Kansas City Mayor Lucas | Colleges, Coronavirus & Students

By Steve Kraske,

Luke X. Martin, Danie Alexander, Mackenzie Martin

Published September 1, 2020 at 1:23 PM CDT

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is calling for a series of changes to the police department that would, among other things, require officers to intervene when they see another officer using excessive force.

A conversation with Kansas City's mayor about police reform and leadership, and the city budget. Plus, is it fair that universities are blaming their students for the spread of the coronavirus on campus?

Segment 1, beginning at 3:40: Kansas City's mayor isn't asking to defund the police, just to reform them.

Kansas City's mayor isn't calling for the firing of Kansas City police Chief Rick Smith, either. What he is asking for is a series of changes to department policy that would, among other things, require officers to intervene when they come across other officers using excessive force.

Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri

Segment 2, beginning at 30:44: Can colleges and students work together to stop the spread of the coronavirus on campus?

It's tough to be a college administrator right now, but some think it's a mistake for universities to blame students for outbreaks of COVID-19. One Missouri professor who wrote about the issue for The Atlantic says students are inevitably going to socialize, and the playbook colleges use to govern campuses needs to incorporate that.

Dr. Jessica Gold, psychiatrist and assistant professor at the Washington University in St. Louis
Conner Mitchell, reporter for The Lawrence Journal-World

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Luke X. Martin

As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.

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Danie Alexander

As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.

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Mackenzie Martin

Mackenzie Martin is a senior podcast producer at KCUR Studios and host of the podcast, A People's History of Kansas City. Contact her at mackenzie@kcur.org.

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