All Entries in the "Editorial" Category

School Districts should be allowed to use more local funding

Across the Shawnee Mission School District there have been a series of budget meetings informing people on the current financial state of the district. At these meetings, administrator Gene Johnson has stated the many budgetary cuts the Shawnee Mission School District will be taking to get out of their current debt. But a key part [...]

Recent Supreme Court decision gives political benefit to corporations, not individuals

Political beliefs are determined by several factors: family and friends for example. But any political scientist will tell you that media is an increasingly important influence, especially on youth. One particularly potent form of media, advertising, is about to become even more pervasive, thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision. Unfortunately, the form of media [...]

Letter to the editor in response to: East’s honor societies should adopt stricter policies

I had a bit of a chuckle upon reading your anonymous quote about GNHS.  I also have a pretty good idea who said it, by the way, and thus am not offended.  For people who do not understand the reference—and people would not unless they take German—the quote would seem derisive.  Therefore, let me defend [...]

East needs to move into the 21st century and utilize technology

East has come a long way in embracing the 21st century’s technology boom. Moving from an age of hand-kept grades and attendance, East has pushed to find resources for saving paper, time and, most importantly, money. Almost all of the teachers provide the homework for the day online, as well as providing links to the [...]

East’s honor societies should adopt stricter policies

Our school’s honor societies aren’t living up to their mission statements. Around 200 juniors and seniors received notifications this year that their GPA, at least a 3.6 weighted, qualified them to apply for National Honor Society membership, according to NHS sponsor Rebecca Murphy. By writing a couple paragraphs and volunteering for 20 hours, candidates are [...]

Users should pay more attention before accepting apps that can sell personal information

During the popular Facebook application “FarmVille,” players build and grow their own farms, competing with friends to see whose can become the most successful.

But when signing up for FarmVille, like any Facebook application, users agree to give application writers access to their profile information, photos, friends’ information and other content necessary for the application to [...]

Theater department should drop the new student admission price and find pride in free theater

In previous years at East, students have attended choir concerts, basketball games, musicals, band performances and more for free if they had a bold letter ‘A’ on the back of their student ID.
The activity pass, which can be purchased at the beginning of the school year for $35, used to cover all student activities. Knowing [...]

Current D.A.R.E. students are not at an age that allows them to benefit from the program

It’s been said before that at a young age, an individual becomes what he or she is exposed to. This pertains to dialect, mannerisms, and other adaptive behaviors such as what makes a right and wrong decision. In the cities that make up the Shawnee Mission School District, and many others around the nation, there [...]

Seniors need to forget last year’s mistakes and traditions by supporting this year’s policy

There are two ways to approach a new school year: one involves Facebook sta¬tuses begging summer to return and whining about every new rule the ad¬ministration enforces. The other is to count the blessings of a new campus and to cooperate in the best interests of the school.
As expected, there’s been considerable grumbling about the [...]