On February 24 in the House Social Services Budget Committee, Rep. Mast moved to eliminate funding for the Parents as Teachers program. Notably, she said they needed to vote quickly because they might start hearing from constituents. Rep. Clayton tweeted, “Argument was made: if we don’t vote for a motion now, we would hear from constituents. Guys, our constituents are the whole point.” The motion passed. The public did learn both of the proposed cuts to Parents as Teachers as well as Rep. Mast’s statement, and after hearing from many constituents, the committee did a motion to reconsider...
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Senate Education Committee passes minority report PNA bill
On February 24, the Senate Education Committee passed a negotiations bill which mirrors the minority report from the K-12 Efficiency Commission (signed by paid lobbyists Mike O’Neal and Dave Trabert who have consistently opposed strong education funding and policy, Sam Williams and Dennis Depew and not the majority of the commission) rather than passing the bill supported by the school boards association, the superintendents association, the school administrators association and the teachers union. Voting for the bill were Senators Melcher, Fitzgerald, Tyson, Pyle, Abrams and Arpke. Senators Hensley, Baumgardner, Schmidt, Pettey, and Kerschen voted against the bill. Please thank...
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Leave a Comment Legislature stifling dissent
“Along the way, conservatives pushed new policies seen by some as stifling political dissent. “Public employee unions are now barred from deducting money from members’ paychecks to help bankroll political activities, which tend to be directed against conservatives. State money can no longer be used to lobby for gun control. And lawmakers have pushed repeatedly to overhaul the makeup of a state Supreme Court that’s ordered the Legislature to spend millions more on schools and that the legislative majority sees as hostile to the death penalty…Republican state Rep. Don Hineman of western Kansas said attempts to muffle dissent...
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Leave a Comment Senate approves bill to ease prosecution of teachers
One of our friends said it best. “And here’s the part where we hold the threat of prosecution over our teachers.” This bill got Senate approval on February 26. Teachers deserve protection from prosecution for teaching material some may consider obscene, especially at a time when their due process rights have been eliminated. Our teachers already feel under attack, and now the sex ed and English teachers have even more reason for concern. Voting NO (thank them) Bowers, Faust-Goudeau, Francisco, Haley, Hawk, Hensley, Holland, Kelly, Longbine, McGinn, O’Donnell, Pettey, Schmidt, Wolf. Voting YES (are they representing you?) Abrams,...
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