The Olathe East school shooting tragedy shows how important father figures are to boys

Dads are needed

With few exceptions, young men who become violent have no regular presence of a dad in their lives. Such is the case with Jaylon Elmore, according to your story. (March 23, 1A, “Who is Jaylon Elmore? A portrait emerges of the teenage Olathe East shooting suspect”)

This is tragic. Every boy, especially a testosterone-fueled teen, needs the loving guidance — and occasional firm correction — of an invested elder male. Biology itself sets the father up to be this person. However, a grandpa, uncle or mentor will do, if need be, as long as he has almost daily access to the boy.

It may be too late for some young men. But what if high school students were required to learn about the developmental arc of children in science class? What if each understood that his own future son could be damaged to the point of committing violence without a loving and firm paternal influence? What if each understood that his own future daughter could look for love in all the wrong places without a loving and firm paternal influence?

What if every person in the United States understood that dads, like moms, are not expendable? Is it possible this could influence our sons and daughters alike to be more careful about with whom they have sex?

- Cathy Anderson, Leawood

Wheelchair might

On Feb. 18, The Star ran the excellent Philadelphia Inquirer story “Wheelchair basketball competition is fierce (but in a good way).” (11A) It was very informative and well written, but unless I overlooked it, The Star’s editors missed a great opportunity to use that article as a springboard to give a shout-out to this area’s wheelchair basketball team, the Kansas City Kings.

The Kings’ program is run through Midwest Adaptive Sports and has teams in the prep, varsity and adult divisions. All three are headed to the National Finals in Wichita from March 31 to April 3, with the prep team ranked No. 1 in the nation, finishing the season 29-0. (I admit a bias here, as our 11-year-old grandson plays on the prep team.)

But the team’s wins are only a tiny portion of the story. The friendships that have been forged and the camaraderie that exists are priceless. And I don’t believe I have ever met a nicer, more caring group of parents, grandparents, coaches and assistants than I have with this group over the last four years. The family atmosphere is very evident and amazing. Go Kings!

- Kevin Murdock, Lee’s Summit

Important choice

An open letter to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners:

With the announced retirement of Police Chief Rick Smith, you now have the grave responsibility and extraordinary opportunity to search for, interview, select and hire the next chief of police for Kansas City. Commissioners Mark Tolbert, Cathy Dean, Don Wagner, Dawn Cramer and Mayor Quinton Lucas: You are being presented a golden opportunity to make a real, impactful and positive difference for our city. Your choice will affect the police department and, more important, the residents of Kansas City — all of them — east and west of Troost Avenue and north and south of the Missouri River, for years to come.

Your selection could do more good for police-community relations than anything else you have done, or will do, in your roles as commissioners. The selection of a new chief, Commissioners, will be your legacy. Make it a positive legacy, both for your sake and for Kansas City’s.

I know you will take this responsibility seriously. I pray you do it well.

- Douglas M. Kinney, Kansas City

Well produced

I attended the current onstage offering of “The Wild Women of Winedale” at the Chestnut Fine Arts Center in Olathe on Saturday night. It was the first time I had been to that theater and a good many years since I had been to any community theater presentation. I was so pleasantly pleased with the professionalism of this production. The script was well written and thought provoking, especially for an older audience. The staging was well done, the directing and acting top-notch.

I want to recommend this experience to others who may not have been considering it or have not enjoyed local community theater recently.

- Judi Sharp, Overland Park