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THURSDAY • FEBRUARY 20 • 2014
A head start on real life
COMMON CORE
Hundreds show up to weigh in on education standards
Teens do the math on adult expenses
By John Milburn Associated Press
Topeka — A Kansas House committee heard testimony Wednesday from an overflow crowd of several hundred on legislation that would bar use of the Common Core standards for reading and math in public schools. Supporters and opponents of the standards filled the House Education Committee LEGISLATURE meeting room and the adjacent corridor for the hearing. Chairwoman Kasha Kelley told the gathering at that start that she appreciated the respect shown by people on both sides of the issue, which was a holdover from the 2013 session. Please see COMMON, page 5A
Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photos
WILSON ARNETT, A LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, visits with Stacey Lamb, of Lawrence, at the “chance” station Wednesday, as Arnett made his rounds during a Reality U program. Reality U is a dropout-prevention program providing students with a projected profile of their lives at the age of 26. Teens visit 14 “life booths,” including insurance, housing, utilities, child care, charitable giving and other topics.
Program provides insights on preparing for the future while still in high school By Sara Shepherd Twitter: @saramarieshep
I
’m part way through the month and have paid for my mortgage, utilities, car, insurance, cell phone, a haircut and some moderately priced professional clothes. My two kids — they’re 1 and 2 — are fed well, wearing garage-sale outfits and getting the multichild discount at a daycare center. But I still haven’t paid my medical bills, saved any money, donated to
charity or gone out for any fun. And I think I might have a student loan payment due? The $107 I have left is not going to cut it. Maybe the cute bungalow I bought is out of my league? I want to look nice at my marketing job, but should I be getting my own outfits secondhand, too? Furthermore, why did I have two kids without getting married? Sigh. Back in high school, this was not the reality I pic-
Business Classified Comics Deaths
High: 46
By Scott Rothschild srothschild@ljworld.com
LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR Tasheana Dixon deducts her mortgage cost from her monthly income at the “Housing” booth Wednesday during a Reality U program. tured for my 26-year-old self. Posing as a student to go through a financial literacy program called Reality U Wednesday at Lawrence High School was a reminder for me — and an eye opener for the real teens around me — of
some key truths. One: Life is expensive. Two: It doesn’t always happen like you planned. A third truth Reality U organizers want teens to realize is that staying in
Low: 22
Today’s forecast, page 10A
2A 5B-8B 10B 2A
Events listings Going Out Horoscope Movies
6A, 2B 7A-8A 9B 4A
Some legislators say they want the issue to go away, but it won’t. Last week, the Kansas Legislature was the object of political scorn across the state and nation after the House approved a bill that critics said would allow Jim Senate JudiciaCrow-like discrimination ry Committee against gays and lesbians. Chairman Jeff While nearly all Demo- King, R-Indecrats opposed the bill, the pendence, says deathblow came from Sen- his committee ate Republican leaders — will hold hearconservatives who oppose ings. same-sex marriage but who heard from a howling business community that said the bill would have been a legal nightmare for employers.
Please see REALITY, page 2A
INSIDE
Storms likely
Death of gay marriage bill doesn’t mean end of debate
Opinion Puzzles Sports Television
9A 9B 1B-4B 10A, 2B
Please see DEBATE, page 2A
No-call bill approved
Vol.156/No.51 32 pages
The Kansas Senate has given first-round approval to a bill adding cellphone numbers to the state’s no-call law for telephone solicitors. Page 3A
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