Lawrence Journal-World 03-02-15

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MONDAY • MARCH 2 • 2015

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How ‘free’ should academic freedom be? By Sara Shepherd Twitter: @saramarieshep

Social media, open records issues define debate among faculty

Academic freedom is with academic freea source of lively debate dom disputes making right now among some the news. at Kansas University, There’s “unease” where the cases of two among faculty on the faculty members have KU campus now that propelled the term out KANSAS the Kansas Board of of academia and into UNIVERSITY Regents social media mainstream headlines. And policy has been approved KU is not the only school but not yet applied to any-

one, which would reveal the extent of its restrictiveness, said University Senate President Jonathan Mayhew, a professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. “There is a sense that academic freedom is under threat,” Mayhew said. “People feel that they don’t re-

ally know ... what the limits are now.” Likewise, a pending lawsuit by a School of Business lecturer who does not want KU to release his emails to students requesting them under the Kansas Open Records Act has faculty wondering exactly where the ac-

‘I just wanted to go back to the beginning’

ademic freedom balance tips. “As a faculty member I don’t love the idea that every email I write might be subject to public disclosure under the Kansas Open Records Act,” said Richard Levy, J.B. Smith Distinguished Professor of Please see FREEDOM, page 7A Mayhew

ANALYSIS

Moderates flex in 1st half of session GOP-led Legislature moves right, though not as far as some predicted By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

JANET JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF THE MUSIC CLUBHOUSE, 2201 W. 25th St., leads piano students through some lessons recently. In the class are students Amelia Sachs, 7, left, and her sister Mary Jane, 5, right.

Janet Johnson holds the keys to unlock young musicians’ potential By Conrad Swanson Twitter: @conrad_swanson

J

anet Johnson spent a portion of her Thursday afternoon teaching a small group of young girls how to find middle C on the piano. Deliberately, Johnson drew the five lines of the staff on a small blackboard. Her students watched, smiles on their faces, as they sat crosslegged on the carpet.

She’s fantastic, so personable. She gets the kids excited like it’s a game.” — Olivia Zimmermann, piano instructor Among the students was 7-year-old Amelia Sachs, who couldn’t quite say how long she had been taking lessons at Johnson’s Music Clubhouse but was quick to share her favorite piece of music to play, “Old McDonald,”

Please see KEYS, page 7A

A Monday feature highlighting the behindthe-scenes stars and unsung heroes who make Lawrence a special place to live. To suggest someone for an Only in Lawrence feature, email news@ ljworld.com. Put Only in Lawrence in the subject line.

INSIDE

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and nodded shyly when asked if she enjoyed Johnson’s music lessons. “Good answer,” Johnson said with a laugh. Throughout the lesson Johnson raced between her blackboard and

ONLY IN LAWRENCE

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Topeka — When Republican Gov. Sam Brownback won re-election last year, and the GOP picked up five more seats in the Kansas House, many analysts predicted the 2015 session would become an open field for conservatives to pursue an aggressive agenda on abortion, gun rights, teachers unions and the Supreme Court. So far, however, that has turned out to be only partially true. To be sure, conservatives have had some success, especially in the Senate, where they passed signifiLEGISLATURE cant bills dealing with gun rights and abortion. But in the final days before last week’s “turnaround” deadline, moderate Republicans and Democrats showed they still have some muscle by negotiating a compromise on city and school board elections, and beating back bills in both chambers to weaken the power of teachers unions. Meanwhile, there has been little movement on proposed constitutional amendments to change the way Supreme Court justices are selected. And, to the surprise of many Statehouse observers, House Speaker Ray Merrick consented last week to allow hearings on bills calling for expansion of Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act. Please see SESSION, page 2A

Conservative lawmakers are seeking to restructure school spending to prevent unanticipated, new demands. Page 3A

‘Jeopardy!’ watch Lawrence resident Laura Lorson, a Kansas Public Radio host and quiz bowl moderator, will be on the show Wednesday. Page 3A

Join us at Facebook.com/LJWorld and Twitter.com/LJWorld

Today’s forecast, page 8A

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