September 15, 2020
Political science professor appointed to Kansas Advisory Committee to US Commission on Civil Rights
John Fliter, associate professor in the political science department, has been appointed a member of the Kansas Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Along with 11 other members, the committee's task is to advise the Commission on Civil Rights on matters in the state of Kansas.
Fliter will bring his expertise on prisoners' rights, criminal justice, free speech, religious freedom and fair labor standards to this role. His appointment to the commission is a recognition of his research and teaching contributions in these areas.
Advisory committees have recently examined education funding, school discipline disparities, policing practices, mental health and the criminal justice system, legal financial obligations, human trafficking, fair housing, hate crimes, voting rights, and collateral consequences of criminal convictions. In addition to advising the commission, advisory committee reports have contributed to policy changes at the national, state and local levels.
Fliter joined the political science department in 1994. His most recent book, "Child Labor in America: The Epic Legal Struggle to Protect Children," was published by the University Press of Kansas in 2018 and examines child labor laws. He is currently working on his fourth book, "U.S. v. Darby Lumber: The Triumph of Fair Labor Standards." Fliter received the 2010 K-State Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching and he was named the 2013-14 Coffman University Distinguished Teaching Scholar. He has taught courses on constitutional law, administrative law, the judicial process, and civil rights and liberties. His teaching and research areas keep him actively engaged in civil rights issues, both professionally and personally.