Letters: Readers discuss KU’s right to defend itself, COVID-19 and school lunch debt

KU’s defense

I challenge The Kansas City Star to publish a commentary from a person well versed in the University of Kansas’ problems with the NCAA in response to the Monday editorial, “KU response to NCAA shows college basketball is broken.” (7A)

I believe the editorial board rushed to judgment in admonishing the university to be more transparent and assist the NCAA in making changes. The underlying message to me was that KU should be the face of changes to the NCAA, just as KU’s defense claims.

Many people make a lot of money off college athletes — let’s be clear about that. In my view, if being paid to represent businesses helps even one college athlete stay in school, since athletes now can go professional without completing college, then it’s worth it.

As for head coach Bill Self: Why shouldn’t he mount a vigorous defense of himself separate from the university’s? Since when do U.S. citizens not have the right to defend themselves against claims they consider untrue?

- Joanne Bodner, Prairie Village

No public spirit

With the introduction of the COVID-19 coronavirus into Johnson County, we will face a new normal. As the Brits said in a poster preparing the nation for World War II, “Keep calm and carry on.” We must do the same.

I’m sorry to say that on Friday afternoon while running small, routine errands to support my health, I left my car unlocked for a short time and someone stole a tub of disinfecting wipes from it. I am a Stage 4 lung cancer patient who placed those wipes in my car upon diagnosis long ago as a routine measure to protect me and my family.

Although the responsibility of this theft is mine, we can and must do better in the days and weeks ahead.

- Michelle Hills, Overland Park

Get out ahead

I didn’t hear Johnson County government officials address the fact that COVID-19 spread so quickly on the Diamond Princess cruise ship while it was quarantined in Japan because the passengers shared the same ventilation system. BuzzFeed reporter Dan Vergano said on NPR that scientists now know groups in quarantine cannot share a ventilation system. Ideally, passengers on the ship should have been moved to dorm-style spaces with fresh air flow and individual space heaters to keep them warm.

Is testing for COVID-19 mandatory in Johnson County for illnesses that present like flu? What are public health officials waiting for? Can we not take the recommended steps as a city or county, and not wait for federal action?

We should shut down schools and businesses before the spread really gets going so workers in our health care system can sustain care longer and not exhaust themselves as happened in China.

- Rachelle Head, Stilwell

Keep them separate

The coronavirus outbreak reminds Kansans of the importance of good health care. The fact that some Republicans and their pro-life supporters are holding up expansion of Medicaid until the Legislature passes an anti-abortion bill is absurd.

Put the abortion amendment to a vote on the November ballot and expand Medicaid. Poor, sick Kansans are deserving of life, too.

- Joseph Hodnik, Olathe

Food, not shame

School lunch debt is a growing concern. In the United States, 75% of school districts report school lunch debt. Locally, the Shawnee Mission School District reported lunch debt of almost $18,000 in 2019. A year ago, the Blue Springs School District had $100,000 in school lunch debt.

Much of this debt is accrued by those who don’t qualify for free or reduced lunches yet cannot afford the daily cost of a school meal. A Rhode Island school recently drew scrutiny for refusing to provide hot lunches to those with negative lunch balances — a policy Shawnee Mission abandoned in the past few years to prevent “lunch shaming.”

Solutions to growing debt are becoming a challenge requiring creative solutions. Each school district has a different lunch policy. It’s important to know your school’s policy on payment and debt repayment. Parents need to have easy and frequent access to lunch accounts. If there are difficulties paying, alternatives and payment options that don’t require parents to disclose the difficulties publicly should be offered. Parent-teacher associations and community members can set up fundraisers to pay off local students’ lunch debt.

Let’s help our kids learn better by ensuring they are provided a shame-free good meal.

- Micah Wallace, Shawnee

This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.