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Deandre Ayton continues to be a lightning rod for criticism with the Los Angeles Lakers finally learning why.

DEAR ABBY: I have three daughters with children of their own. Every year, we have a family vacation. My daughter "Monica's" children, ages 8 and 9, whom I love and see regularly, behave badly. They cuss, yell at adults and show no respect whatsoever.We have brought this to Monica's attention multiple times. She always reacts like we are wrong and says, "I'm not going to beat my kids." At no time did we imply she should "beat" her kids, just give them a time-out or a scolding. If any of us tell them "Stop, please don't do that," they act like victims. It's so bad that one of my other daughters told us as we were planning a vacation that she will not be going because of Monica's kids' behavior.Monica accuses us of not liking her kids and being mean. She goes to the school to argue with teachers and the principal if her kids tell her they didn't get their way. I don't know what her issue is. Her reasons sound like she is mentally ill. Anything you can recommend? — NOT ENABLING IN NEVADADEAR NOT ENABLING: Monica is a terrible parent. A responsible mother would see that her children learn appropriate behavior before they get into serious trouble. Because you cannot help your daughter to see reality, I recommend you stop inviting Monica and her children on these vacations. Their behavior is unacceptable, and their cousins should not be further influenced by their bad example.DEAR ABBY: I am a 70-year-old male caring for my 71-year-old wife. She has had health issues for more than 10 years. I own my own business and am the only employee, although my wife does help me with a portion of the business. Dealing with all her health issues, trying to run a business, trying to survive financially and navigating the world today is difficult.I am seeking resources or a support group in my area that works with people who care for their family members. We have been to counseling, which helped, but did not help me with all that I feel and have to do. I don't think my wife could navigate this world on her own. Can you point me in the right direction? — RESPONSIBLE IN TEXASDEAR RESPONSIBLE: You are carrying a heavy load. An organization called The Caregiver Action Network (formerly the National Family Caregivers Association) may be what you are seeking. Established in 1992, it works to improve the quality of life for tens of millions of family caregivers, providing education, peer support and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge. For more information, go to caregiveraction.org or call 855-277-3640.DEAR READERS: Today, we remember the birthday of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who in 1968 was martyred in the cause of civil rights. During a time of insanity, his was a voice of reason when he eloquently preached, "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order "How to Have a Lovely Wedding." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 446, Kings Mills, OH 45034-0446. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

Illinois leads the nation with evidence-based equal pay laws like the salary history ban, salary transparency and the collection of pay data. But to fully realize pay equity in Illinois — and close the stubborn wage gaps faced by women and people of color — we must continue to press ahead with data-informed civic, worker, advocacy, legislative and employer action.Recent analysis by the Project of Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign sheds light on how pay disparities show up throughout Illinois among employers with 100 or more employees. Thanks to Illinois’ forward-thinking pay data collection law, we have data to show where progress is being made and where we lag. And what it shows is while we are making some progress for people in the highest income brackets, for people of color the wage gap is alarmingly wide. This unequal distribution reflects the realities of today’s economy: a booming stock market alongside record levels of food insecurity, the rich getting richer and those already struggling falling further behind. Black worker — men and women — unemployment is far higher than the national average. When 46.6% of Illinois families lack the resources needed to fully participate in today's economy, any wage gap is too large. Over time, that gap is the difference between stable housing and insecurity, career advancement or being stuck in a minimum wage job, and getting ahead or getting left behind.True pay equity is about more than whether two people of different genders or races are paid equally for the same work. It’s about equal opportunities, which means tackling occupational segregation, the lopsided responsibility for caregiving, and uneven access to the education that gets further out of reach for the people who would most benefit. And yes, it also means making sure companies are paying employees fairly and reporting that data to the Illinois Department of Labor — and sharing it with the public.Regularly receiving this data ensures we can clearly see the impact of policy and identify the gaps requiring action. With the federal administration dismantling, diminishing and devaluing data, states like Illinois need our own evidence to guide sound decision-making, enforcement, outreach and employer support.Right now, that evidence shows we need to keep our foot on the gas for pay equity.Sharmili Majmudar, executive vice president of policy, programs and research, Women Employed Give us your takeSend letters to the editor to letters@suntimes.com. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 375 words. Study on school attendance merits scrutiny The recent Sun-Times article on findings by the University of Chicago’s Consortium on School Research on student attendance and teacher relationships raises important questions, but it also deserves more careful interpretation.The study reports correlations between student attendance and measures of teacher-student trust and school climate. However, a basic logical limitation should be acknowledged: students must already be attending school in order to form relationships with teachers and to report on them in surveys. Attendance, in other words, is not just an outcome in this analysis — it is a prerequisite. This makes it difficult to determine whether stronger teacher relationships improve attendance, or whether students who attend more regularly are simply more likely to develop and report positive relationships.In addition, the way the findings are presented publicly risks overstating teacher responsibility for attendance. While teachers play an important role in students’ school experiences, attendance is shaped by many factors beyond the classroom, including family circumstances, student choice, transportation, health, neighborhood safety and district-level policies. Responsibility for attendance is…

The Pentagon says it is prepared to act upon the orders of President Trump and has placed active-duty troops on standby to deploy to Minnesota if needed.