diggety dog,” he said.&nbsp;

His spacewalk is one of only three to occur in deep space and holds the record as the spacewalk performed at the greatest distance from any planetary body. He also holds the record for the most time spent by any human in lunar orbit.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After the command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, the astronauts were retrieved by the crew of a Navy ship. It was none other than the USS Ticonderoga, the very ship where Evans had served six years before.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Evans worked on the development of the space shuttle before retiring from the Navy and NASA. He worked in industry before suffering a stroke and passing away suddenly in his sleep in 1990.&nbsp;

Evans was one of 24 astronauts to have flown to the moon and one of 12 to have flown to the moon without landing on it. He remains the last person in history to have orbited the moon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

From the open plains to outer space, Kansan Ron Evans experienced a remarkable journey in life. We salute Ron Evans and all those who make a difference by exploring the universe or searching for new discoveries at home.&nbsp;

All I can say about his record-setting career is, “Hot diggety dog.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658323566649.png" alt="Evans" />
 <figcaption>Evans</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;From open plains to outer space, Ron Evans experienced a remarkable journey. He was a Kansan who played a record-setting role in the United States’ final mission to the moon.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The year was 1972. NASA had planned for a series of moon missions but budget limitations cancelled additional lunar flights. Instead, NASA changed the focus of future flights to the space shuttle and lower earth orbital flights.&nbsp;Meanwhile, NASA moved forward with what would be the final deep space manned mission to date. It was named Apollo 17. The person selected to serve as command module pilot on Apollo 17 was a Kansan, Ron Evans.&nbsp;Evans was born in the rural northwest Kansas community of St. Francis, population 1,329 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Evans had two younger brothers, Larry and Jay. When Larry came down with liver cancer, the family relocated to Topeka to be closer to treatment. Unfortunately, Larry passed away in 1951.&nbsp;Brother Jay played football for K-State. By his senior year, he was team captain and was second in the Big 8 in yards receiving. Jay went on to play in the NFL for the Denver Broncos.&nbsp;Jay left pro football to join the Marines during the Vietnam war era and became one of the most highly decorated Marines of the Vietnam War.&nbsp;He received the combat medal, Navy Cross, Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, three Air Medals, Combat Gold Wings and three personal citations from the Vietnamese government, one of which was the Cross of Gallantry with four gold stars -- the equivalent to the Congressional Medal of Honor from the U.S.&nbsp;Ron chose to study electrical engineering at the University of Kansas. In order to finance his studies, he joined the Navy ROTC program. Part of that program involved a tour of a naval air station in Texas, which inspired him to become a naval aviator. He became a fighter pilot and flew more than 100 missions during the Vietnam War. He served on the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga.&nbsp;In 1966, Ron Evans joined the astronaut corps. He became a member of the backup crew for Apollo 14 and, in 1972, was selected as the command module pilot of Apollo 17. This would prove to be the last manned flight to the moon.&nbsp;As command module pilot, he remained on the command module while his two fellow crew members made a landing on the surface of the moon. They spent three days on the lunar surface and deployed numerous scientific instruments before rejoining Evans on the command module for the trip back home to earth.&nbsp;During the flight back to earth, Evans conducted a spacewalk to retrieve materials from the service module. Upon leaving the space capsule and seeing the vastness of space, he uttered words which truly sound like a Kansas kid: “Hot diggety dog,” he said.&nbsp;His spacewalk is one of only three to occur in deep space and holds the record as the spacewalk performed at the greatest distance from any planetary body. He also holds the record for the most time spent by any human in lunar orbit.&nbsp;&nbsp;After the command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, the astronauts were retrieved by the crew of a Navy ship. It was none other than the USS Ticonderoga, the very ship where Evans had served six years before.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Evans worked on the development of the space shuttle before retiring from the Navy and NASA. He worked in industry before suffering a stroke and passing away suddenly in his sleep in 1990.&nbsp;Evans was one of 24 astronauts to have flown to the moon and one of 12 to have flown to the moon without landing on it. He remains the last person in history to have orbited the moon.&nbsp;&nbsp;From the open plains to outer space, Kansan Ron Evans experienced a remarkable journey in life. We salute Ron Evans and all those who make a difference by exploring the universe or searching for new discoveries at home.&nbsp;All I can say about his record-setting career is, “Hot diggety dog.”&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Ron Evans, NW Kansas astronaut 

By DAVE TRABERT <a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/kasb-report-is-a-modern-day-emperors-new-clothes-tale/">The Sentinel</a>

In Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Emperor’s New Clothes," two 
swindlers arrive at the capital city of an emperor who spends lavishly 
on clothing at the expense of everything else. Posing as weavers, they 
offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that are invisible to those
 who are stupid or incompetent.

The Kansas version of Andersen’s tale is the Kansas Association of School Board’s <a href="https://www.kasb.org/45132?articleID=110515&amp;utm_source=All+KASB+Contacts&amp;utm_campaign=f7d2f3439b-Highlights+July+20%2C+2022&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_f37074fe94-f7d2f3439b-216195873">preposterous claim</a>
 that student achievement in the Sunflower State is among the 10 best 
in the nation.&nbsp; Posing as responsible educators, KASB officials 
consciously deceive unsuspecting school board members, legislators, and 
parents with breathtaking proclamations of magnificent achievement that 
result from lavish spending.&nbsp; And those who don’t believe their 
astonishing discovery are branded as anti-public-education kid-haters.

The KASB report is by no means an isolated incident; it is 
symptomatic of disregard for academic preparation throughout the public 
education system.

Kansas is below average in a nation that doesn’t perform well

By every measure of academic preparation, Kansas is below average in a country that doesn’t perform well.

The most recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show the best
 ranking for Kansas is #19 in fourth-grade math for students who are not
 low-income.&nbsp; And having only 57% of those students proficient is not a 
chest-thumping outcome.

The rankings on the other seven measurements range from the mid-20s 
to the low-30s.&nbsp; Less than a quarter of low-income students are 
proficient, and less than half of their more affluent peers are 
proficient.

State assessment results show Kansas has more high school students 
below grade level than proficient, which is reflected in the ACT 
results.&nbsp; Just <a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/having-21-of-hs-students-college-ready-isnt-pretty-darn-good/">one in five Kansas graduates is college-ready</a>
 in English, Reading, Math, and Science, with rampant race-based 
educational discrimination.&nbsp; A quarter of White students are 
college-ready, but only 9% of Hispanic students and just 5% of Black 
students.&nbsp; ACT rankings are all in the low-30s.

KASB first published its specious report in 2016, when the Kansas 
Department of Education began de-emphasizing academic preparation with 
its “<a href="https://kansaspolicy.org/ksdes-kansans-can-awards-are-mostly-participation-ribbons/">Kansans Can</a>” initiative. &nbsp;The ‘can’ part is farcical shorthand for “Kansans can <a href="https://www.ksde.org/agency/fiscal-and-administrative-services/communications-and-recognition-programs/vision-kansans-can">lead the world</a>
 in the success of every student.”&nbsp; Student achievement has steadily 
declined between 2016 and 2019, and it is even worse now.&nbsp; Yet the state
 board of education refuses to say how many years it will take to get 
kids to grade level, let alone ‘lead the world.’

The methodology is designed to produce its desired outcome.&nbsp; The KASB
 ‘formula’ counts things that are not measures of academic preparation, 
like high school graduation and drop-out rates, and post-secondary 
education, which collectively account for two-thirds of the overall 
ranking.

As the late great Walter Williams said, “It’s grossly dishonest for 
the education establishment and politicians to boast about unprecedented
 graduation rates when the high school diplomas, for the most part, do 
not represent academic achievement. &nbsp;At best, they certify attendance.”

The Kansas Department of Education gave out ninety-one Gold and 
Silver Awards last year to districts with high school graduation rates 
at or above 93%.&nbsp; But how many school districts do you think received 
Gold or Silver Awards for Academic Preparedness? &nbsp;Just one – on the 
military base at Fort Leavenworth.

Education officials do students no favors by giving them diplomas 
when they cannot do math or read at grade level.&nbsp; But like the KASB 
report and the Kansans Can campaign, the purpose is not to educate 
students but to make the public education system look good.

Local school board members collectively divert about $5 million of 
what should be classroom spending to fund the Kansas Association of 
School Boards.&nbsp; But Topeka insiders know that KASB mostly represents the
 interests of superintendents and the Department of Education.

This latest KASB report is another reminder that improving student 
achievement is a distant thought in the Kansas public education system.&nbsp;
 State and local education officials are on record consciously deceiving
 legislators about achievement, ignoring state laws designed to improve 
outcomes for at-risk students and other actions that work against 
students’ needs.&nbsp; Bottom line: the Kansas public education system will 
not resolve low achievement if left to its own devices.&nbsp; Legislators 
must intervene with choice, transparency, and accountability measures.

Dave Trabert is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas Policy Institute.&nbsp;He is a frequent speaker to business, legislative and civic groups and also does research and writes on fiscal policy and education issues.&nbsp;The Sentinel is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kansas Policy Institute.

By DAVE TRABERT <a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/kasb-report-is-a-modern-day-emperors-new-clothes-tale/">The Sentinel</a>In Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Emperor’s New Clothes," two 
swindlers arrive at the capital city of an emperor who spends lavishly 
on clothing at the expense of everything else. Posing as weavers, they 
offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that are invisible to those
 who are stupid or incompetent.The Kansas version of Andersen’s tale is the Kansas Association of School Board’s <a href="https://www.kasb.org/45132?articleID=110515&amp;utm_source=All+KASB+Contacts&amp;utm_campaign=f7d2f3439b-Highlights+July+20%2C+2022&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_f37074fe94-f7d2f3439b-216195873">preposterous claim</a>
 that student achievement in the Sunflower State is among the 10 best 
in the nation.&nbsp; Posing as responsible educators, KASB officials 
consciously deceive unsuspecting school board members, legislators, and 
parents with breathtaking proclamations of magnificent achievement that 
result from lavish spending.&nbsp; And those who don’t believe their 
astonishing discovery are branded as anti-public-education kid-haters.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The KASB report is by no means an isolated incident; it is 
symptomatic of disregard for academic preparation throughout the public 
education system.<h2>Kansas is below average in a nation that doesn’t perform well</h2>By every measure of academic preparation, Kansas is below average in a country that doesn’t perform well.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658509927600.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The most recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show the best
 ranking for Kansas is #19 in fourth-grade math for students who are not
 low-income.&nbsp; And having only 57% of those students proficient is not a 
chest-thumping outcome.The rankings on the other seven measurements range from the mid-20s 
to the low-30s.&nbsp; Less than a quarter of low-income students are 
proficient, and less than half of their more affluent peers are 
proficient.State assessment results show Kansas has more high school students 
below grade level than proficient, which is reflected in the ACT 
results.&nbsp; Just <a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/having-21-of-hs-students-college-ready-isnt-pretty-darn-good/">one in five Kansas graduates is college-ready</a>
 in English, Reading, Math, and Science, with rampant race-based 
educational discrimination.&nbsp; A quarter of White students are 
college-ready, but only 9% of Hispanic students and just 5% of Black 
students.&nbsp; ACT rankings are all in the low-30s.<h2>KASB methodology is deceptive by design</h2>KASB first published its specious report in 2016, when the Kansas 
Department of Education began de-emphasizing academic preparation with 
its “<a href="https://kansaspolicy.org/ksdes-kansans-can-awards-are-mostly-participation-ribbons/">Kansans Can</a>” initiative. &nbsp;The ‘can’ part is farcical shorthand for “Kansans can <a href="https://www.ksde.org/agency/fiscal-and-administrative-services/communications-and-recognition-programs/vision-kansans-can">lead the world</a>
 in the success of every student.”&nbsp; Student achievement has steadily 
declined between 2016 and 2019, and it is even worse now.&nbsp; Yet the state
 board of education refuses to say how many years it will take to get 
kids to grade level, let alone ‘lead the world.’The methodology is designed to produce its desired outcome.&nbsp; The KASB
 ‘formula’ counts things that are not measures of academic preparation, 
like high school graduation and drop-out rates, and post-secondary 
education, which collectively account for two-thirds of the overall 
ranking.As the late great Walter Williams said, “It’s grossly dishonest for 
the education establishment and politicians to boast about unprecedented
 graduation rates when the high school diplomas, for the most part, do 
not represent academic achievement. &nbsp;At best, they certify attendance.”The Kansas Department of Education gave out ninety-one Gold and 
Silver Awards last year to districts with high school graduation rates 
at or above 93%.&nbsp; But how many school districts do you think received 
Gold or Silver Awards for Academic Preparedness? &nbsp;Just one – on the 
military base at Fort Leavenworth.Education officials do students no favors by giving them diplomas 
when they cannot do math or read at grade level.&nbsp; But like the KASB 
report and the Kansans Can campaign, the purpose is not to educate 
students but to make the public education system look good.Local school board members collectively divert about $5 million of 
what should be classroom spending to fund the Kansas Association of 
School Boards.&nbsp; But Topeka insiders know that KASB mostly represents the
 interests of superintendents and the Department of Education.This latest KASB report is another reminder that improving student 
achievement is a distant thought in the Kansas public education system.&nbsp;
 State and local education officials are on record consciously deceiving
 legislators about achievement, ignoring state laws designed to improve 
outcomes for at-risk students and other actions that work against 
students’ needs.&nbsp; Bottom line: the Kansas public education system will 
not resolve low achievement if left to its own devices.&nbsp; Legislators 
must intervene with choice, transparency, and accountability measures.Dave Trabert is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas Policy Institute.&nbsp;He is a frequent speaker to business, legislative and civic groups and also does research and writes on fiscal policy and education issues.&nbsp;The Sentinel is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kansas Policy Institute.

TRABERT: Kan. school report a modern-day 'Emperor’s New Clothes' tale

The state of Kansas has always been defined by leadership and courage. Its plains were home to the first generations of American settlers, who left teeming cities to lead America westward and establish new roots. &nbsp;In the years prior to the Civil War, it was Kansans&nbsp;who&nbsp;stood against slavery and stopped its expansion.&nbsp;Kansas was the first state to hold a referendum on women’s suffrage in 1867, and&nbsp;Charles&nbsp;S. Scott, Kansas born-and-raised, was the lead attorney for Oliver Brown in the landmark Supreme Court case&nbsp;Brown v. Board of Education.&nbsp;Kansas has always set the standard in the fight to secure inalienable&nbsp;rights and aid those who are most in need. That’s why at times of great division and difficulty in America, the nation looks&nbsp;to Kansas for the path forward.&nbsp;

Kansas is again going lead the way, and this time the stakes are for life. &nbsp;The Supreme Court’s landmark decision in&nbsp;Dobbs v. Jackson&nbsp;finally overturned&nbsp;Roe v. Wade&nbsp;and returned the power to regulate abortion to states. &nbsp;All across the country, this democratic process is already underway – except in Kansas, my home state. &nbsp;The right of Kansans to decide this important issue has been taken away not by the Supreme Court of the United States, but by the Supreme Court of Kansas. &nbsp;

In the 2019 case&nbsp;Hodes &amp;&nbsp;Nauser&nbsp;v. Schmidt, the Kansas Supreme Court pronounced that the state’s constitution protects a woman’s right to obtain an abortion,&nbsp;causing&nbsp;all&nbsp;existing limits on abortion&nbsp;to&nbsp;become “presumed unconstitutional.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Many Kansans&nbsp;believe strongly&nbsp;that&nbsp;thissweeping decision&nbsp;by&nbsp;the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;overrode&nbsp;the democratic process.

The ruling&nbsp;already&nbsp;has had serious consequences in Kansas. Abortions in the state have increased by 13% since the ruling took effect. Dismemberment abortions – in which the unborn, even after the point of viability, is cut into pieces while still in the womb, then extracted limb by limb – have increased by 17%. &nbsp;This method of abortion, in addition to its particularly barbarous cruelty to the unborn, also carries with it severe health risks for the mother, both long-term and short-term. &nbsp;

I am a Kansan. &nbsp;I’ve represented the people of Kansas and fought for them in Washington as a Congressmen, and also on the world stage as America’s 70th&nbsp;Secretary of State. &nbsp;Kansans&nbsp;do not want to see their state fund abortions with taxpayer money, or have unsafe and uninspected abortion mills in the state they call home. &nbsp;What every Kansan&nbsp;wants, fundamentally,&nbsp;is the right to vote on this important issue.&nbsp;

The “Value&nbsp;Them Both”&nbsp;amendment&nbsp;will&nbsp;secure this right.&nbsp;It simply&nbsp;makes clear&nbsp;that the state constitution&nbsp;“does&nbsp;not create or secure a right to abortion,”&nbsp;and it&nbsp;affirms that “the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators, may pass laws regarding abortion.” &nbsp;That’s it. Full stop.

Yet this simple amendment has met with severe opposition&nbsp;from&nbsp;pro-abortion radicals&nbsp;who&nbsp;favor unlimited abortion on demand, even painful late-term abortions when the child can feel excruciating pain. &nbsp;These&nbsp;extreme&nbsp;activists&nbsp;have said publicly that they “don’t support abortion limits of ANY kind.” They have fought against every reasonable limit on the abortion industry in&nbsp;the legislature and the courts. &nbsp;Rather than trust the people, they are hiding behind the 2019&nbsp;decision to&nbsp;execute their agenda. Don’t let them.

There are over 50 pregnancy clinics all across Kansas that offer financial, emotional, and medical help to women, free of charge. Many centers offer this&nbsp;support&nbsp;for up to three years after their&nbsp;child is born. &nbsp;Their work should be championed and expanded; this work is what Kansas should become known for. &nbsp;I know that the people of Kansas are strong and compassionate enough to make that a reality.&nbsp;

I&nbsp;also&nbsp;know that&nbsp;there is great division about this issue, both in Kansas and America.&nbsp;It is imperative&nbsp;that we remain civil and respectful&nbsp;despite&nbsp;this&nbsp;deep and profound disagreement. &nbsp;The assaults&nbsp;against pregnancy centers&nbsp;since the Supreme Court decision are unconscionable&nbsp;–&nbsp;some of these have happened in Kansas. &nbsp;As Secretary, I traveled to many countries where they still&nbsp;settle disputes&nbsp;with violence;&nbsp;America must be better than that. Kansas must be better than that.

Public pressure weighs against those of us who&nbsp;fight for life. Those who have used the pro-life movement for political gain have already begun to bow to this pressure and surrender. I ask Kansans who believe in life not to surrender, to never give&nbsp;an inch&nbsp;– I know I never will. Vote “Yes” to the “Value&nbsp;Them Both”&nbsp;amendment&nbsp;and restore&nbsp;the voice of the people&nbsp;in Kansas.

By MICHAEL R. POMPEOThe state of Kansas has always been defined by leadership and courage. Its plains were home to the first generations of American settlers, who left teeming cities to lead America westward and establish new roots. &nbsp;In the years prior to the Civil War, it was Kansans&nbsp;who&nbsp;stood against slavery and stopped its expansion.&nbsp;Kansas was the first state to hold a referendum on women’s suffrage in 1867, and&nbsp;Charles&nbsp;S. Scott, Kansas born-and-raised, was the lead attorney for Oliver Brown in the landmark Supreme Court case&nbsp;Brown v. Board of Education.&nbsp;Kansas has always set the standard in the fight to secure inalienable&nbsp;rights and aid those who are most in need. That’s why at times of great division and difficulty in America, the nation looks&nbsp;to Kansas for the path forward.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas is again going lead the way, and this time the stakes are for life. &nbsp;The Supreme Court’s landmark decision in&nbsp;Dobbs v. Jackson&nbsp;finally overturned&nbsp;Roe v. Wade&nbsp;and returned the power to regulate abortion to states. &nbsp;All across the country, this democratic process is already underway – except in Kansas, my home state. &nbsp;The right of Kansans to decide this important issue has been taken away not by the Supreme Court of the United States, but by the Supreme Court of Kansas. &nbsp;In the 2019 case&nbsp;Hodes &amp;&nbsp;Nauser&nbsp;v. Schmidt, the Kansas Supreme Court pronounced that the state’s constitution protects a woman’s right to obtain an abortion,&nbsp;causing&nbsp;all&nbsp;existing limits on abortion&nbsp;to&nbsp;become “presumed unconstitutional.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Many Kansans&nbsp;believe strongly&nbsp;that&nbsp;thissweeping decision&nbsp;by&nbsp;the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;overrode&nbsp;the democratic process.The ruling&nbsp;already&nbsp;has had serious consequences in Kansas. Abortions in the state have increased by 13% since the ruling took effect. Dismemberment abortions – in which the unborn, even after the point of viability, is cut into pieces while still in the womb, then extracted limb by limb – have increased by 17%. &nbsp;This method of abortion, in addition to its particularly barbarous cruelty to the unborn, also carries with it severe health risks for the mother, both long-term and short-term. &nbsp;I am a Kansan. &nbsp;I’ve represented the people of Kansas and fought for them in Washington as a Congressmen, and also on the world stage as America’s 70th&nbsp;Secretary of State. &nbsp;Kansans&nbsp;do not want to see their state fund abortions with taxpayer money, or have unsafe and uninspected abortion mills in the state they call home. &nbsp;What every Kansan&nbsp;wants, fundamentally,&nbsp;is the right to vote on this important issue.&nbsp;The “Value&nbsp;Them Both”&nbsp;amendment&nbsp;will&nbsp;secure this right.&nbsp;It simply&nbsp;makes clear&nbsp;that the state constitution&nbsp;“does&nbsp;not create or secure a right to abortion,”&nbsp;and it&nbsp;affirms that “the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators, may pass laws regarding abortion.” &nbsp;That’s it. Full stop.Yet this simple amendment has met with severe opposition&nbsp;from&nbsp;pro-abortion radicals&nbsp;who&nbsp;favor unlimited abortion on demand, even painful late-term abortions when the child can feel excruciating pain. &nbsp;These&nbsp;extreme&nbsp;activists&nbsp;have said publicly that they “don’t support abortion limits of ANY kind.” They have fought against every reasonable limit on the abortion industry in&nbsp;the legislature and the courts. &nbsp;Rather than trust the people, they are hiding behind the 2019&nbsp;decision to&nbsp;execute their agenda. Don’t let them.There are over 50 pregnancy clinics all across Kansas that offer financial, emotional, and medical help to women, free of charge. Many centers offer this&nbsp;support&nbsp;for up to three years after their&nbsp;child is born. &nbsp;Their work should be championed and expanded; this work is what Kansas should become known for. &nbsp;I know that the people of Kansas are strong and compassionate enough to make that a reality.&nbsp;I&nbsp;also&nbsp;know that&nbsp;there is great division about this issue, both in Kansas and America.&nbsp;It is imperative&nbsp;that we remain civil and respectful&nbsp;despite&nbsp;this&nbsp;deep and profound disagreement. &nbsp;The assaults&nbsp;against pregnancy centers&nbsp;since the Supreme Court decision are unconscionable&nbsp;–&nbsp;some of these have happened in Kansas. &nbsp;As Secretary, I traveled to many countries where they still&nbsp;settle disputes&nbsp;with violence;&nbsp;America must be better than that. Kansas must be better than that.Public pressure weighs against those of us who&nbsp;fight for life. Those who have used the pro-life movement for political gain have already begun to bow to this pressure and surrender. I ask Kansans who believe in life not to surrender, to never give&nbsp;an inch&nbsp;– I know I never will. Vote “Yes” to the “Value&nbsp;Them Both”&nbsp;amendment&nbsp;and restore&nbsp;the voice of the people&nbsp;in Kansas.

POMPEO: Abortion amendment can 'lead America forward'

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/22/were-melting-as-we-banter-about-the-weather-in-kansas/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Yes, the weather. That fallback conversation that you can have with anyone.

“Did you hear that thunderstorm last night?”

“They say it’s going to be windy again tomorrow.”

Or, perpetually, in Kansas: “The humidity is what’s making it feel hotter than it is.”

The details of our weather — 
temperature, forecasts, rainfall and, with my dad, even barometric 
pressure — are the polite metrics that lubricate our conversations.

However, that genial mood surrounding
 our chats about the weather may be in jeopardy because, increasingly, 
we really aren’t really talking about the weather. We are talking about 
the climate.

A constant feature in our news, we 
see the drip-drip-drip devastation of climate change year-round. Recent 
summers, however, have quickened the pace with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.noaa.gov/news/summer-2021-neck-and-neck-with-dust-bowl-summer-for-hottest-on-record">record high temperatures and dry conditions</a>.

In Kansas, we have been largely insulated from the most cataclysmic climate effects in the United States. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/22/forest-service-failed-to-account-for-climate-change-in-new-mexico-fire.html">wildfires in the West</a> and the more intense <a target="_blank" href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3184/a-force-of-nature-hurricanes-in-a-changing-climate/">hurricanes in the South</a> don’t directly affect those of us nestled in the Midwest.

However, we too are suffering a cataclysm in Kansas — it’s just a crisis playing out in smaller increments. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global/202113/supplemental/page-3">Searing temperatures</a> make the outdoors more dangerous each summer. Our precious water source, the Ogallala Aquifer, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansaspublicradio.org/kpr-news/how-kansas-could-lose-billions-land-values-its-underground-water-runs-dry">is in jeopardy</a>. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/climate-change-threatens-electric-grid-reliability-in-the-midwest-and-great-plains/">Our creaking electrical grid</a> can’t keep up.

All of this creates political pressure. Or, at least, it should.

The last few weeks presented a parade
 of headlines with the federal government acting alternately 
obstructionist, incrementalist, denialist and feckless. This week, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/27/climate/manchin-coal-climate-conflicts.html?searchResultPosition=2">one senator whose family created a fortune through fossil fuels</a>
 submarined a climate change bill that would have increased funding for 
alternative energy. Also this week, the U.S. Postal Service announced it
 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/07/12/1097072375/usps-plans-to-replace-about-160-000-delivery-trucks-only-a-fraction-will-be-elec">bumped up the percentage of electric cars</a> in its fleet, but far below the recommendations of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2022/07/postal-service-commits-least-40-percent-electric-truck-fleet-response-public">environmental groups</a>. Most consequentially, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/30/climate/biden-climate-action-epa.html">blocked the EPA</a> from enforcing administrative standards through a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/06/30/supreme-court-climate-change-case-epa/">flimsy legal decision</a>.

President Joe Biden stepped in as well. On Wednesday he announced overdue steps that will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/us/politics/biden-climate-emergency.html?searchResultPosition=1">“build
 structures and programs to withstand the severe heat, storms, fires and
 floods that climate change has already started to bring.”</a>
 That paltry approach is like ordering bandages for a patient who is 
still being stabbed. We continuously damage the planet but then 
sheepishly treat the climate’s effects on us.

Many progressives see this moment as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/20/climate-emergency-biden-consequences-00046885">national emergency</a>, a declaration that would empower the executive branch to be more robust in its actions. The White House’s response?

“Everything is on the table,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/us/politics/biden-climate-emergency.html?searchResultPosition=1">said on Tuesday.</a> “(The emergency declaration is) just not going to be this week on that decision.”

In the wake of a Trump White House that was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-executive-orders/2020/10/29/c2329162-17bd-11eb-aeec-b93bcc29a01b_story.html">giddy to use executive power</a> for its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/full-list-trump-s-last-minute-pardons-commuted-sentences-n1254806">craven</a>
 purposes, the Biden administration retreats from those same levers of 
power while the world bakes. If Biden calls climate change <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/20/politics/climate-extreme-heat-wind-power-biden-massachusetts-speech/index.html">“a clear and present danger,”</a> then why is he perseverating at a moment when the climate crisis is throbbing in the news?

In the face of these national 
failings, we must look away from Washington, D.C., for action. After the
 Supreme Court’s EPA decision, Maggie Astor <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/climate/climate-policies-cities-states-local.html">wrote in the New York Times</a> about how some states and municipalities have acted more decisively and quickly than the federal government.

“By removing partisan politics from 
community discussions about climate policy, it’s sometimes possible to 
reach a consensus that’s been difficult to achieve on a national level,”
 Astor wrote.

For Kansas, the most promising but quixotic roadmap comes from its western neighbor, Colorado. <a target="_blank" href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1261">Through recent legislation</a>, the state provided emissions standards with ambitious deadlines, including a 90% reduction below 2005 levels by 2050.&nbsp;

You don’t have to <a target="_blank" href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1261">research the bill</a>
 extensively to see how much of a political long shot it would be in 
Kansas. The four sponsors are Democratic representatives. The bill 
passed without a single Republican vote. Imagine the conservative 
legislature in Kansas creating goals for “statewide greenhouse pollution
 goals” while also appropriating state funding toward the problem.

Even if Kansan leaped into action, we
 would still need coordinated national intervention. Astor wrote for the
 New York Times that the more local “approach is no substitute for a 
coordinated national strategy. Local governments have limited reach, 
authority and funding.”

Our collective failing here is epic. 
Past generations have winced to look back at their moral failings: 
slavery, segregation, protracted wars, discrimination based on sexual 
orientation.

Our failure on climate change is 
similar in that the solution is political. However, its effects are even
 larger. Solving our heating earth is an existential and global crisis.

In this atmosphere of obstructionism 
on climate change, it’s grinding to continue with polite conversations 
about the weather. When I hear the complaints about the heat, I want to 
ask, “What steps do you think our city, state and country should take to
 slow down this oncoming stifling melt?”

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.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658508570186.png" alt="Wind farms stretch across fields to the north and south of I-70 in Kansas and Colorado. (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Wind farms stretch across fields to the north and south of I-70 in Kansas and Colorado. (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/22/were-melting-as-we-banter-about-the-weather-in-kansas/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Let’s talk about the weather.Yes, the weather. That fallback conversation that you can have with anyone.“Did you hear that thunderstorm last night?”“They say it’s going to be windy again tomorrow.”Or, perpetually, in Kansas: “The humidity is what’s making it feel hotter than it is.”The details of our weather — 
temperature, forecasts, rainfall and, with my dad, even barometric 
pressure — are the polite metrics that lubricate our conversations.However, that genial mood surrounding
 our chats about the weather may be in jeopardy because, increasingly, 
we really aren’t really talking about the weather. We are talking about 
the climate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A constant feature in our news, we 
see the drip-drip-drip devastation of climate change year-round. Recent 
summers, however, have quickened the pace with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.noaa.gov/news/summer-2021-neck-and-neck-with-dust-bowl-summer-for-hottest-on-record">record high temperatures and dry conditions</a>.In Kansas, we have been largely insulated from the most cataclysmic climate effects in the United States. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/22/forest-service-failed-to-account-for-climate-change-in-new-mexico-fire.html">wildfires in the West</a> and the more intense <a target="_blank" href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3184/a-force-of-nature-hurricanes-in-a-changing-climate/">hurricanes in the South</a> don’t directly affect those of us nestled in the Midwest.However, we too are suffering a cataclysm in Kansas — it’s just a crisis playing out in smaller increments. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global/202113/supplemental/page-3">Searing temperatures</a> make the outdoors more dangerous each summer. Our precious water source, the Ogallala Aquifer, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansaspublicradio.org/kpr-news/how-kansas-could-lose-billions-land-values-its-underground-water-runs-dry">is in jeopardy</a>. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/climate-change-threatens-electric-grid-reliability-in-the-midwest-and-great-plains/">Our creaking electrical grid</a> can’t keep up.All of this creates political pressure. Or, at least, it should.The last few weeks presented a parade
 of headlines with the federal government acting alternately 
obstructionist, incrementalist, denialist and feckless. This week, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/27/climate/manchin-coal-climate-conflicts.html?searchResultPosition=2">one senator whose family created a fortune through fossil fuels</a>
 submarined a climate change bill that would have increased funding for 
alternative energy. Also this week, the U.S. Postal Service announced it
 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/07/12/1097072375/usps-plans-to-replace-about-160-000-delivery-trucks-only-a-fraction-will-be-elec">bumped up the percentage of electric cars</a> in its fleet, but far below the recommendations of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2022/07/postal-service-commits-least-40-percent-electric-truck-fleet-response-public">environmental groups</a>. Most consequentially, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/30/climate/biden-climate-action-epa.html">blocked the EPA</a> from enforcing administrative standards through a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/06/30/supreme-court-climate-change-case-epa/">flimsy legal decision</a>.President Joe Biden stepped in as well. On Wednesday he announced overdue steps that will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/us/politics/biden-climate-emergency.html?searchResultPosition=1">“build
 structures and programs to withstand the severe heat, storms, fires and
 floods that climate change has already started to bring.”</a>
 That paltry approach is like ordering bandages for a patient who is 
still being stabbed. We continuously damage the planet but then 
sheepishly treat the climate’s effects on us.Many progressives see this moment as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/20/climate-emergency-biden-consequences-00046885">national emergency</a>, a declaration that would empower the executive branch to be more robust in its actions. The White House’s response?“Everything is on the table,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/us/politics/biden-climate-emergency.html?searchResultPosition=1">said on Tuesday.</a> “(The emergency declaration is) just not going to be this week on that decision.”In the wake of a Trump White House that was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-executive-orders/2020/10/29/c2329162-17bd-11eb-aeec-b93bcc29a01b_story.html">giddy to use executive power</a> for its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/full-list-trump-s-last-minute-pardons-commuted-sentences-n1254806">craven</a>
 purposes, the Biden administration retreats from those same levers of 
power while the world bakes. If Biden calls climate change <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/20/politics/climate-extreme-heat-wind-power-biden-massachusetts-speech/index.html">“a clear and present danger,”</a> then why is he perseverating at a moment when the climate crisis is throbbing in the news?In the face of these national 
failings, we must look away from Washington, D.C., for action. After the
 Supreme Court’s EPA decision, Maggie Astor <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/climate/climate-policies-cities-states-local.html">wrote in the New York Times</a> about how some states and municipalities have acted more decisively and quickly than the federal government.“By removing partisan politics from 
community discussions about climate policy, it’s sometimes possible to 
reach a consensus that’s been difficult to achieve on a national level,”
 Astor wrote.For Kansas, the most promising but quixotic roadmap comes from its western neighbor, Colorado. <a target="_blank" href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1261">Through recent legislation</a>, the state provided emissions standards with ambitious deadlines, including a 90% reduction below 2005 levels by 2050.&nbsp;You don’t have to <a target="_blank" href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1261">research the bill</a>
 extensively to see how much of a political long shot it would be in 
Kansas. The four sponsors are Democratic representatives. The bill 
passed without a single Republican vote. Imagine the conservative 
legislature in Kansas creating goals for “statewide greenhouse pollution
 goals” while also appropriating state funding toward the problem.Even if Kansan leaped into action, we
 would still need coordinated national intervention. Astor wrote for the
 New York Times that the more local “approach is no substitute for a 
coordinated national strategy. Local governments have limited reach, 
authority and funding.”Our collective failing here is epic. 
Past generations have winced to look back at their moral failings: 
slavery, segregation, protracted wars, discrimination based on sexual 
orientation.Our failure on climate change is 
similar in that the solution is political. However, its effects are even
 larger. Solving our heating earth is an existential and global crisis.In this atmosphere of obstructionism 
on climate change, it’s grinding to continue with polite conversations 
about the weather. When I hear the complaints about the heat, I want to 
ask, “What steps do you think our city, state and country should take to
 slow down this oncoming stifling melt?”But that wouldn’t be polite, would it?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.&nbsp;

OPINION: We’re melting as we banter about the Kan. weather

In 1977, I was 2nd&nbsp;Lieutenant in the Army assigned to Medical Company C, which we called “Charlie Med” at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Sergeant&nbsp;Parenza&nbsp;(name changed), knocked on my door one afternoon and asked if she could talk to me about one of her Soldiers,&nbsp;who was pregnant out of wedlock and&nbsp;had three previous abortions. The young lady, visibly distressed, came in with SGT&nbsp;Parenza&nbsp;to explain her situation.&nbsp;She told me about having&nbsp;three&nbsp;previous abortions, saying she&nbsp;didn’t want to have another one but didn’t know what else she could do.

Without much hesitation, I asked why she didn’t want to have another abortion. &nbsp;She described the distress and&nbsp;deep&nbsp;depression she felt after each abortion&nbsp;and said&nbsp;she didn’t know of any other choice at&nbsp;those&nbsp;times or now. &nbsp;She was clearly showing her&nbsp;stage of&nbsp;pregnancy at that time so I figured she had been struggling with this decision for some time. &nbsp;Her income level&nbsp;was very low as a young Private in the Army&nbsp;and&nbsp;she was required&nbsp;to live in the barracks where only single Soldiers could live.&nbsp;&nbsp;She couldn’t afford to live in an apartment and didn’t have anyone to help her. &nbsp;She was clearly in a deep personal and professional crisis.

I wasn’t an advocate for or against abortion at that time but I&nbsp;was taught and believed that all human life is sacred. I&nbsp;also&nbsp;knew that there were organizations that were set up to help women with crisis pregnancies. &nbsp;I told her that SGT&nbsp;Parenza&nbsp;and I would look into some possibilities and would&nbsp;let her know what we found out.

A few days later, we met again&nbsp;and gave her the information about organizations who&nbsp;could help her&nbsp;keep the baby or give it up for adoption,&nbsp;if she so chose. &nbsp;The look on her face was disbelief and she immediately asked me,“Sir, you mean I don’t have to have&nbsp;an abortion again?”&nbsp;&nbsp;I told her, “No, Sophia, you do&nbsp;not have to have an abortion, if you&nbsp;don’t want to." I could sense deep relief, if not hope, as she left my office,&nbsp;elated and&nbsp;with&nbsp;a huge smile on her face.

A number of&nbsp;months passed and I had a knock on my office door at “Charlie Med”&nbsp;one morning. In walked&nbsp;the young Private (Sophia)&nbsp;holding&nbsp;a&nbsp;beautiful little baby girl. &nbsp;She said to me: “Sir, remember when we talked last and you said I didn’t have to have an abortion because there were people who would help me? Look at my baby! They helped me. I can’t believe I am holding her right now!” &nbsp;

It was&nbsp;an&nbsp;absolutely&nbsp;priceless moment&nbsp;and&nbsp;it was&nbsp;one of those “signature&nbsp;experiences”&nbsp;in my life&nbsp;that solidified&nbsp;me in my beliefs.&nbsp;I&nbsp;may have been&nbsp;nothing more than&nbsp;an instrument of hope&nbsp;in a crisis&nbsp;moment for this young Soldier,&nbsp;but the experience&nbsp;has&nbsp;affected me for life,&nbsp;as it did herholding that beautiful precious&nbsp;baby girl.

Seared into my mind,&nbsp;from that experience,&nbsp;was the desire&nbsp;to give hope for life-affirming alternatives to women caught&nbsp;in such crises, &nbsp;especially in today’s&nbsp;society where the&nbsp;right to choose&nbsp;almost&nbsp;anything&nbsp;—&nbsp;“for me”&nbsp;—&nbsp;is&nbsp;the&nbsp;dominant&nbsp;determinant over an issue&nbsp;so important as:choosing life for a&nbsp;defenseless child&nbsp;in the womb.&nbsp;This young Private&nbsp;stepped beyond her immediate needs and&nbsp;decided, over all other&nbsp;frightening&nbsp;issues, to give that baby the chance for a full life.&nbsp;After seeing her&nbsp;beautiful baby girl,&nbsp;I was reminded graphically,&nbsp;that the voiceless, defenseless person in a difficult pregnancy — the unborn child — must be considered&nbsp;and valued – in itself - if we are to remain a just society.

This is&nbsp;controversial&nbsp;in today’s society, but we must ask&nbsp;ourselves&nbsp;a central question: Is&nbsp;the emphasis almost&nbsp;exclusively on the woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy,&nbsp;therefore&nbsp;compelling&nbsp;some to make&nbsp;that selection&nbsp;because they don’t see alternatives?&nbsp;Could&nbsp;we not reduce the&nbsp;urgency&nbsp;to terminate&nbsp;a pregnancy&nbsp;and&nbsp;rather&nbsp;increase&nbsp;and promote life-giving, healthy opportunities for women's access to life-affirming alternatives?&nbsp;Too often, perhaps because the unborn child cannot speak, possibly&nbsp;to&nbsp;dull&nbsp;the&nbsp;potential&nbsp;guilt&nbsp;of terminating the child’s life,&nbsp;or&nbsp;perhaps because we cannot be assured of the future; we reduce choice to what it does for the&nbsp;distressed mother&nbsp;and&nbsp;we therefore fail&nbsp;to weigh-in&nbsp;the&nbsp;“life cost”&nbsp;to a defenseless, silent, invisible son or daughter.&nbsp;That is, in fact, what they are&nbsp;—&nbsp;a&nbsp;son or daughter.

The “Value Them Both” amendment to our Kansas Constitution on the ballot on Aug. 2.&nbsp;isn’t something earthshaking, but it does bring the issues of life, death, quality of care, support for women, and a potential voice for the most defenseless, to the vote of the people through the officials they elect. It then rests upon us to exercise our own vote to elect responsible and accountable legislators.

I will support the Value Them Both amendment. &nbsp;May we always champion&nbsp;to support&nbsp;life&nbsp;of both the mother and the child&nbsp;and assist them throughout their lives for their good and the good of all! &nbsp;

In 1977, I was 2nd&nbsp;Lieutenant in the Army assigned to Medical Company C, which we called “Charlie Med” at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Sergeant&nbsp;Parenza&nbsp;(name changed), knocked on my door one afternoon and asked if she could talk to me about one of her Soldiers,&nbsp;who was pregnant out of wedlock and&nbsp;had three previous abortions. The young lady, visibly distressed, came in with SGT&nbsp;Parenza&nbsp;to explain her situation.&nbsp;She told me about having&nbsp;three&nbsp;previous abortions, saying she&nbsp;didn’t want to have another one but didn’t know what else she could do.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="opinion" />
 <figcaption>opinion</figcaption>
 </figure>Without much hesitation, I asked why she didn’t want to have another abortion. &nbsp;She described the distress and&nbsp;deep&nbsp;depression she felt after each abortion&nbsp;and said&nbsp;she didn’t know of any other choice at&nbsp;those&nbsp;times or now. &nbsp;She was clearly showing her&nbsp;stage of&nbsp;pregnancy at that time so I figured she had been struggling with this decision for some time. &nbsp;Her income level&nbsp;was very low as a young Private in the Army&nbsp;and&nbsp;she was required&nbsp;to live in the barracks where only single Soldiers could live.&nbsp;&nbsp;She couldn’t afford to live in an apartment and didn’t have anyone to help her. &nbsp;She was clearly in a deep personal and professional crisis.I wasn’t an advocate for or against abortion at that time but I&nbsp;was taught and believed that all human life is sacred. I&nbsp;also&nbsp;knew that there were organizations that were set up to help women with crisis pregnancies. &nbsp;I told her that SGT&nbsp;Parenza&nbsp;and I would look into some possibilities and would&nbsp;let her know what we found out.A few days later, we met again&nbsp;and gave her the information about organizations who&nbsp;could help her&nbsp;keep the baby or give it up for adoption,&nbsp;if she so chose. &nbsp;The look on her face was disbelief and she immediately asked me,“Sir, you mean I don’t have to have&nbsp;an abortion again?”&nbsp;&nbsp;I told her, “No, Sophia, you do&nbsp;not have to have an abortion, if you&nbsp;don’t want to." I could sense deep relief, if not hope, as she left my office,&nbsp;elated and&nbsp;with&nbsp;a huge smile on her face.A number of&nbsp;months passed and I had a knock on my office door at “Charlie Med”&nbsp;one morning. In walked&nbsp;the young Private (Sophia)&nbsp;holding&nbsp;a&nbsp;beautiful little baby girl. &nbsp;She said to me: “Sir, remember when we talked last and you said I didn’t have to have an abortion because there were people who would help me? Look at my baby! They helped me. I can’t believe I am holding her right now!” &nbsp;It was&nbsp;an&nbsp;absolutely&nbsp;priceless moment&nbsp;and&nbsp;it was&nbsp;one of those “signature&nbsp;experiences”&nbsp;in my life&nbsp;that solidified&nbsp;me in my beliefs.&nbsp;I&nbsp;may have been&nbsp;nothing more than&nbsp;an instrument of hope&nbsp;in a crisis&nbsp;moment for this young Soldier,&nbsp;but the experience&nbsp;has&nbsp;affected me for life,&nbsp;as it did herholding that beautiful precious&nbsp;baby girl.Seared into my mind,&nbsp;from that experience,&nbsp;was the desire&nbsp;to give hope for life-affirming alternatives to women caught&nbsp;in such crises, &nbsp;especially in today’s&nbsp;society where the&nbsp;right to choose&nbsp;almost&nbsp;anything&nbsp;—&nbsp;“for me”&nbsp;—&nbsp;is&nbsp;the&nbsp;dominant&nbsp;determinant over an issue&nbsp;so important as:choosing life for a&nbsp;defenseless child&nbsp;in the womb.&nbsp;This young Private&nbsp;stepped beyond her immediate needs and&nbsp;decided, over all other&nbsp;frightening&nbsp;issues, to give that baby the chance for a full life.&nbsp;After seeing her&nbsp;beautiful baby girl,&nbsp;I was reminded graphically,&nbsp;that the voiceless, defenseless person in a difficult pregnancy — the unborn child — must be considered&nbsp;and valued – in itself - if we are to remain a just society.This is&nbsp;controversial&nbsp;in today’s society, but we must ask&nbsp;ourselves&nbsp;a central question: Is&nbsp;the emphasis almost&nbsp;exclusively on the woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy,&nbsp;therefore&nbsp;compelling&nbsp;some to make&nbsp;that selection&nbsp;because they don’t see alternatives?&nbsp;Could&nbsp;we not reduce the&nbsp;urgency&nbsp;to terminate&nbsp;a pregnancy&nbsp;and&nbsp;rather&nbsp;increase&nbsp;and promote life-giving, healthy opportunities for women's access to life-affirming alternatives?&nbsp;Too often, perhaps because the unborn child cannot speak, possibly&nbsp;to&nbsp;dull&nbsp;the&nbsp;potential&nbsp;guilt&nbsp;of terminating the child’s life,&nbsp;or&nbsp;perhaps because we cannot be assured of the future; we reduce choice to what it does for the&nbsp;distressed mother&nbsp;and&nbsp;we therefore fail&nbsp;to weigh-in&nbsp;the&nbsp;“life cost”&nbsp;to a defenseless, silent, invisible son or daughter.&nbsp;That is, in fact, what they are&nbsp;—&nbsp;a&nbsp;son or daughter.The “Value Them Both” amendment to our Kansas Constitution on the ballot on Aug. 2.&nbsp;isn’t something earthshaking, but it does bring the issues of life, death, quality of care, support for women, and a potential voice for the most defenseless, to the vote of the people through the officials they elect. It then rests upon us to exercise our own vote to elect responsible and accountable legislators.I will support the Value Them Both amendment. &nbsp;May we always champion&nbsp;to support&nbsp;life&nbsp;of both the mother and the child&nbsp;and assist them throughout their lives for their good and the good of all! &nbsp;Allen Schmidt, Hays

LETTER: Taught to choose life by a young Army private

If you live in the Hays community or have recently visited, you are probably well aware of several recent construction projects on our beautiful campus, including the Center for Applied Technology, the Schmidt Foundation Center for Art and Design, and the Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success.&nbsp;The opening of a new building on our campus gives us an opportunity to re-envision how a physical space can directly enhance teaching, learning, and student success.&nbsp;These new spaces were intentionally designed to meet our students’ evolving educational, social, physical space, and technology needs.

The summer meeting of our Alumni Board included a tour of our newer facilities. While touring Rarick Hall, our group bumped into Dr. Paul Adams, Dean of the College of Education. Impromptu, he was asked to discuss the reimagination of teacher education via the renovation.&nbsp;

The narrative that follows is based on Paul’s description of the reimagined teacher education spaces&nbsp;in&nbsp;Rarick Hall.&nbsp;

One of the things we wanted to do for a long time was to have a room that models the environment and furniture types and arrangements our future teachers would see in the classrooms where they will launch their careers. We wanted to create a state-of-the-practice teaching laboratory.&nbsp;

We gathered faculty members who&nbsp;had&nbsp;recent experience in school classrooms&nbsp;and asked them toenvision a space to meet the experiential learning needs of our students and keep them “ahead of the game.” We brought our students into the discussion by asking them what they thought would make this teaching laboratory an excellent resource for collaborative learning. The thoughtfulness behind this whole process, as described by Dean Adams, was very impressive.

What we heard from our&nbsp;teacher education&nbsp;students is the importance they place on learning environments that promote&nbsp;close collaboration with their peers. The Teaching Laboratory space was designed with this in mind. Everything in the lab was built to provide a high level of flexibility and to enhance teaching and learning. The area includes, for example, a u-shaped table with&nbsp;movable&nbsp;chairs around it. There are rocking stools that can easily be moved around the room. There&nbsp;are modular tables with whiteboard&nbsp;surfaces that can be placed together like puzzle pieces&nbsp;allowing multiple configurations&nbsp;to support students working in small and&nbsp;large groups.Other&nbsp;tables in the room&nbsp;have&nbsp;whiteboard&nbsp;surfaces that&nbsp;students&nbsp;can&nbsp;gather around as they work.

Another innovative space in Rarick Hall is the Tiger Stripes Lounge. It replaced the Instructional Resource Center (IRC). Previously, the IRC covered most of the central portion of the 2nd floor of Rarick Hall and was a repository for textbooks, teaching materials, and anything one might need to borrow for a classroom. With a wealth of online resources preferred and readily available, this space reflects how students now use learning resources and technology. We’ve also installed a 75-inch screen projection Smart TV that students can log into that includes a touch screen to facilitate collaborative work. Users can also meet via Zoom.

Of course, we haven’t forgotten some of the basics. We still have paper cutters, colored paperrolls for bulletin board construction, a laminator, and die cutters. We will install even more&nbsp;technology soon. Students asked us to keep a collection of books in the lounge, specifically&nbsp;trade&nbsp;books for future elementary school teachers to use in their coursework. We built a beautiful bookcase and will soon add a collection of Caldecott and Newbery Award-winning books.

Adjacent to the Tiger Stripes Lounge is a great place for aspiring teachers to get together: a conference room that can also double as a quiet study space. “This is one of the things we didn’t have before, a space like this one that our students designed. We feel this is very important,” said Adams.

Our tour of Rarick Hall then took us to the first floor and another reimagined space. Before the building was renovated, students didn’t really have a place to get together right before or between classes to prepare for a team presentation or read and do homework. So, one of the ideas was to turn the large and soon-to-be-vacated “Foundry” space into something useful. Today, the Foundry is a well-lit and open gathering space for all students, not just College of Education students. The area includes small meeting rooms with smart TVs, rolling whiteboards, free-standing tables, restaurant-style booths, and vending machines.&nbsp;

Outside the Foundry space, we’ve installed picnic tables, outlets for various devices, and of course, Wi-Fi reception. And we’ve installed landscaping that creates a beautiful open-air setting for community gatherings, quiet study&nbsp;or just relaxing between classes.

The intentionality built into the Rarick Hall renovation is also apparent in the smallest details. Additional benches and furniture create nooks for students are new features on some floors. We’ve also installed more glass boards for students to brainstorm, solve problems, or doodle. Faculty can also use this space for small group work during class.&nbsp;

So, when you come to Rarick Hall, take a moment and wander a bit. I think, like me, you will marvel at the remarkable transformation of this facility.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575302025343.png" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>If you live in the Hays community or have recently visited, you are probably well aware of several recent construction projects on our beautiful campus, including the Center for Applied Technology, the Schmidt Foundation Center for Art and Design, and the Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success.&nbsp;The opening of a new building on our campus gives us an opportunity to re-envision how a physical space can directly enhance teaching, learning, and student success.&nbsp;These new spaces were intentionally designed to meet our students’ evolving educational, social, physical space, and technology needs.The summer meeting of our Alumni Board included a tour of our newer facilities. While touring Rarick Hall, our group bumped into Dr. Paul Adams, Dean of the College of Education. Impromptu, he was asked to discuss the reimagination of teacher education via the renovation.&nbsp;The narrative that follows is based on Paul’s description of the reimagined teacher education spaces&nbsp;in&nbsp;Rarick Hall.&nbsp;One of the things we wanted to do for a long time was to have a room that models the environment and furniture types and arrangements our future teachers would see in the classrooms where they will launch their careers. We wanted to create a state-of-the-practice teaching laboratory.&nbsp;We gathered faculty members who&nbsp;had&nbsp;recent experience in school classrooms&nbsp;and asked them toenvision a space to meet the experiential learning needs of our students and keep them “ahead of the game.” We brought our students into the discussion by asking them what they thought would make this teaching laboratory an excellent resource for collaborative learning. The thoughtfulness behind this whole process, as described by Dean Adams, was very impressive.What we heard from our&nbsp;teacher education&nbsp;students is the importance they place on learning environments that promote&nbsp;close collaboration with their peers. The Teaching Laboratory space was designed with this in mind. Everything in the lab was built to provide a high level of flexibility and to enhance teaching and learning. The area includes, for example, a u-shaped table with&nbsp;movable&nbsp;chairs around it. There are rocking stools that can easily be moved around the room. There&nbsp;are modular tables with whiteboard&nbsp;surfaces that can be placed together like puzzle pieces&nbsp;allowing multiple configurations&nbsp;to support students working in small and&nbsp;large groups.Other&nbsp;tables in the room&nbsp;have&nbsp;whiteboard&nbsp;surfaces that&nbsp;students&nbsp;can&nbsp;gather around as they work.Another innovative space in Rarick Hall is the Tiger Stripes Lounge. It replaced the Instructional Resource Center (IRC). Previously, the IRC covered most of the central portion of the 2nd floor of Rarick Hall and was a repository for textbooks, teaching materials, and anything one might need to borrow for a classroom. With a wealth of online resources preferred and readily available, this space reflects how students now use learning resources and technology. We’ve also installed a 75-inch screen projection Smart TV that students can log into that includes a touch screen to facilitate collaborative work. Users can also meet via Zoom.Of course, we haven’t forgotten some of the basics. We still have paper cutters, colored paperrolls for bulletin board construction, a laminator, and die cutters. We will install even more&nbsp;technology soon. Students asked us to keep a collection of books in the lounge, specifically&nbsp;trade&nbsp;books for future elementary school teachers to use in their coursework. We built a beautiful bookcase and will soon add a collection of Caldecott and Newbery Award-winning books.Adjacent to the Tiger Stripes Lounge is a great place for aspiring teachers to get together: a conference room that can also double as a quiet study space. “This is one of the things we didn’t have before, a space like this one that our students designed. We feel this is very important,” said Adams.Our tour of Rarick Hall then took us to the first floor and another reimagined space. Before the building was renovated, students didn’t really have a place to get together right before or between classes to prepare for a team presentation or read and do homework. So, one of the ideas was to turn the large and soon-to-be-vacated “Foundry” space into something useful. Today, the Foundry is a well-lit and open gathering space for all students, not just College of Education students. The area includes small meeting rooms with smart TVs, rolling whiteboards, free-standing tables, restaurant-style booths, and vending machines.&nbsp;Outside the Foundry space, we’ve installed picnic tables, outlets for various devices, and of course, Wi-Fi reception. And we’ve installed landscaping that creates a beautiful open-air setting for community gatherings, quiet study&nbsp;or just relaxing between classes.The intentionality built into the Rarick Hall renovation is also apparent in the smallest details. Additional benches and furniture create nooks for students are new features on some floors. We’ve also installed more glass boards for students to brainstorm, solve problems, or doodle. Faculty can also use this space for small group work during class.&nbsp;So, when you come to Rarick Hall, take a moment and wander a bit. I think, like me, you will marvel at the remarkable transformation of this facility.&nbsp;

MASON: Intentionality — the Rarick Hall Renovation Project

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher

It’s ironic how I checked my weather app multiple times daily as we harvested wheat in June. We wanted to get the crop out of the fields before the summer storms rolled in, which always offers the potential of damaging hail or winds and could put harvest on hold while things would need to dry up.&nbsp; &nbsp; Now that harvest is over, I check my weather app multiple times daily to see if there is a small chance of rain or lower temperatures in the July forecast. &nbsp; No matter the number of times I tap on the weather app on my phone, no matter what 10-day forecast I look at, and no matter who the meteorologist is on the television, the triple digits have not budged, and I’ve accepted that we’re in for an excessively hot, dry spell. &nbsp; The crops currently growing on our farm are on a combination of dryland and irrigated acres. The sorghum, corn and soybeans growing on our dryland acres will soon show how much they can truly tolerate drought. The crops on our irrigated acres will also show their heat tolerance.&nbsp; &nbsp; While I am concerned for the crops that will not see a break in hot, dry temperatures as they attempt to grow, I’m incredibly concerned about the animals and the people. &nbsp; While there will be many people who will seek refuge in air-conditioned environments, farmers and ranchers will continue to be out in the elements ensuring their livestock have plenty of water and the irrigation systems are maintained and continue to run.&nbsp;They will also be out in these elements when things go down and need fixed.&nbsp; &nbsp; Early in my marriage I remember spending a couple very long, hot days helping my husband and father-in-law repair an irrigation well in triple-digit heat. While we made sure to stay hydrated, the heat was oppressive. It had a toll on my body, and it took me a number of days to “get back to normal.” &nbsp; Aside from the continued work farmers and ranchers will be doing on their operations during this heat, youth fairs are right around the corner. As a kid, I always looked forward to taking my cattle to the summer fair.&nbsp; &nbsp; It was fun to live in the barns for a few days with my friends during fair time. We’d sit and play cards on our showboxes while our cattle rested with misters and industrial fans pointed on them. There was always an endless supply of ice-cold drinks in cans and pouches stored in large coolers nearby. The random pop-up water fights in the wash racks in the evenings after the animals had been fed, watered and tied out for the night was also guaranteed. &nbsp; While I hope the kids enjoy their fair experiences this year, I know they will be working extra hard to keep their livestock hydrated and cooled while they also spend their days in this heat. &nbsp; During this heat spell, it is my hope that your loved ones, co-workers and employees are staying hydrated. Keep extra water on hand – including in your vehicles. Pace yourself and know when it's time to take a break and then take it. Monitor those who spend extra time outdoors and offer grace to those who come home at night exhausted from the heat while caring for the crops and livestock.&nbsp; &nbsp; This season shall pass; but while we’re living in it, keep track of others and yourself.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancherIt’s ironic how I checked my weather app multiple times daily as we harvested wheat in June. We wanted to get the crop out of the fields before the summer storms rolled in, which always offers the potential of damaging hail or winds and could put harvest on hold while things would need to dry up.&nbsp; &nbsp; Now that harvest is over, I check my weather app multiple times daily to see if there is a small chance of rain or lower temperatures in the July forecast. &nbsp; No matter the number of times I tap on the weather app on my phone, no matter what 10-day forecast I look at, and no matter who the meteorologist is on the television, the triple digits have not budged, and I’ve accepted that we’re in for an excessively hot, dry spell. &nbsp; The crops currently growing on our farm are on a combination of dryland and irrigated acres. The sorghum, corn and soybeans growing on our dryland acres will soon show how much they can truly tolerate drought. The crops on our irrigated acres will also show their heat tolerance.&nbsp; &nbsp; While I am concerned for the crops that will not see a break in hot, dry temperatures as they attempt to grow, I’m incredibly concerned about the animals and the people. &nbsp; While there will be many people who will seek refuge in air-conditioned environments, farmers and ranchers will continue to be out in the elements ensuring their livestock have plenty of water and the irrigation systems are maintained and continue to run.&nbsp;They will also be out in these elements when things go down and need fixed.&nbsp; &nbsp; Early in my marriage I remember spending a couple very long, hot days helping my husband and father-in-law repair an irrigation well in triple-digit heat. While we made sure to stay hydrated, the heat was oppressive. It had a toll on my body, and it took me a number of days to “get back to normal.” &nbsp; Aside from the continued work farmers and ranchers will be doing on their operations during this heat, youth fairs are right around the corner. As a kid, I always looked forward to taking my cattle to the summer fair.&nbsp; &nbsp; It was fun to live in the barns for a few days with my friends during fair time. We’d sit and play cards on our showboxes while our cattle rested with misters and industrial fans pointed on them. There was always an endless supply of ice-cold drinks in cans and pouches stored in large coolers nearby. The random pop-up water fights in the wash racks in the evenings after the animals had been fed, watered and tied out for the night was also guaranteed. &nbsp; While I hope the kids enjoy their fair experiences this year, I know they will be working extra hard to keep their livestock hydrated and cooled while they also spend their days in this heat. &nbsp; During this heat spell, it is my hope that your loved ones, co-workers and employees are staying hydrated. Keep extra water on hand – including in your vehicles. Pace yourself and know when it's time to take a break and then take it. Monitor those who spend extra time outdoors and offer grace to those who come home at night exhausted from the heat while caring for the crops and livestock.&nbsp; &nbsp; This season shall pass; but while we’re living in it, keep track of others and yourself.&nbsp;"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Surviving summer

One of my favorite movie quotes is the&nbsp;Field of Dreams&nbsp;“I you build it, they will come.”&nbsp;This mantra works in more places than an Iowa cornfield.&nbsp;

We recently returned to western Kansas after a six-year hiatus in northwest Wyoming. Both landscapes offer&nbsp;open space,&nbsp;inspiring western skies, and&nbsp;lots of&nbsp;bird&nbsp;species. In Wyoming we lived near a river and creek that made it easy to recruit&nbsp;species including grossbeaks and tanagers&nbsp;to our&nbsp;tall spruce and cottonwood trees&nbsp;and our big lilac bushes. Our new home has an old ash and several tall pines, but other than sparrows, robins, and grackles, we&nbsp;saw&nbsp;little variety&nbsp;during our first months calling this home.&nbsp;

That’s where the&nbsp;“If you build it, they will come,” quote comes into play. We&nbsp;put&nbsp;5&nbsp;bird bathsaround the yard, planted bushes&nbsp;to&nbsp;hide&nbsp;them&nbsp;once the seedlings grow, and we put in a big garden. Initially, that was for us, but we’ve discovered that our squash, corn, and tomato plants&nbsp;serve as&nbsp;perches that provide the birds with tasty insects as well as observation posts.&nbsp;Yesterday, a hungry robin&nbsp;offered&nbsp;natural&nbsp;insect control when she&nbsp;spied&nbsp;live protein crawling near a cabbage plant.&nbsp;

Hoping we had orioles in the neighborhood, we&nbsp;served&nbsp;grape jelly in an easy-to-perch on dish and oranges sliced in half on a sturdy log.&nbsp;It wasn’t long til we saw not one species but two of orioles visiting our offerings. Pairs of bullock and orchard orioles visited our&nbsp;diner several times a day, taking turns snacking on sweet stuff and picking at orange flesh. Following their meal, they&nbsp;flitted to&nbsp;a&nbsp;bird bath mostly for a drink but sometimes for an entertaining&nbsp;splash bath.&nbsp;The dining room window offers a perfect view of their antics&nbsp;where we can spy undetected.

In Wyoming, hummingbirds called our yard home from late June to late August. We found out that house finches had a sweet tooth and could siphon sugar water from our feeders every bit as&nbsp;well&nbsp;as hummingbirds&nbsp;could.&nbsp;

Here in Kansas, once we offered water, bird seeds, and&nbsp;protective perches, multiple house finches relocated&nbsp;to our yard. We may not have a humming bird feeder out, but they like grape jelly and oranges every bit as much as orioles do.

Though they aren’t interested in our oriole food or bird seeds, western king birds have discovered fresh meat&nbsp;flitting above the garden. These saucy, flying&nbsp;attitudes&nbsp;perform dazzling aerobatics&nbsp;while&nbsp;squabbling with one another before&nbsp;they snag&nbsp;their dinner. I’m glad they joined the menagerie because the&nbsp;bullying&nbsp;grackles don’t intimidate them one bit.&nbsp;In fact, I’ve watched more than one nasty black and iridescent blue tyrant hightail it to a&nbsp;distant neighbor&nbsp;to avoid these&nbsp;airborne&nbsp;warriors.

Now that It’s mid-July, we watch fledged young learn&nbsp;from their parents as they visit the garden, feeders, and bird baths. One&nbsp;juvenile&nbsp;oriole&nbsp;perched&nbsp;unsteadily&nbsp;on&nbsp;waving&nbsp;corn&nbsp;tassels&nbsp;was&nbsp;bound and determined&nbsp;its parents&nbsp;would hunt and put&nbsp;insects&nbsp;in its mouth.&nbsp;Dad cared for&nbsp;the&nbsp;little squawker that day, but&nbsp;my money says&nbsp;free meals end soon.

We still hope&nbsp;to hear a cardinal’s&nbsp;lilting&nbsp;song&nbsp;and&nbsp;see red flashes&nbsp;through&nbsp;pine branches. Based on&nbsp;the number of new birds that have shown up so far,&nbsp;it will happen. When it does, you’ll read about&nbsp;it.&nbsp;

Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINOne of my favorite movie quotes is the&nbsp;Field of Dreams&nbsp;“I you build it, they will come.”&nbsp;This mantra works in more places than an Iowa cornfield.&nbsp;We recently returned to western Kansas after a six-year hiatus in northwest Wyoming. Both landscapes offer&nbsp;open space,&nbsp;inspiring western skies, and&nbsp;lots of&nbsp;bird&nbsp;species. In Wyoming we lived near a river and creek that made it easy to recruit&nbsp;species including grossbeaks and tanagers&nbsp;to our&nbsp;tall spruce and cottonwood trees&nbsp;and our big lilac bushes. Our new home has an old ash and several tall pines, but other than sparrows, robins, and grackles, we&nbsp;saw&nbsp;little variety&nbsp;during our first months calling this home.&nbsp;That’s where the&nbsp;“If you build it, they will come,” quote comes into play. We&nbsp;put&nbsp;5&nbsp;bird bathsaround the yard, planted bushes&nbsp;to&nbsp;hide&nbsp;them&nbsp;once the seedlings grow, and we put in a big garden. Initially, that was for us, but we’ve discovered that our squash, corn, and tomato plants&nbsp;serve as&nbsp;perches that provide the birds with tasty insects as well as observation posts.&nbsp;Yesterday, a hungry robin&nbsp;offered&nbsp;natural&nbsp;insect control when she&nbsp;spied&nbsp;live protein crawling near a cabbage plant.&nbsp;Hoping we had orioles in the neighborhood, we&nbsp;served&nbsp;grape jelly in an easy-to-perch on dish and oranges sliced in half on a sturdy log.&nbsp;It wasn’t long til we saw not one species but two of orioles visiting our offerings. Pairs of bullock and orchard orioles visited our&nbsp;diner several times a day, taking turns snacking on sweet stuff and picking at orange flesh. Following their meal, they&nbsp;flitted to&nbsp;a&nbsp;bird bath mostly for a drink but sometimes for an entertaining&nbsp;splash bath.&nbsp;The dining room window offers a perfect view of their antics&nbsp;where we can spy undetected.In Wyoming, hummingbirds called our yard home from late June to late August. We found out that house finches had a sweet tooth and could siphon sugar water from our feeders every bit as&nbsp;well&nbsp;as hummingbirds&nbsp;could.&nbsp;Here in Kansas, once we offered water, bird seeds, and&nbsp;protective perches, multiple house finches relocated&nbsp;to our yard. We may not have a humming bird feeder out, but they like grape jelly and oranges every bit as much as orioles do.Though they aren’t interested in our oriole food or bird seeds, western king birds have discovered fresh meat&nbsp;flitting above the garden. These saucy, flying&nbsp;attitudes&nbsp;perform dazzling aerobatics&nbsp;while&nbsp;squabbling with one another before&nbsp;they snag&nbsp;their dinner. I’m glad they joined the menagerie because the&nbsp;bullying&nbsp;grackles don’t intimidate them one bit.&nbsp;In fact, I’ve watched more than one nasty black and iridescent blue tyrant hightail it to a&nbsp;distant neighbor&nbsp;to avoid these&nbsp;airborne&nbsp;warriors.Now that It’s mid-July, we watch fledged young learn&nbsp;from their parents as they visit the garden, feeders, and bird baths. One&nbsp;juvenile&nbsp;oriole&nbsp;perched&nbsp;unsteadily&nbsp;on&nbsp;waving&nbsp;corn&nbsp;tassels&nbsp;was&nbsp;bound and determined&nbsp;its parents&nbsp;would hunt and put&nbsp;insects&nbsp;in its mouth.&nbsp;Dad cared for&nbsp;the&nbsp;little squawker that day, but&nbsp;my money says&nbsp;free meals end soon.We still hope&nbsp;to hear a cardinal’s&nbsp;lilting&nbsp;song&nbsp;and&nbsp;see red flashes&nbsp;through&nbsp;pine branches. Based on&nbsp;the number of new birds that have shown up so far,&nbsp;it will happen. When it does, you’ll read about&nbsp;it.&nbsp;Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: If you build it, they will come

With all of the attention being focused on the proposed “Value Them Both” constitutional amendment, Kansas voters may be wondering what else will be on their ballots this Aug. 2.

Kansas’ party primaries will be on that ballot. Voters must be registered as members of a particular party in order to vote in that party’s primary. The last date that one may change one’s party registration this year was back on June 1. Voters registered as unaffiliated may change their party affiliation at the polls and then vote in that party’s primary.&nbsp;&nbsp;From then onward, they will be registered as members of that party unless they choose to change it again, in which case they must do so by the next deadline.

Many Kansans will find themselves voting in new districts this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Centered on Johnson County, the KC-area Third Congressional District loses most of Wyandotte County to the Second and gains the rest of Miami along with all of Anderson and Franklin Counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Second District loses Lawrence (but not the rest of Douglas County) to the “Big First” district of central and western Kansas, while several counties in east-central Kansas move from the Big First to the Second.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are numerous changes to the statehouse maps as well.

State house and state senate primaries are quieter this year than in the recent past, for several reasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;First, most moderate Republicans have now switched parties or left politics altogether.&nbsp;&nbsp;Second, this year’s redistricting complicated early candidate filing by making it difficult to determine one’s new district until the last minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, the heavy publicity given to the constitutional amendment is crowding out attention to the primary races.&nbsp;&nbsp;One notable exception—Wyandotte County Representative Aaron Coleman faces two Democratic primary opponents, both Latina women.&nbsp;&nbsp;Elected at 21 years old, Coleman is vulnerable after facing numerous charges of domestic abuse and battery.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, his two opponents may split the opposition vote.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt has no serious opposition to become the Republican nominee challenging Governor Kelly, who in turn is unopposed in the Democratic primary.&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead, the primary race to watch is the GOP contest for Attorney General.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perennial firebrand Kris Kobach faces challenges from State Senator Kellie Warren and former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi.&nbsp;&nbsp;All stress their conservative credentials, including opposition to numerous Biden Administration initiatives (some of which they mischaracterize), and a promise to “get tough on crime.”&nbsp;&nbsp;A lawyer from Johnson County, Warren promises to avoid Kobach’s missteps.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her experience is mostly in civil law, while Mattivi’s is in criminal law.&nbsp;&nbsp;These two risk splitting the anybody-but-Kobach vote and allowing him to win, a repeat of the 2018 gubernatorial primary.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most observers think that that Kobach will be the most vulnerable to unopposed Democratic challenger Chris Mann, who has experience as both a law enforcement officer and an attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There is also a race for Secretary of State, a job which includes overseeing elections.&nbsp;&nbsp;Republican incumbent Scott Schwab appears to have the edge over “Big Lie” proponent Mike Brown, who falsely claims that widespread election fraud changed the results of the 2020 Presidential election.&nbsp;&nbsp;Schwab carefully threads the needle by stating that no such fraud occurred&nbsp;in Kansas—which is true, but he neglects to mention that it did not occur in other states, either.&nbsp;&nbsp;Big Lie proponents have caused major disruptions in Michigan and other state primaries this year.

As things wind down toward Aug. 2, expect advertising and candidate appearances to heat up, fighting to steal a little attention from the proposed constitutional amendment.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>With all of the attention being focused on the proposed “Value Them Both” constitutional amendment, Kansas voters may be wondering what else will be on their ballots this Aug. 2.Kansas’ party primaries will be on that ballot. Voters must be registered as members of a particular party in order to vote in that party’s primary. The last date that one may change one’s party registration this year was back on June 1. Voters registered as unaffiliated may change their party affiliation at the polls and then vote in that party’s primary.&nbsp;&nbsp;From then onward, they will be registered as members of that party unless they choose to change it again, in which case they must do so by the next deadline.Many Kansans will find themselves voting in new districts this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Centered on Johnson County, the KC-area Third Congressional District loses most of Wyandotte County to the Second and gains the rest of Miami along with all of Anderson and Franklin Counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Second District loses Lawrence (but not the rest of Douglas County) to the “Big First” district of central and western Kansas, while several counties in east-central Kansas move from the Big First to the Second.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are numerous changes to the statehouse maps as well.State house and state senate primaries are quieter this year than in the recent past, for several reasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;First, most moderate Republicans have now switched parties or left politics altogether.&nbsp;&nbsp;Second, this year’s redistricting complicated early candidate filing by making it difficult to determine one’s new district until the last minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, the heavy publicity given to the constitutional amendment is crowding out attention to the primary races.&nbsp;&nbsp;One notable exception—Wyandotte County Representative Aaron Coleman faces two Democratic primary opponents, both Latina women.&nbsp;&nbsp;Elected at 21 years old, Coleman is vulnerable after facing numerous charges of domestic abuse and battery.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, his two opponents may split the opposition vote.Attorney General Derek Schmidt has no serious opposition to become the Republican nominee challenging Governor Kelly, who in turn is unopposed in the Democratic primary.&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead, the primary race to watch is the GOP contest for Attorney General.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perennial firebrand Kris Kobach faces challenges from State Senator Kellie Warren and former federal prosecutor Tony Mattivi.&nbsp;&nbsp;All stress their conservative credentials, including opposition to numerous Biden Administration initiatives (some of which they mischaracterize), and a promise to “get tough on crime.”&nbsp;&nbsp;A lawyer from Johnson County, Warren promises to avoid Kobach’s missteps.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her experience is mostly in civil law, while Mattivi’s is in criminal law.&nbsp;&nbsp;These two risk splitting the anybody-but-Kobach vote and allowing him to win, a repeat of the 2018 gubernatorial primary.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most observers think that that Kobach will be the most vulnerable to unopposed Democratic challenger Chris Mann, who has experience as both a law enforcement officer and an attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;There is also a race for Secretary of State, a job which includes overseeing elections.&nbsp;&nbsp;Republican incumbent Scott Schwab appears to have the edge over “Big Lie” proponent Mike Brown, who falsely claims that widespread election fraud changed the results of the 2020 Presidential election.&nbsp;&nbsp;Schwab carefully threads the needle by stating that no such fraud occurred&nbsp;in Kansas—which is true, but he neglects to mention that it did not occur in other states, either.&nbsp;&nbsp;Big Lie proponents have caused major disruptions in Michigan and other state primaries this year.As things wind down toward Aug. 2, expect advertising and candidate appearances to heat up, fighting to steal a little attention from the proposed constitutional amendment.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: What else is on your August ballot?

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/15/what-those-kansas-abortion-amendment-yard-signs-are-really-saying/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Kansas neighborhoods have been 
flaunting new landscaping in the form of political yard signs during the
 run-up to the Aug. 2 vote on whether the state constitution protects 
abortion rights.

As next-door neighbors advertise 
their conflicting worldviews, it’s easy to use the number of yard signs 
on either side as a proxy for the upcoming vote. Whoever has the most 
signs is most likely to win, we think. Some Kansans might be tempted to 
count yard signs.

Or maybe you are using the signs to 
suss out your neighbors’ politics so you don’t say the wrong thing 
during the next Little League game. (You might alternately learn exactly
 who you want to confront at that same ballfield.)

Me? I’m obsessed with the design of these posters and what those decisions say about the groups that made them.

As a lifelong visual communicator, I 
love to pause and stare at the visual choices made by any brand: Juul or
 LEGO or the GOP. I teach my students to critique designs, photos and 
videos for the visual messages they are sending — conscious or not.

After taking my visual storytelling 
class, a student said: “I can’t enjoy anything anymore. I’m constantly 
critiquing the stuff I see.” If she is still curious, this summer’s yard
 signs urging us to vote “yes” or “no” should be giving her lots to 
analyze.

Here’s my breakdown of the visual choices each group made in designing their yard signs.

This sign has been the most common in
 my travels around Kansas, partially because it is just about the only 
“yes” sign I have seen. This kind of unified messaging is a hallmark of 
contemporary conservativism. One bold voice leads an unwavering chorus.&nbsp;

The sign itself is effective in a few
 ways. First, it speaks visually and verbally. The choice of purple is 
sly: it nods to both femininity and royalty. Purple also functions as a 
midpoint between conservative red and liberal blue, positioning the 
pro-life stance as centrist.

The illustration at the left of the 
poster creates a symbol with three literal meanings.&nbsp; The silhouette of a
 mother and a baby — with hands holding one another — is the most 
obvious. The two figures combine to create the outline of a heart, 
although completing the shape of the heart involves decapitating the 
mother, a grim prospect. The other odd twist to the illustration? The 
negative space between the mother and the baby creates the shape of a 
hammer.

The wording of the poster leverages 
one of the biggest advantages provided to those hoping to pass the 
amendment. Because voters will select “yes” on the ballot, the campaign 
poster is able to be positive in its language. Add the exclamation point
 to the all-caps “YES,” and you get a message of enthusiasm. (Imagine 
the scolding tone of an exclamation point combined with “NO” from the 
opposing side.)

The concision of the poster is also 
admirable. It takes just 12 syllables to read the sign aloud. This 
careful word choice allows individual words to be huge for drive-by 
reading.

If the poster for “Value Them Both” 
is able to use positive language, this poster slides into the dreaded 
land of the double-negative. Readers might need a moment to connect the 
slogan with the perspective it advocates. That rhetorical stance hampers
 persuasion.

Reading the final line of the sign — 
“on the constitutional amendment” — seems next to impossible from the 
seat of a passing car. The sentiment — that a constitutional right is at
 risk — has resonance. But can a sign carry that message?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657908977911.png" alt="One of the many yard signs weighing in on the Aug. 2 constitutional amendment vote in Kansas states its case. (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>One of the many yard signs weighing in on the Aug. 2 constitutional amendment vote in Kansas states its case. (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/15/what-those-kansas-abortion-amendment-yard-signs-are-really-saying/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Kansas neighborhoods have been 
flaunting new landscaping in the form of political yard signs during the
 run-up to the Aug. 2 vote on whether the state constitution protects 
abortion rights.As next-door neighbors advertise 
their conflicting worldviews, it’s easy to use the number of yard signs 
on either side as a proxy for the upcoming vote. Whoever has the most 
signs is most likely to win, we think. Some Kansans might be tempted to 
count yard signs.Or maybe you are using the signs to 
suss out your neighbors’ politics so you don’t say the wrong thing 
during the next Little League game. (You might alternately learn exactly
 who you want to confront at that same ballfield.)Me? I’m obsessed with the design of these posters and what those decisions say about the groups that made them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As a lifelong visual communicator, I 
love to pause and stare at the visual choices made by any brand: Juul or
 LEGO or the GOP. I teach my students to critique designs, photos and 
videos for the visual messages they are sending — conscious or not.After taking my visual storytelling 
class, a student said: “I can’t enjoy anything anymore. I’m constantly 
critiquing the stuff I see.” If she is still curious, this summer’s yard
 signs urging us to vote “yes” or “no” should be giving her lots to 
analyze.Here’s my breakdown of the visual choices each group made in designing their yard signs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657909053606.png" alt="(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“VOTE YES!”This sign has been the most common in
 my travels around Kansas, partially because it is just about the only 
“yes” sign I have seen. This kind of unified messaging is a hallmark of 
contemporary conservativism. One bold voice leads an unwavering chorus.&nbsp;The sign itself is effective in a few
 ways. First, it speaks visually and verbally. The choice of purple is 
sly: it nods to both femininity and royalty. Purple also functions as a 
midpoint between conservative red and liberal blue, positioning the 
pro-life stance as centrist.The illustration at the left of the 
poster creates a symbol with three literal meanings.&nbsp; The silhouette of a
 mother and a baby — with hands holding one another — is the most 
obvious. The two figures combine to create the outline of a heart, 
although completing the shape of the heart involves decapitating the 
mother, a grim prospect. The other odd twist to the illustration? The 
negative space between the mother and the baby creates the shape of a 
hammer.The wording of the poster leverages 
one of the biggest advantages provided to those hoping to pass the 
amendment. Because voters will select “yes” on the ballot, the campaign 
poster is able to be positive in its language. Add the exclamation point
 to the all-caps “YES,” and you get a message of enthusiasm. (Imagine 
the scolding tone of an exclamation point combined with “NO” from the 
opposing side.)The concision of the poster is also 
admirable. It takes just 12 syllables to read the sign aloud. This 
careful word choice allows individual words to be huge for drive-by 
reading.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657909094176.png" alt="(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“STOP THE BAN”If the poster for “Value Them Both” 
is able to use positive language, this poster slides into the dreaded 
land of the double-negative. Readers might need a moment to connect the 
slogan with the perspective it advocates. That rhetorical stance hampers
 persuasion.Reading the final line of the sign — 
“on the constitutional amendment” — seems next to impossible from the 
seat of a passing car. The sentiment — that a constitutional right is at
 risk — has resonance. But can a sign carry that message?The colors are interesting as a 
Kansas allusion, specifically the colors of KU without the crimson. Of 
course, the campaign sign for a liberal cause might smartly omit red.The centerpiece of the design is a 
sharply angled sans serif font that strikes a decisive tone. With its 
precisely circular O’s and pointed edges to the V’s and N’s, the font 
mixes contemporary curves that speak to femininity while also displaying
 definitive angles.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657909147263.png" alt="(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>(Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“VALUE HER CHOICE”This poster is the most formidable 
rival to the purple “VOTE YES!” yard sign. The gradient illustration — 
shifting from blue to pink to red hues — shows a woman’s profile heading
 right. That specific direction speaks to the value of moving forward 
(left to right) and&nbsp;political consensus (from the left side of the aisle to the right).The billowing hair also references a 
woman in motion. Of course, this reference to an active woman speaks to 
American values of liberty and progress.“Value her choice” is more hopeful 
and energizing than “Stop the ban.” Of course, politicians have forever 
successfully cultivated fear (such as worry about a ban) as a motivating
 force. However, pro-choice as a political perspective could use the 
positivity of this poster after years of being labeled as “baby killers”
 and “murderers.”As for a concise message, this poster
 is brief. Its bold-faced font is instantly legible, while emphasizing 
the voter education of voting “NO.”My apologies to the designers tasked 
with these signs, but it’s difficult to imagine any of the 
micro-decisions that I applauded or criticized here making the 
difference in the vote tally that will define reproductive rights in 
Kansas.Nevertheless, the way that we voice 
our political messages — whether visually or verbally — matters. Signs 
like these help to define our political arguments and reflect our 
political values.Sans serif vs. serif choices won’t 
determine our fate as a state. But seeing how differing sides use those 
tools reveals how creative and disciplined they were during this vital 
campaign.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.&nbsp;

Opinion