Suzanne Perez Tobias
KMUW
Wichita, KS, United States
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Past articles by Suzanne:
‘Take My Hand’ looks at race, class, and a part of history we shouldn’t forget
Book reviewer Suzanne Perez looks at a novel that illuminates a disturbing episode in American history. → Read More
City in bloom: Meet the Wichita woman whose vision launched Flowers on Douglas
Cindy Carnahan is the force behind Flowers on Douglas, a public-private partnership responsible for hundreds of planters and hanging baskets along Wichita's downtown thoroughfare. → Read More
Do Kansas colleges offer too many degrees? A state board could put some on the chopping block
Together, the state's six major public universities — KU, K-State, Wichita State, Emporia State, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State — offer more than 1,500 degree programs. And some experts say that’s too much. → Read More
Grab the paperback of ‘Piranesi,’ and get ready to be wowed
KMUW book reviewer Suzanne Perez missed a lot of great novels during the early months of the pandemic. Here's one she's glad she went back for. → Read More
The pandemic shrunk Kansas public school enrollment and that means cuts in education budgets
Two years into the COVID pandemic, students aren’t returning to public school in droves. So Kansas districts are starting budget talks with pared-down enrollment numbers and tightened belts. → Read More
Textbooks. Social justice. Derby school debate reflects nationwide conflict
The Derby debate mirrors controversies across the country, where library books, textbooks and other materials have become a target for conservative activists. → Read More
Julie Otsuka’s ‘The Swimmers’ plumbs the depths of community and memory
Book reviewer Suzanne Perez looks at a slim but powerful new novel that's about much more than the title implies. → Read More
‘Read to Succeed’ improves kids’ reading scores — and volunteers love it, too
Students who aren't reading at grade level by third grade can struggle to catch up. Read to Succeed, an initiative launched by the United Way's Women United, pairs third-graders with volunteer reading coaches to help improve their reading. → Read More
Suburban school officials predict ‘chaos’ if Kansas lets out-of-district students transfer freely
Conservatives say the plan would give families stuck in failing school districts a chance at a life-changing escape. But school administrators fear a flood of students they’re not prepared for and who come with needs they can’t afford to accommodate. → Read More
Kansas researchers find that feeding hemp to cattle mellows the herd
Researchers at Kansas State University said hemp could be a natural way to decrease stress-related respiratory infections and other ailments when cattle are being transported or weaned off their mothers. → Read More
Derby school district won't be removing the Bible from libraries or classrooms, despite challenge
A Derby resident said she filed her challenge to illustrate the consequences of censorship. The Bible is used as a textbook in Derby High School’s “Bible as Literature” course, a one-semester elective. → Read More
‘Chorus’ explores the messy but powerful bonds that make a family
Book reviewer Suzanne Perez looks at a dysfunctional family drama that illustrates the messy bonds between siblings. → Read More
‘Notes on an Execution’ explores the psyche of a serial killer and the women who shaped him
In today's book review, Suzanne Perez looks at a thrilling new novel that explores the psyche of a serial killer. → Read More
Freedom from fines? Wichita library hopes ditching late fees will lure people back to the stacks
The Wichita Public Library’s board of directors recently approved a proposal to do away with late fees on books and other items. The Wichita City Council will have the final say on the plan. → Read More
Derby district removes novel from class materials and middle school library after anonymous complaint
"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie was challenged by the grandparent of a Derby ninth-grader. A district committee decided to no longer allow teachers to use the novel in lessons and to remove it from the library at Derby North Middle School. → Read More
Former Kansas attorney general Phill Kline subpoenaed by Jan. 6 committee
According to the subpoena, Kline convened a meeting between then-President Donald Trump and 300 state lawmakers in an attempt to “disseminate purported evidence of election fraud” and ultimately overturn the 2020 election. → Read More
Derby residents pack school board meeting to support principal's lesson on 'white privilege'
Derby school board member Andy Watkins said he raised concerns about the video because he thinks terminology used in it “has a direct tie to critical race theory,” and he was concerned about “making this terminology … the norm.” → Read More
‘How High We Go in the Dark’ explores a desolate but disjointed post-pandemic world
Up next, book reviewer Suzanne Perez looks at a novel that explores humanity's approach to overwhelming loss. → Read More
Wichita school board votes to drop mask mandate after spring break
The Wichita school board voted 4-3 to end the district’s mask requirement, citing dramatic drops in the number of COVID-19 cases and quarantines over recent weeks. → Read More
Fallout from video about 'white privilege' roils Derby school district
Controversy about the video centers on its mention of white privilege, a phrase that refers to inherent advantages that white people have over people of color on the basis of their race. → Read More