Friday, January 31, 2014
Kansas Senator's bill prevents federal government from bribing states to adopt Common Core Standards
In a portion of his latest newsletter, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, presented a plan to stop the federal government from using bribery to get states to adopt Common Core Standards.
I introduced a bill to preserve state education autonomy by prohibiting the federal government from coercing states to adopt education standards like Common Core. Setting high standards for our schools, our teachers and our children is the right thing to do, but those standards should be decided in Kansas, without bribes or mandates from Washington. We need to get the federal government out of the classroom, and return community decisions back to where they belong - in the community.
Designed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers in 2007, Common Core was an effort to raise math and reading standards for students across the country. States could adopt Common Core voluntarily.
In defiance of federal law, the Obama Administration began coercing states to implement Common Core. They required states to adopt Common Core standards to receive federal funding under the Obama administration's multibillion-dollar Race to the Top (RTT) program and used federal funds to develop Common Core-aligned tests.
My legislation, the Learning Opportunities Created At the Local (LOCAL) Level Act would strictly forbid the federal government from intervening in a state’s education standards, curricula, and assessments through the use of incentives, mandates, grants, waivers or any other form of manipulation.
Unfortunately, it is evident that certain waivers from onerous education requirements have been granted only to those states that agree to implement the White House’s preferred education policies. In fact, The New York Times has referred to the waiver process as “the most sweeping use of executive authority to rewrite federal education law since Washington expanded its involvement in education in the 1960s.” My bill ensures States retain their authority to determine the curriculum and standards that are best for their students.
Billy Long: We are working to unleash economic growth
In his latest newsletter, Seventh District Congressman Billy Long writes about some of the economic measures being worked on in the House.
My House colleagues and I are focused on providing solutions to unleash economic growth, rein in Washington, and let the American people get back to work. I will continue to work to advance measures which allow the private sector to grow and create the jobs for hard working Americans. Sadly, too many of these bills languish on Harry Reid's desk.
Pure and simple, one of the most important ways for us to create jobs is by developing domestic energy production. It is crucial to eliminate excessive regulations which are preventing the enormous possibility for growth in energy production. Developing these new sources of energy will produce real wealth, jobs, and energy security for the American people. The House has passed multiple bills to promote job creation in the energy industry, including:
Hartzler: Obama refuses to let the American Spirit to be unleashed
This was a busy week here in Washington. The President shared his vision for the nation over the next year in his State of the Union address, and the House was hard at work, fighting for you. The House passed the Farm Bill, giving farmers more certainty over the next five years. Additionally, the House passed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, H.R. 7, ending taxpayer-funded abortions once and for all.
This past Tuesday, the President laid out his vision for the next year in his State of the Union Address. His speech reflected a clear difference of perspective. He believes government is the solution to our problems; I believe government is too often the problem. While the President did touch on many issues of concern to many Americans, he refuses to allow the American spirit to be unleashed, preferring instead to call for government-imposed solutions that have failed in the past and will undoubtedly fail in the future.
Cleaver: :Passage of Farm Bill was a big moment for House
It may not have seemed like time stopped for a moment on Wednesday, but in my mind, it did. Amidst all of the chaos, conflict, and political posturing that has been going on in what has been dubbed a ‘Cantankerous and Do-Nothing Congress’ – something big happened. Something really big. The United States House of Representatives passed the Agriculture Act of 2014 (H.R. 2642). This, in and of itself, is a critically important piece of legislation. Beyond the bill, it marked a moment of bipartisanship that is all too infrequent these days.
Feb. 26 preliminary hearing set for accused killers of Carthage man
Brian Benefiel, 48, and his wife Kelli, 27, are charged with first degree murder, first degree burglary, and armed criminal action, and are being held on $500,000 bond.
The Benefiels, who were neighbors of Ritchhart, were allegedly surprised by him while they were burglarizing his home at 1237 Douglas Court looking for prescription drugs. Police say they beat and stabbed Ritchhart to death.
Benefiel pleaded guilty to a DWI charge in 2011 and was again place on probation.
Kelli Benefiel pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge in 2011.
Accused killer of MSSU coach pleads not guilty, next hearing set for Feb. 10
Judge David Mouton recused himself from the case last week. The case will now be heard by Judge Gayle Crane.
Bruner is charged with first degree murder and armed criminal action in connection wtih the November 1 shooting death of Missouri Southern State University offensive line coach Derek Moore in the parking lot outside of the Northstar Regal 14 Theater.
Police say the murder took place when Bruner confronted his estranged wife, Dawn Michele Bruner, and Moore.
Prosecutors to seek death penalty for accused killer of Golden City girl
Kaderly filed the notice Jan. 23, starting a furious few days of action in the case. With the death penalty on the table due to the aggravating circumstances surrounding Adriaunna Horton's death, public defender Joseph Zuzul withdrew as Bourne's attorney and was replaced by Thomas Jaquinot, a public defender who specializes in death penalty cases.
Kaderly had asked for Bourne's arraignment, which originally had been scheduled for Monday, February 3, to be done via video. The defense asked for, and was granted, a continuance, moving the arraignment to 1 p.m. Wednesday, February 19, and received permission for Bourne to be transferred from his upstate prison cell to the Barton County Courthouse in Lamar. Bourne is serving a 15-year sentence, which was handed down by a Cedar County judge after Bourne admitted he had violated his probation by not attending a court-ordered Batterer Intervention Program.
Bourne is charged with first degree murder, statutory rape, and kidnapping in connection with the August 19 death of Miss Horton. A charge of forcible rape was dropped.
Kaderly is being assisted by the Missouri Attorney General's office.
Winter weather advisory in effect until noon Saturday
(From the National Weather Service)
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST SATURDAY.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FREEZING DRIZZLE.LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST SATURDAY.
* SHORT TERM TRENDS.AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSPREAD AREAS NO. OF THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON & WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING. A MINOR GLAZE OF ICE WILL BE POSSIBLE ON EXPOSED SURFACES.
STEADIER PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND PERHAPS SOME POCKETS OF SNOW WILL THEN OVERSPREAD THE AREA FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SAT MORNING. PRECIPITATION WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST FROM LATE SAT MORNING INTO SAT AFTERNOON.
* TIMING & AREAS AFFECTED.THE ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SAT MORNING FOR LOCATIONS NO. OF THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR.
* SNOW & SLEET ACCUMULATIONS.LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO A HALF INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE NO. OF HIGHWAY 54.
* ICE ACCUMULATIONS.TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH ARE EXPECTED.
* IMPACTS.SOME ROADS & BRIDGES MAY BE BECOME SLICK AND HAZARDOUS TODAY. BE ALERT FOR SUDDEN CHANGES IN ROAD CONDITIONS.
ROAD CONDITIONS WILL THEN LIKELY BECOME HAZARDOUS FROM TONIGHT INTO SAT MORNING FROM EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN KS INTO CNTL MO.
ROAD CONDITIONS WILL THEN LIKELY BECOME HAZARDOUS FROM TONIGHT INTO SAT MORNING FROM EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN KS INTO CNTL MO.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE.LIGHT FREEZING RAIN & LIGHT SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS & LIMITED VISIBILITIES.& USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
Cape Girardeau Republican: My bill will improve safety, not limit abortions
Let me start by saying I’m pro-life. I oppose all forms of abortion and firmly believe that life begins at conception. This is a very personal stance.
Abortion touches upon some of our most basic ideas about life and faith. In turn, each person must decide for themselves where they stand on this issue. Under current law, abortion is legal in the United States.
Barring any unforeseeable events, this is unlikely to change any time soon. There is nothing preventing us, however, from ensuring that these procedures are done safely and adhere to the same strict laws and guidelines to which we hold every medical procedure. I understand abortion is a polarizing topic, but to automatically view every measure addressing it is as an attack or an attempt to outlaw it is inaccurate. This prevents us from examining some very real problems with how these medical procedures are carried out and the right of alternatives to abortion agencies to express their opinions. For example, various states have enacted local ordinances in recent years that apply unfair regulations to alternatives to abortion agencies.
These groups are often faith-based and offer free services to women considering an abortion. These establishments give women a choice when they may not have otherwise seen one. Cities and political subdivisions across the country have begun forcing these groups to follow burdensome and frivolous requirements, such as mandating them to advertise they don’t perform abortions, or limiting the amount of information they’re allowed to provide. This would be the same as requiring fast food establishments to advertise they don’t have wait staff, or that car dealerships don’t sell boats. These are underhanded attempts to limit organizations that have a First Amendment right to offer counsel to the public, the same as any other organization or institution.
Federal judges across the nation are throwing out these ordinances as they’re challenged in court. Good public policy should be preemptive, though, which is why I’ve filed Senate Bill 658 this year, which would protect the rights of alternatives to abortion agencies to freely engage in religious practice and offer their services, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Federal judges across the nation are throwing out these ordinances as they’re challenged in court. Good public policy should be preemptive, though, which is why I’ve filed Senate Bill 658 this year, which would protect the rights of alternatives to abortion agencies to freely engage in religious practice and offer their services, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
In the same vein, I’ve filed legislation this year that would make sure the clinics where abortions are performed are held to the highest safety protocols.
In 2011, a Pennsylvania physician, Dr. Kermit Gosnell, was charged with eight counts of murder resulting from gross medical malpractice while performing abortions. One patient died under his care. Seven newborns were killed after being born alive following botched abortions. And all of these horrific crimes happened under the nose of state authorities, who hadn’t inspected his clinic in years. A single visit by a state inspector might have prevented this terrible crime. Regardless of where you stand on abortion, this is a horrifying and sickening incident. We must not allow this to happen in Missouri.
Senate Bill 770 requires clinics where abortions are performed to be inspected four times a year. We already require similar inspections for other medical facilities. There’s no justifiable reason we shouldn’t apply the same stringent requirements for places where these surgical procedures are performed. The legislation also offers more support to women who seek abortions due to medical emergencies, specifically because of psychological or emotional conditions.
A woman undergoing a medical emergency because of psychological or emotional trauma should not be forced to make an irreversible decision without at least talking to a qualified mental health professional, such as a suicide prevention counselor. This bill would offer these women that help. Once again, neither of these bills restricts the right of women to have abortions in Missouri. What they do is guarantee the safety of the women who choose to have them performed, and protect the right of religious organizations to offer guidance and alternatives to women considering an abortion.
It's not 21st Century Learning; It's 21st Century Disaster
As the noted education blogger and best-selling author Diane Ravitch noted today, there is a growing cottage industry of veteran teachers who are leaving the profession and writing columns telling what caused them to make that decision.
One of the earliest that came close to the start of the flood was my Huffington Post blog on why young people should not become teachers. That one was a bit different in that at the time I wrote the blog, I had no intention of leaving the profession, probably for another 10 or 15 years at least.
That being said, the direction in which education is headed would have been enough to make me consider leaving.
The latest in the columns was printed in the Hartford Courant and drew my attention, not only because of its accuracy on the problems facing education today, but also because the author, Elizabeth A. Natale, like me, at one time was a newspaper reporter.
That being said, the direction in which education is headed would have been enough to make me consider leaving.
The latest in the columns was printed in the Hartford Courant and drew my attention, not only because of its accuracy on the problems facing education today, but also because the author, Elizabeth A. Natale, like me, at one time was a newspaper reporter.
Unfortunately, government attempts to improve education are stripping the joy out of teaching and doing nothing to help children. The Common Core standards require teachers to march lockstep in arming students with "21st-century skills." In English, emphasis on technology and nonfiction reading makes it more important for students to prepare an electronic presentation on how to make a paper airplane than to learn about moral dilemmas from Natalie Babbitt's beloved novel "Tuck Everlasting."
The Smarter Balance program assumes my students are comfortable taking tests on a computer, even if they do not own one. My value as a teacher is now reduced to how successful I am in getting a student who has eaten no breakfast and is a pawn in her parents' divorce to score well enough to meet my teacher evaluation goals.
I am a professional. My mission is to help students progress academically, but there is much more to my job than ensuring students can answer multiple-choice questions on a computer. Unlike my engineer husband who runs tests to rate the functionality of instruments, I cannot assess students by plugging them into a computer. They are not machines. They are humans who are not fazed by a D but are undone when their goldfish dies, who struggle with composing a coherent paragraph but draw brilliantly, who read on a third-grade level but generously hold the door for others.
My most important contributions to students are not addressed by the Common Core, Smarter Balance and teacher evaluations. I come in early, work through lunch and stay late to help children who ask for assistance but clearly crave the attention of a caring adult. At intramurals, I voluntarily coach a ragtag team of volleyball players to ensure good sportsmanship. I "ooh" and "ah" over comments made by a student who finally raises his hand or earns a C on a test she insisted she would fail.
Those moments mean the most to my students and me, but they are not valued by a system that focuses on preparing workers rather than thinkers, collecting data rather than teaching and treating teachers as less than professionals.
Until this year, I was a highly regarded certified teacher. Now, I must prove myself with data that holds little meaning to me. I no longer have the luxury of teaching literature, with all of its life lessons, or teaching writing to students who long to be creative. My success is measured by my ability to bring 85 percent of struggling students to "mastery," without regard for those with advanced skills. Instead of fostering love of reading and writing, I am killing children's passions — committing "readicide," as Kelly Gallagher called it in his book of that title.
Make no mistake about it. What Ms. Natale is describing is happening right here in Joplin and in the state of Missouri. We are substituting technology and testing for reading, writing, and thinking.
This is not 21st Century learning; it is 21st Century disaster.
Chris Nicastro thinks we are stupid- Missouri Standards are Common Core with a different name
Chris Nicastro thinks we are stupid.
With all of the flak, the controversial Ms. Nicastro, Missouri's Education Commissioner, has received over Common Core Standards (among other things), over the past few months, there has been more and more mention of Missouri Standards, as if this is something new that has just been introduced.
The only thing is, there isn't anyone in the state who is buying it.
The so-called Missouri Standards are the Common Core Standards, with the only change being that they are called Missouri Standards because Ms. Nicastro thinks we are not smart enough to figure it out.
Sadly, that also appears to be the approach that is being taken across the country. That's the subject of an article in today's Washington Post:
“You got a whole bunch of politicians, increasingly cross-pressured between activists who don’t want this and the obvious imperative that we have to improve our public schools,” said Andrew Rotherham, a former Clinton White House aide and a co-founder of Bellwether Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education for low-income students. “The anti-Common Core folks clearly have the momentum right now, so politicians are trying to figure out ways to address the politics of this without tossing it out the window.”
In each case, the new name is designed to impart a local flavor to the standards. One of the main criticisms of the Common Core is that national standards are replacing homegrown benchmarks.
“Here’s what we’re going to ensure: These are Florida standards,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) told a gathering of state GOP officials this month. “They’re not some national standards; they’re going to be Florida standards. This is our state. We’re not going to have the federal government telling us how to do our education system.”
Also this month, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), who is facing reelection, told a gathering of Republican women: “We don’t ever want to educate South Carolina children like they educate California children. We want to educate South Carolina children on South Carolina standards, not anyone else’s standards.”
Christopher Johnson, a branding expert, doubts that new names will quell opposition to the Common Core.
“It’s something that might be politically expedient in the short term,” said Johnson, who writes the Name Inspector blog. “They might succeed in bamboozling people who are opposed to the idea of nationwide standards by giving them local names. . . . But I think it’s skirting around the issue.”
With all of the flak, the controversial Ms. Nicastro, Missouri's Education Commissioner, has received over Common Core Standards (among other things), over the past few months, there has been more and more mention of Missouri Standards, as if this is something new that has just been introduced.
The only thing is, there isn't anyone in the state who is buying it.
The so-called Missouri Standards are the Common Core Standards, with the only change being that they are called Missouri Standards because Ms. Nicastro thinks we are not smart enough to figure it out.
Sadly, that also appears to be the approach that is being taken across the country. That's the subject of an article in today's Washington Post:
“You got a whole bunch of politicians, increasingly cross-pressured between activists who don’t want this and the obvious imperative that we have to improve our public schools,” said Andrew Rotherham, a former Clinton White House aide and a co-founder of Bellwether Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education for low-income students. “The anti-Common Core folks clearly have the momentum right now, so politicians are trying to figure out ways to address the politics of this without tossing it out the window.”
In each case, the new name is designed to impart a local flavor to the standards. One of the main criticisms of the Common Core is that national standards are replacing homegrown benchmarks.
“Here’s what we’re going to ensure: These are Florida standards,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) told a gathering of state GOP officials this month. “They’re not some national standards; they’re going to be Florida standards. This is our state. We’re not going to have the federal government telling us how to do our education system.”
Also this month, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), who is facing reelection, told a gathering of Republican women: “We don’t ever want to educate South Carolina children like they educate California children. We want to educate South Carolina children on South Carolina standards, not anyone else’s standards.”
Christopher Johnson, a branding expert, doubts that new names will quell opposition to the Common Core.
“It’s something that might be politically expedient in the short term,” said Johnson, who writes the Name Inspector blog. “They might succeed in bamboozling people who are opposed to the idea of nationwide standards by giving them local names. . . . But I think it’s skirting around the issue.”
The article itself is somewhat simplistic in its branding of Common Core opponents. There are far more reasons to oppose Common Core than the handful that are mentioned.
The idea, however, that Common Core opponents are idiots who can be fooled by these transparent label changes, is ridiculous.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
GAO report recommends federal agencies work together to prevent teachers' sexual abuse of children
(From the U. S. Government Accountability Office)
To help prevent the sexual abuse of students in public K-12 schools, 46 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia surveyed by GAO required background checks of applicants--such as teachers or bus drivers--seeking public school employment; however, the methods and sources varied widely.
Forty-two states established professional standards or codes of conduct for school personnel, and 22 of those included information on appropriate boundaries between personnel and students.
Although experts view awareness and prevention training on sexual abuse and misconduct as another key prevention tool, only 18 states reported in the survey that they require school districts to provide this training. However, two of six districts GAO visited provided training to school personnel, volunteers, and students in response to prior allegations of sexual misconduct by school personnel. These trainings covered a variety of topics, including recognizing the signs of abuse and misconduct.
According to GAO's survey, 46 states have laws that require school personnel to report child sexual abuse and designate the agency that investigates reports (local law enforcement and/or child protective services (CPS)), and 43 establish penalties for not reporting.
According to GAO's survey, 46 states have laws that require school personnel to report child sexual abuse and designate the agency that investigates reports (local law enforcement and/or child protective services (CPS)), and 43 establish penalties for not reporting.
In addition, school districts may have their own policies, which can sometimes create challenges. For example, three of the six school districts GAO visited have policies requiring suspected sexual abuse or misconduct to be reported to school administrators. Local investigative officials reported that such policies can be confusing, as they imply reports should only be made to school officials. This can result in a failure to report to the proper law enforcement or CPS authorities and interfere with investigations.
For example, in one case study GAO reviewed, administrators pled guilty to failure to report suspected sexual abuse of a student by a teacher, who was later convicted of ten counts of abuse.
Further, state and local officials told GAO that because different agencies can be involved with investigating reports of alleged child sexual abuse or misconduct for different reasons, each of the agencies' particular goals may lead to potential interference with another agency's investigation.
In three of the four states GAO visited, law enforcement and CPS had developed methods, such as memorandums of understanding, to minimize this potential conflict and share information and expertise to resolve cases.
Relevant programs at the Departments of Education (Education), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Justice (Justice) have supported state and local efforts to address sexual abuse by school personnel through limited training, guidance on boundary setting, and funding for collaboration among entities responding to allegations. Federal internal controls state that agencies should ensure there are adequate means of communicating with and obtaining information from external stakeholders who have a significant impact on agency goals. Yet, more than 30 of the states that GAO surveyed were not aware of available federal resources. No single agency is leading this effort, and coordination among federal agencies to leverage their resources and disseminate information to assist state and local efforts is limited. Further, the prevalence of this type of abuse is not known. Although several federal agencies collect related data, none systematically identify the extent of sexual abuse by school personnel, and efforts to address this data gap are limited. Finally, Education’s regulations under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) require schools to have procedures in place to protect students from sexual abuse by school personnel. However, local officials told GAO that Education’s guidance was limited and they are unsure about how to apply these requirements to cases of adult-to-student sexual abuse in K-12 settings.
Relevant programs at the Departments of Education (Education), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Justice (Justice) have supported state and local efforts to address sexual abuse by school personnel through limited training, guidance on boundary setting, and funding for collaboration among entities responding to allegations. Federal internal controls state that agencies should ensure there are adequate means of communicating with and obtaining information from external stakeholders who have a significant impact on agency goals. Yet, more than 30 of the states that GAO surveyed were not aware of available federal resources. No single agency is leading this effort, and coordination among federal agencies to leverage their resources and disseminate information to assist state and local efforts is limited. Further, the prevalence of this type of abuse is not known. Although several federal agencies collect related data, none systematically identify the extent of sexual abuse by school personnel, and efforts to address this data gap are limited. Finally, Education’s regulations under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) require schools to have procedures in place to protect students from sexual abuse by school personnel. However, local officials told GAO that Education’s guidance was limited and they are unsure about how to apply these requirements to cases of adult-to-student sexual abuse in K-12 settings.
Why GAO Did This Study
While all child abuse is troubling, sexual abuse by school personnel raises particular concerns because of the trust placed in schools. Federal laws prohibit sexual harassment, including sexual abuse, in federally-funded education programs and set minimum standards for state laws on reporting suspected child abuse.
GAO was asked to review efforts to address child sexual abuse by school personnel. GAO examined: (1) states' and school districts' steps to help prevent such abuse, (2) their reporting requirements and approaches for investigating allegations, and (3) federal agencies' efforts to address such abuse. GAO reviewed relevant federal laws, regulations, and guidance; surveyed state educational agencies in 50 states and the District of Columbia; and visited four states and six of their districts. States were selected based on actions taken in response to past allegations of abuse. GAO interviewed state agencies, school districts, local law enforcement and child protective service agencies, and experts identified through a systematic literature review.
What GAO Recommends
GAO recommends that Education collaborate with HHS and Justice to compile and disseminate information to states; identify a way to track the prevalence of sexual abuse; and that Education also clarify and disseminate information on how Title IX applies to personnel-to-student sexual abuse in the K-12 setting. Education and HHS provided technical comments and Education concurred with our recommendations. Justice had no comments.
For more information, contact Kay Brown at (202) 512-7215 or brownke@gao.gov.
Recommendations for Executive Action
Recommendation: In order to help inform federal, state, and local initiatives to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse by school personnel, the Secretary of Education should lead an effort, in collaboration with the Secretary of HHS and the Attorney General, to leverage resources, expertise, and capacities across the departments to develop a comprehensive package of materials for states, districts, and schools that outlines steps that can be taken to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse by school personnel. For example, this could include compiling, assessing, and enhancing existing guidance, training materials, grant opportunities, and other resources.
(The full report can be found at this link.)
Municipal League wants Supreme Court to uphold red-light camera ordinances
(From Missouri Municipal League)
Cities from across Missouri hope that the Missouri Supreme Court will hear a series of appeals filed in cases challenging the validity of red-light camera ordinances. These inconsistent lower-court rulings have caused uncertainty for municipalities and threaten their ability to pass a wide range of local public safety ordinances beyond red-light cameras.
The Missouri Municipal League (MML), which represents the interests of 674 municipalities, has filed amicus briefs in support of the Missouri Supreme Court hearing the appeals. MML believes the Missouri Supreme Court can provide cities with clear direction and guidance to clear up the conflicting decisions at the court of appeals.
“Local elected officials and law enforcement need the ability to pass and enforce municipal ordinances dealing with public safety,” said Dan Ross, MML Executive Director. “These conflicting lower court rulings have caused uncertainty and threaten to undermine the very system of local control that Missourians strongly support. We hope the Missouri Supreme Court will hear these appeals and provide the cities the guidance they need to improve public safety through local ordinances.”
More than 30 Missouri municipalities, including St. Louis and Kansas City, have local ordinances dealing with red-light safety camera enforcement. As part of every program, the company operating the cameras sends videotape of incidents to local law enforcement, which then independently make terminations about when to issue violations.
While some of these cities continue to enforce these ordinances, others have temporarily suspended their programs due to uncertainty caused by these conflicting court rulings.
Winter weather advisory issued for Joplin area
(From the National Weather Service)
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM FRIDAY TO NOON CST
SATURDAY...
SATURDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FREEZING DRIZZLE...FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND
LIGHT SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM FRIDAY TO NOON CST
SATURDAY.
WEATHER ADVISORY FREEZING DRIZZLE...FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND
LIGHT SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM FRIDAY TO NOON CST
SATURDAY.
* TIMING AND AREAS AFFECTED...FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 44.
MORNING FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 44.
* SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF
UP TO AN INCH CAN NOT BE RULED OUT FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH
OF HIGHWAY 54.
UP TO AN INCH CAN NOT BE RULED OUT FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH
OF HIGHWAY 54.
* ICE ACCUMULATIONS...ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OR
LESS ARE FORECASTED AT THIS TIME.
LESS ARE FORECASTED AT THIS TIME.
* IMPACTS...MAJOR IMPACTS TO ROAD SURFACES CANNOT BE RULED OUT FOR
THE FRIDAY MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK OR SCHOOL. EVEN JUST A THIN
GLAZE OF ICE COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO
TRAVEL...PARTICULARLY FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE
44.
THE FRIDAY MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK OR SCHOOL. EVEN JUST A THIN
GLAZE OF ICE COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO
TRAVEL...PARTICULARLY FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE
44.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...
OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
Red flag warning in effect for Joplin area until 6 p.m.
(From the National Weather Service)
RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST
THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR ALL OF EXTREME
SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS AND THE MISSOURI OZARKS...
THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR ALL OF EXTREME
SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS AND THE MISSOURI OZARKS...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER
WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
WARNING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER
WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
* WINDS...SOUTH 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.
* TIMING...FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM THIS EVENING.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 20 AND 30 PERCENT.
* TEMPERATURES...WARMING INTO THE UPPER 30S AND LOW 40S BY MIDDAY.
AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 40S.
AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 40S.
* LIGHTNING...NONE.
* IMPACTS...ANY OUTDOOR BURNING WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO
CONTAIN AND CONTROL THAN USUAL. NATURAL COVER FIRES WILL
SPREAD QUICKLY.
CONTAIN AND CONTROL THAN USUAL. NATURAL COVER FIRES WILL
SPREAD QUICKLY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.
McCaskill: Best way to improve care for veterans is to listen to them
(From Sen. Claire McCaskill)
When it comes to improving care for our military veterans, the best way to do it is also the simplest - by actually listening to veterans.
Nearly three years ago, I launched an effort to bring together veterans, the VA, patient advocates and local communities to strengthen services for our veterans - and I did it with my dad in mind. As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I know there's no substitute for hearing directly from Missouri veterans about the level of care they're receiving at VA hospitals and facilities.
Through our Veterans' Customer Satisfaction Program (VCSP), I'm able to get direct feedback from veterans, and work with our coalition of VA stakeholders, to address any frustrations or obstacles veterans report about their VA healthcare. It's allowed us to generate specific ideas for better services, further assess the overall quality of care, and figure out how to improve their experience.
While we continue to make significant progress correcting the problems, we're not done yet, and that's why I'm asking for your help. I'm looking to hear more from our veterans about the improvements they've seen in their care, as well as areas where we still need to do more work.
If you are a veteran or you know a veteran receiving care at Missouri's VA hospitals visit my website at mccaskill.senate.gov/vcsp to give your confidential feedback.
With the VCSP program, we're putting the power back into the hands of veterans and ensuring that we make good on the promises made to those who served. My goal is to continue to have an aggressive program that holds our VA medical centers accountable for providing the best healthcare possible to our veterans.
If you are a veteran or you know a veteran who is receiving care at one of Missouri's VA facilities, I encourage you to visit my website www.mccaskill.senate.gov/vcsp and take part in this confidential survey. You can complete a survey after each healthcare visit.
The most effective way to ensure we're living up to the promises made to our veterans is to actually stop and listen to what they have to tell us.
Pringles recall announced
(From the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services)
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services received information regarding a recall of Pringles®5.68‐ounce cans Original crisps. The crisps are being recalled because they may have been inadvertently exposed to seasoning containing milk, which is not listed as an ingredient on the label.
People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of allergic reaction and should avoid eating this impacted product.
The recalled product is marked on the bottom of the can with a UPC code of 38000 84496 and best by date of 12/26/2014, with the manufacturing code L 3269KT70 that ends with four numbers ranging from 0830 to 0930.
The full recall can be found at www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm383335.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.
Koster offers sympathy to family of executed killer's victims
(From Attorney General Chris Koster)
After the United States Supreme Court vacated three separate stays of execution on January 29, 2014, Herbert Smulls was executed for the 1991 murder of Stephen Honickman.
Attorney General Koster said, "My thoughts and prayers are with Florence Honickman and the family and friends of Stephen Honickman."
Attorney General Koster said, "My thoughts and prayers are with Florence Honickman and the family and friends of Stephen Honickman."
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Things I'm Thinking About, January 29
A few things that have been on my mind:
Say It Ain't So- I am hearing that the Joplin R-8 Board of Education, despite letting Angie Besendorfer out of her contract before the end of the year, has okayed paying her full salary, citing vacation days and unused sick leave. Surely, that cannot be the case and I am certain that those vacation days did not include the ones she used during the notorious fact finding furniture fiasco in Germany. I find it hard to believe that they would let someone out of a contract to take a better job. It certainly wouldn't happen if the person who wanted to break the contract was a classroom teacher.
Four Days Before the Super Bowl- I am so tired of people who won't say Super Bowl because they are scared to death of being sued by the NFL. Today, on KSN's 4 p.m. Living Well program they were doing a news story and called it the Big Game. It is the Super Bowl. So NFL, if you want to sue me, my address is in the book.
Lance Berkman retires- This new is probably coming two years too late, but Lance Berkman, who played for the Texas Rangers last year, has announced his retirement. St. Louis Cardinals fans will always remember him for the single that tied the sixth game of the 2011 World Series and set the stage for David Freeze's game-winning home run in the 11th inning.
Jennifer Penate- I don't know if Jennifer Penate, formerly a KSN reporter, lately anchoring the news on KODE, is going to continue in that position, or if the station is still looking for a permanent replacement for Tiffany Alaniz, but she has done well the last few weeks.
Say It Ain't So- I am hearing that the Joplin R-8 Board of Education, despite letting Angie Besendorfer out of her contract before the end of the year, has okayed paying her full salary, citing vacation days and unused sick leave. Surely, that cannot be the case and I am certain that those vacation days did not include the ones she used during the notorious fact finding furniture fiasco in Germany. I find it hard to believe that they would let someone out of a contract to take a better job. It certainly wouldn't happen if the person who wanted to break the contract was a classroom teacher.
Four Days Before the Super Bowl- I am so tired of people who won't say Super Bowl because they are scared to death of being sued by the NFL. Today, on KSN's 4 p.m. Living Well program they were doing a news story and called it the Big Game. It is the Super Bowl. So NFL, if you want to sue me, my address is in the book.
Lance Berkman retires- This new is probably coming two years too late, but Lance Berkman, who played for the Texas Rangers last year, has announced his retirement. St. Louis Cardinals fans will always remember him for the single that tied the sixth game of the 2011 World Series and set the stage for David Freeze's game-winning home run in the 11th inning.
Jennifer Penate- I don't know if Jennifer Penate, formerly a KSN reporter, lately anchoring the news on KODE, is going to continue in that position, or if the station is still looking for a permanent replacement for Tiffany Alaniz, but she has done well the last few weeks.
Tim Jones: Sam Brownback and I are ending the Missouri/Kansas border war
Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones today filed legislation with the goal of instituting a cease fire in the ongoing economic border war between Missouri and Kansas. Jones said it is time to end the war of escalating incentives that have been utilized to poach jobs across the state line.
“Both Kansas and Missouri have offered incentives worth millions of dollars to move jobs from one side of the state line to the other. This has been a back-and-forth battle that has resulted in a net loss for both states,” said Jones, R-Eureka. “While our own governor has remained complacent on the sidelines, I have worked with Governor Brownback to resolve this issue. What we have now is a reasonable solution that will end the border war and provide some stability to the families and employers of the Kansas City region.”
The Speaker’s legislation, HB 1646, would prohibit either state from offering incentives to entice employers to relocate across the border. The bill would apply to the eight counties that make up the Kansas City metro area - Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass in Missouri; Wyandotte, Johnson, Douglas, and Miami in Kansas. Furthermore, the legislation is contingent upon the director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development certifying that Kansas has passed similar legislation or issued an executive order with a similar prohibition on incentives.
The bill also stipulates that Missouri may begin offering incentives for businesses to relocate if Kansas violates the prohibition by offering similar incentives.
Nixon: Soaring Heights ribbon cutting marks another milestone in Joplin's recovery
(From Gov. Jay Nixon)
Public schools are the hearts of our communities and essential to Missouri’s ability to create jobs in the global economy, Gov.Jay Nixon said today during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Soaring Heights Elementary in Joplin. The Governor’s “Good Schools, Good Jobs” plan, which he detailed during his State of the State last week, will provide public schools with the resources they need to prepare students to succeed in college and careers.
“Today’s ribbon cutting marks yet another milestone in a remarkable recovery here in Joplin,” Gov. Nixon said. “Joplin Public Schools have become a shining example of what is possible when a community unites in a common purpose, and commits to building a brighter future for the next generation. The fact is that nothing will have a greater impact on the future of our economy than the commitment we make now to public education.”
The Joplin School District lost five schools as a result of the EF-5 tornado that devastated the city on May 22, 2011. Soaring Heights Elementary is one of three new schools in Joplin that opened this month.
Gov. Nixon’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal includes an increase of $278 million for K-12 classrooms, putting the state on a path to fully funding the foundation formula in two years. The K-12 foundation formula, passed into law in 2005, establishes the state’s funding level for K-12 schools. This would increase funding for Joplin public schools by more than $2.4 million, which will help the growing district keep class sizes small.
Gov. Nixon has made public education in Missouri a top priority of his administration. Math and reading scores have increased on his watch and Missouri’s high school graduation rate is now the eighth highest in the nation. Over the past five years, Missouri has also led the nation in minimizing tuition increases at its public universities.
National Weather Service: Snow heading for Joplin
(From the National Weather Service)
STRONG SOUTH WINDS GUSTING TO 30 TO 35 MPH COUPLED WITH DRY
CONDITIONS WILL PRODUCE AN ELEVATED TO SIGNIFICANT FIRE DANGER
ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY.
CONDITIONS WILL PRODUCE AN ELEVATED TO SIGNIFICANT FIRE DANGER
ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY.
A MIX OF LIGHT SNOW AND RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY MORNING
INTO SATURDAY. COLD GROUND TEMPERATURES MAY RESULT IN SLICK SPOTS
ON AREA ROAD WAYS.
INTO SATURDAY. COLD GROUND TEMPERATURES MAY RESULT IN SLICK SPOTS
ON AREA ROAD WAYS.
THERE IS A CHANCE FOR LIGHT SNOW ON SUNDAY...LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS
OF LESS THAN TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FOR AREAS ALONG AND SOUTHEAST
OF THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR.
OF LESS THAN TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FOR AREAS ALONG AND SOUTHEAST
OF THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR.
A STRONGER...MORE ORGANIZED STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING THE CHANCE OF
SOME SIGNIFICANT WINTRY WEATHER TO THE AREA LATER MONDAY NIGHT
INTO TUESDAY.
SOME SIGNIFICANT WINTRY WEATHER TO THE AREA LATER MONDAY NIGHT
INTO TUESDAY.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Billy Long on State of the Union: We will not rubberstamp the Obama agenda
“The president and his administration like to say he has a pen and phone and is ready to act, but as a former constitutional law professor the president should understand there are three equal branches of government.
If his proposals are worthwhile and will help the American people then he should be able to get Congress onboard. My colleagues and I will not rubberstamp an agenda that increases the reach of the government into our lives, increases spending and decreases liberty.
We need a smaller, leaner government to help unleash the pent up economic growth that is vital to creating the jobs we need here at home.”
Hartzler on State of the Union: It's time for president to end class warfare rhetoric
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has released the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union address:
“President Obama’s speech reflects a clear difference of perspective. He believes government is the solution to our problems; I believe government is too often the problem. The President stated early in his speech that he believes the American people are united by the belief in opportunity for all – regardless of race or religion or party, young or old, rich or poor – and the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you get ahead. But if he really believes this, why doesn’t he get government out of the way to allow American individualism and ingenuity to flourish? While the President touched on many of the issues of concern to most Americans, he refuses to allow the American spirit to be unleashed, preferring instead to call for government-imposed solutions that have failed in the past and will undoubtedly fail in the future.
It was disappointing, as well, to hear the President use his platform to shore up his base rather than reaching out to all Americans and their needs. The President’s claim that he embraces an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy was empty, as he quickly shifted to stifling power plants with claims of climate change. The President has previously made clear his opposition to coal, a plentiful energy source that is depended on by much of Missouri for its energy needs. An ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy must welcome alternative energy sources like wind and solar, but it cannot restrict exploration of and use of efficient and plentiful sources of energy like coal and oil. An ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy must include moving government out of the way to allow construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. This will not only create thousands of jobs in our country, but will ensure a ready supply of energy from Canada – a friendly neighbor.
America needs action that involves getting government out of the way of job growth and unleashing the American spirit; not one of taking power away from the people. I remain focused on removing the uncertainty that is stifling job growth, growing the economy, and empowering the American people. It is imperative to get excess government out of the way of our economy, not further entangle it in our private lives. Our Founding Fathers intended that governing be a partnership between the branches of government, and it is my hope that the President will work with Congress to promote these common-sense ideas to help all Americans.
Constituents from Missouri’s Fourth District have shared stories about the negative impact of the Administration’s actions, and House Republicans are working on solutions to get government out of the way:
- A substitute teacher will have her hours cut due to the President’s health care law, lowering her take home pay and making it difficult to provide for her family. I support the American Health Care Reform Act, which replaces Obamacare with market-driven solutions that increase access and lower the cost of health care;
- Community banks are being buried under a flood of regulations due to the Dodd-Frank financial reforms. I introduced the Small Business Credit Availability Act, which would help roll back this harmful legislation by freeing up equity small banks use to provide their customers with loans and working capital.
- Rural electric cooperatives have been negatively impacted by the President’s war on coal, which will shut down Missouri power plants and drive up the electricity bills of citizens across Missouri and the country. I continue to fight against overregulation by the EPA, and ensure America has a true ‘all of the above’ energy policy to secure energy independence and lower energy costs.
I want to assure the citizens of Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District that I, along with my colleagues in the House, am committed to a year of positive action for the people. We will continue to work to get Washington out of the way, helping to lower healthcare costs, cutting government waste, eliminating job-stifling red tape, and helping Americans take home more of their paycheck each month.
It is time for the President to work with Congress to improve the lives of hard-working Americans and end the harmful rhetoric of class warfare.”
“President Obama’s speech reflects a clear difference of perspective. He believes government is the solution to our problems; I believe government is too often the problem. The President stated early in his speech that he believes the American people are united by the belief in opportunity for all – regardless of race or religion or party, young or old, rich or poor – and the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you get ahead. But if he really believes this, why doesn’t he get government out of the way to allow American individualism and ingenuity to flourish? While the President touched on many of the issues of concern to most Americans, he refuses to allow the American spirit to be unleashed, preferring instead to call for government-imposed solutions that have failed in the past and will undoubtedly fail in the future.
It was disappointing, as well, to hear the President use his platform to shore up his base rather than reaching out to all Americans and their needs. The President’s claim that he embraces an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy was empty, as he quickly shifted to stifling power plants with claims of climate change. The President has previously made clear his opposition to coal, a plentiful energy source that is depended on by much of Missouri for its energy needs. An ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy must welcome alternative energy sources like wind and solar, but it cannot restrict exploration of and use of efficient and plentiful sources of energy like coal and oil. An ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy must include moving government out of the way to allow construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. This will not only create thousands of jobs in our country, but will ensure a ready supply of energy from Canada – a friendly neighbor.
America needs action that involves getting government out of the way of job growth and unleashing the American spirit; not one of taking power away from the people. I remain focused on removing the uncertainty that is stifling job growth, growing the economy, and empowering the American people. It is imperative to get excess government out of the way of our economy, not further entangle it in our private lives. Our Founding Fathers intended that governing be a partnership between the branches of government, and it is my hope that the President will work with Congress to promote these common-sense ideas to help all Americans.
Constituents from Missouri’s Fourth District have shared stories about the negative impact of the Administration’s actions, and House Republicans are working on solutions to get government out of the way:
- A substitute teacher will have her hours cut due to the President’s health care law, lowering her take home pay and making it difficult to provide for her family. I support the American Health Care Reform Act, which replaces Obamacare with market-driven solutions that increase access and lower the cost of health care;
- Community banks are being buried under a flood of regulations due to the Dodd-Frank financial reforms. I introduced the Small Business Credit Availability Act, which would help roll back this harmful legislation by freeing up equity small banks use to provide their customers with loans and working capital.
- Rural electric cooperatives have been negatively impacted by the President’s war on coal, which will shut down Missouri power plants and drive up the electricity bills of citizens across Missouri and the country. I continue to fight against overregulation by the EPA, and ensure America has a true ‘all of the above’ energy policy to secure energy independence and lower energy costs.
I want to assure the citizens of Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District that I, along with my colleagues in the House, am committed to a year of positive action for the people. We will continue to work to get Washington out of the way, helping to lower healthcare costs, cutting government waste, eliminating job-stifling red tape, and helping Americans take home more of their paycheck each month.
It is time for the President to work with Congress to improve the lives of hard-working Americans and end the harmful rhetoric of class warfare.”
C. J. Huff on board approval of new JHS courses: This is a historic moment
"This is a historic moment for Joplin and for our nation," Superintendent C. J. Huff said.
Huff said he will present a copy of the new JHS course catalog to Gov. Jay Nixon Wednesday. "I will be handing the governor of Missouri our course handbook."
Nixon will be in Joplin for the ribbon-cutting at the new Soaring Heights Elementary School.
Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer said the new courses and the ideas, including students designing their own classes with the help of teachers, had enthusiastic backing from DESE (the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).
"Nobody in the country is doing this," Besendorfer said. "This is groundbreaking."
All of the extra courses will not affect the district budget, Besendorfer said. "We're not going to break the bank."
Board member Annie Sharp asked, "Are we hiring more teachers?"
High School Principal Kerry Sachetta said there would be no need to hire any new teachers in the core areas, which would indicate that since the number of core classes are going to be increased, including diferent sections of all four years of English for students, depending on which of the five career pathways they chose, that Joplin High School teachers may be asked to triple or even quadruple their workload, or perhaps even more, since individual students are being encouraged to work with faculty members to create new classes.
Complete transcript of State of the Union provided
(As prepared for delivery)
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans:
Today in America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed it, and did her part to lift America’s graduation rate to its highest level in more than three decades.
An entrepreneur flipped on the lights in her tech startup, and did her part to add to the more than eight million new jobs our businesses have created over the past four years.
An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world, and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans:
Today in America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed it, and did her part to lift America’s graduation rate to its highest level in more than three decades.
An entrepreneur flipped on the lights in her tech startup, and did her part to add to the more than eight million new jobs our businesses have created over the past four years.
An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world, and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil.
The new Joplin High School: Students can design their own classes
If Joplin High School students have a course they really want to take and it is not offered, they can get together with a teacher and create it.
This new frontier in education is being explained to the Joplin R-8 Board of Education by High School Principal Kerry Sachetta as this is being written.
"Students can design courses with their teachers," Sachetta said, during a presentation in which he described the increasing number of classes that will be offered beginning this fall.
The new student-designed classes will also start at that time, Sachetta said.
"The students will have a personalized learning expeirence."
This kind of cafeteria-style class selection was also featured in a list of new or redesigned classes that was presented to the board this evening for its approval. Those courses were noted in a couple of Turner Report posts earlier today.
This new and different high school was a product of the Dream Sessions started by departing R-8 Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer shortly after the May 22, 2011, Joplin Tornado, a time in which Besendorfer guided those who participated as they searched for "a silver lining in a funnel cloud."
Introducing Sachetta, Besendorfer talked about those dream sessions and compared them to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.
"We had a dream, too," she said, noting that this new 21st Century high school would offer "the right thing for every student."
This new frontier in education is being explained to the Joplin R-8 Board of Education by High School Principal Kerry Sachetta as this is being written.
"Students can design courses with their teachers," Sachetta said, during a presentation in which he described the increasing number of classes that will be offered beginning this fall.
The new student-designed classes will also start at that time, Sachetta said.
"The students will have a personalized learning expeirence."
This kind of cafeteria-style class selection was also featured in a list of new or redesigned classes that was presented to the board this evening for its approval. Those courses were noted in a couple of Turner Report posts earlier today.
This new and different high school was a product of the Dream Sessions started by departing R-8 Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer shortly after the May 22, 2011, Joplin Tornado, a time in which Besendorfer guided those who participated as they searched for "a silver lining in a funnel cloud."
Introducing Sachetta, Besendorfer talked about those dream sessions and compared them to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.
"We had a dream, too," she said, noting that this new 21st Century high school would offer "the right thing for every student."
Besendorfer: My heart will always be in Joplin
Dr. Besendorfer's resignation to become the new chancellor of Western Governors University Missouri will take effect at the end of this week.
""This has been a fabulous journey," Besendorfer said. "My heart will always be in Joplin."
The statement came a few moments after Board President Jeff Flowers and Superintendent C. J. Huff praised Besendorfer.
Flowers started by listing some recent honors the assistant superintendent had received, turned to Besendorfer and said, "We will miss you."
Flowers noted that only hours after the May 22, 2011, Joplin Tornado, Besendorfer was on the phones making sure that displaced Joplin students would have buildings for school when August arrived.
Flowers and Huff hugged Besendorfer, after which Huff said, "She has played a huge role in the design of the new schools.
"Her legacy will live on these new buildings."
Unaccredited school districts to be topic of public hearing
(From the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
State education officials will hold a public hearing regarding unaccredited school districts on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Kansas City.
The hearing will take place from 6:30-8:00p.m. at the Paseo Academy, 4747 Flora Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64110. It will be an opportunity to gather community feedback on plans submitted for transforming unaccredited school districts in the state. With this feedback, the Department will create a statewide plan for support of and, if necessary, intervention in unaccredited schools. An overview of the plans can be viewed here.
“We want to ensure all children in Missouri have access to quality schools,” said Missouri Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro. “Your feedback is a very important part of the process. Please join in the conversation about the future of our children.”
Persons wishing to make public comments may sign up to do so at the hearing. Names will be drawn out randomly as time permits. Those speaking are asked to limit their remarks to five minutes. Anyone wishing to share their thoughts may do so by visiting www.dese.mo.gov/unaccredited-districts.
Similar hearings are planned in St. Louis (Feb. 4), Springfield (Feb. 6) and Sikeston (Feb. 6).
Nixon denies clemency for convicted killer
(From Gov. Jay Nixon)
The Governor’s Office today released the following statement from Gov. Jay Nixon regarding his decision on the petition for clemency from Herbert Smulls:
I have received from my counsel a final briefing on the petition for clemency from Herbert Smulls, which has been reviewed in detail. After careful deliberation, I have denied this petition. As Governor, this is a power and a process I do not take lightly. Each instance involves a very specific set of facts, which must be considered on its own.
Herbert Smulls shot and killed Stephen Honickman and seriously wounded Florence Honickman in a cold-blooded and deliberate manner during a robbery of their jewelry business in Chesterfield. A career criminal, Smulls was apprehended by law enforcement shortly after the murder with stolen jewelry still in the car.
These crimes were brutal, and the jury that convicted Smulls determined that he deserved the most severe punishment under Missouri law. Both the conviction and the death sentence of Herbert Smulls have held up under extensive judicial review by the state and federal courts. My decision on clemency upholds the action by the jury and the decisions by the courts.
I ask that Missourians remember Stephen Honickman at this time, and keep Florence Honickman and the family and friends of the Honickmans in their thoughts and prayers.
The Governor’s Office today released the following statement from Gov. Jay Nixon regarding his decision on the petition for clemency from Herbert Smulls:
I have received from my counsel a final briefing on the petition for clemency from Herbert Smulls, which has been reviewed in detail. After careful deliberation, I have denied this petition. As Governor, this is a power and a process I do not take lightly. Each instance involves a very specific set of facts, which must be considered on its own.
Herbert Smulls shot and killed Stephen Honickman and seriously wounded Florence Honickman in a cold-blooded and deliberate manner during a robbery of their jewelry business in Chesterfield. A career criminal, Smulls was apprehended by law enforcement shortly after the murder with stolen jewelry still in the car.
These crimes were brutal, and the jury that convicted Smulls determined that he deserved the most severe punishment under Missouri law. Both the conviction and the death sentence of Herbert Smulls have held up under extensive judicial review by the state and federal courts. My decision on clemency upholds the action by the jury and the decisions by the courts.
I ask that Missourians remember Stephen Honickman at this time, and keep Florence Honickman and the family and friends of the Honickmans in their thoughts and prayers.
Shawnee Mission board approves $19 million for laptops, iPads for students
Shawnee Mission Superintendent Jim Henson, formerly superintendent at East Newton and Independence, says he has learned from the mistakes of other school districts who have done this. Shawnee Mission is buying equipment for every student. Those above third grade will get to take theirs home. Middle schoolers will have IPads, while high school students will receive laptops.
New course to teach Joplin High School students how to "control the message"
Over the past few months, I have noted numerous times that one reason the C. J. Huff Administration has been able to continue full steam ahead despite some lapses that would have derailed even more competent leadership has been its success at controlling the message.
This has been done in three ways:
1. It has co-opted the local media, especially the Joplin Globe.
2. It has set up its own communication system through the district website, Facebook and Twitter, Jet 14, and carefully orchestrated
3. It controls access to the Board of Education.
Now, the Huff Administration is giving back to the community, by creating a class which will teach Joplin High School students how they, too, can control the message.
The class, which is on a long list of classes to be approved by the R-8 Board of Education when it meets tonight is titled Reputation Management and is described as follows:
This course addressed the ethical responsibilities of multimedia journalists as they apply to story development, audience reaction, story evolution and personal and organizational message control. Students will learn how consumers absorb, act, and react upon news based on media format and content emphasized in that format. The course also provides an overview of the media industry landscape, examining how the different players interact and how they balance being news gatherers and content producers for the purpose of generating revenue from the content.
Organizational message control, generating revenue, content producers- it would be nice to see something about truth and accuracy in the description.
Of course, those are the first things that are sacrificed when the goal is organizational message control.
This has been done in three ways:
1. It has co-opted the local media, especially the Joplin Globe.
2. It has set up its own communication system through the district website, Facebook and Twitter, Jet 14, and carefully orchestrated
3. It controls access to the Board of Education.
Now, the Huff Administration is giving back to the community, by creating a class which will teach Joplin High School students how they, too, can control the message.
The class, which is on a long list of classes to be approved by the R-8 Board of Education when it meets tonight is titled Reputation Management and is described as follows:
This course addressed the ethical responsibilities of multimedia journalists as they apply to story development, audience reaction, story evolution and personal and organizational message control. Students will learn how consumers absorb, act, and react upon news based on media format and content emphasized in that format. The course also provides an overview of the media industry landscape, examining how the different players interact and how they balance being news gatherers and content producers for the purpose of generating revenue from the content.
Organizational message control, generating revenue, content producers- it would be nice to see something about truth and accuracy in the description.
Of course, those are the first things that are sacrificed when the goal is organizational message control.
Nightmare in the making: Joplin R-8 to tailor freshman English classes to career paths
The full extent of what Joplin R-8 Administration plans to do with its career pathways will be unveiled tonight when the Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. in the Administration Building at 32nd and Duquesne.
The program sounded bad enough when it was first brought to the public's attention because of the idea that students would be steered into career pathways when they are in middle school, a time when hardly anyone is ready to determine a clear path for the future.
When Angie Besendorfer promoted career pathways, she talked about how students would have no problems if they elected to change their pathway and that seemed feasible. After all, college students change majors, many of them several times, but there are basic courses that everyone has to take. That makes it much easier to change majors as long as you have your core classes out of the way.
That concept is nothing like the cafeteria-style plan the Board of Education is expected to approve tonight.
Since I was an English teacher, allow me to use that area of study as an example.
Under the plan being submitted to the board, it is not a case of high school students taking English I, then English II, then perhaps moving into some more specialized classes during their junior and senior years.The curriculum experts (and I use the term loosely) at 32nd and Duquesne have decided to even gear the beginning English classes toward these career pathways.
The idea that there are basic literature and writing instruction that all high school students should have has been tossed aside. In the past, it has been a basic choice of whether students are placed in an advanced class at the freshman level or basic, now even English will be designed for these career pathways.
One class that will be offered is English 1 HS&B, which is described in this fashion:
Human Services/Business will cover all Missouri Learning Standards for 9th Grade English with literature and writing selections that appeal to students with interests in human services and business-related areas.
And then you have English I STEM:
STEM will cover all Missouri Learning Standards for 9th Grade English with literature and writing selections that appeal to students with interests in science, technology, engineering, and math related areas.
There will also be English classes for arts and communication students and for pre-AP (advanced placement)
Naturally, the same divisions are included in new classes for sophomores.
Also on the list of classes that will be submitted to the board are some fascinating electives in the English area:
Students can enroll in such courses as Fantasy in Literature, Literature of War, Literature Through Film, Mystery Literature, and Mythology and Folklore.
Some non-English classes on the list for tonight include the following:
Sports Math: Probability and Statistics, Repertory Musical Theatre Class, Introduction to Yoga and Pilates, and Reputation Management.
The list of classes is long and can be found at this link.
The most worrisome thing is that no fiscal note was provided for all of these new classes. In other words, taxpayers have no idea how much they will cost. One thing for certain, high school teachers are going to be asked to do far more work than they have ever had to do before. This long, long laundry list of classes has to be taught by someone and odds are you are going to have teachers who have to prepare four or five different lesson plans each day and most of them for classes that have not existed before and do not have any real curriculum guidelines at the moment.
Of course, that is no problem for the highly paid curriculum specialists who came up with the ideas. They are not the ones who have to teach the classes.
The program sounded bad enough when it was first brought to the public's attention because of the idea that students would be steered into career pathways when they are in middle school, a time when hardly anyone is ready to determine a clear path for the future.
When Angie Besendorfer promoted career pathways, she talked about how students would have no problems if they elected to change their pathway and that seemed feasible. After all, college students change majors, many of them several times, but there are basic courses that everyone has to take. That makes it much easier to change majors as long as you have your core classes out of the way.
That concept is nothing like the cafeteria-style plan the Board of Education is expected to approve tonight.
Since I was an English teacher, allow me to use that area of study as an example.
Under the plan being submitted to the board, it is not a case of high school students taking English I, then English II, then perhaps moving into some more specialized classes during their junior and senior years.The curriculum experts (and I use the term loosely) at 32nd and Duquesne have decided to even gear the beginning English classes toward these career pathways.
The idea that there are basic literature and writing instruction that all high school students should have has been tossed aside. In the past, it has been a basic choice of whether students are placed in an advanced class at the freshman level or basic, now even English will be designed for these career pathways.
One class that will be offered is English 1 HS&B, which is described in this fashion:
Human Services/Business will cover all Missouri Learning Standards for 9th Grade English with literature and writing selections that appeal to students with interests in human services and business-related areas.
And then you have English I STEM:
STEM will cover all Missouri Learning Standards for 9th Grade English with literature and writing selections that appeal to students with interests in science, technology, engineering, and math related areas.
There will also be English classes for arts and communication students and for pre-AP (advanced placement)
Naturally, the same divisions are included in new classes for sophomores.
Also on the list of classes that will be submitted to the board are some fascinating electives in the English area:
Students can enroll in such courses as Fantasy in Literature, Literature of War, Literature Through Film, Mystery Literature, and Mythology and Folklore.
Some non-English classes on the list for tonight include the following:
Sports Math: Probability and Statistics, Repertory Musical Theatre Class, Introduction to Yoga and Pilates, and Reputation Management.
The list of classes is long and can be found at this link.
The most worrisome thing is that no fiscal note was provided for all of these new classes. In other words, taxpayers have no idea how much they will cost. One thing for certain, high school teachers are going to be asked to do far more work than they have ever had to do before. This long, long laundry list of classes has to be taught by someone and odds are you are going to have teachers who have to prepare four or five different lesson plans each day and most of them for classes that have not existed before and do not have any real curriculum guidelines at the moment.
Of course, that is no problem for the highly paid curriculum specialists who came up with the ideas. They are not the ones who have to teach the classes.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Southwest Missouri Democrats to phone legislators about Medicaid expansion
(From Southwest Missouri Democrats)
The Medicaid issue in Missouri is growing like a wildfire! So far there are over 840 signers for the petition "Expanding Medicaid in Missouri is a Win, Win, Win."
To have a much more direct impact, we are asking you to phone your state reps with a brief message. This will enable you to find the number for your state rep: http://www.commoncause.org/siteapps/advocacy/search.aspx?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4860375
A postscript gives the numbers of legislators in the southwest Missouri region.
When you call, you don't need to say a lot—just reiterate the main message of the petition, which is:
"The Missouri General Assembly should expand Medicaid for obvious reasons: It would mean 24,000 new jobs, a huge influx of federal money to the state, the rescue of many rural hospitals, and, of course, health insurance for over 200,000 more Missourians."
Then, help us keep track of how many calls have been made by clicking here:
http://civic.moveon.org/signon/calls/
Thank you for taking a stand on this important issue.
"The Missouri General Assembly should expand Medicaid for obvious reasons: It would mean 24,000 new jobs, a huge influx of federal money to the state, the rescue of many rural hospitals, and, of course, health insurance for over 200,000 more Missourians."
Then, help us keep track of how many calls have been made by clicking here:
http://civic.moveon.org/signon/calls/
Thank you for taking a stand on this important issue.
Sincerely,
Elliott Denniston and Krista Stark from the Southwest Missouri Democrats
P.S. The numbers for these area reps are
Flanigan 573-751-5458
C. Davis 573-751-7082
W. White 573-751-3791
Lant 573-751-9801
Sen. Richards 573-751-2173
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