|
Jackson County Public Works Environmental Health Division inspects all restaurants, grocery stores, schools, mobile food and temporary food establishments in the City of Grain Valley. The following violations were reported in the last 30 days: QuikTrip1110 N. Buckner Tarsney Rd.
Microwave had a large buildup of food residue inside. Corrected on site. Pizza grates had a large buildup of food residue. Corrected on site. Soda nozzles from the bag in the boxes were on the floor. Corrected on site. Reach in cooler had whip cream residues inside. Corrected on site. Noticed that the shelves by the pretzels had a buildup of food residue. Corrected. Country Oak Village 101 Cross Creek DR Unlabeled spray bottle was hang up by the handwashing sink. Corrected on site. Employee label the chemical bottle. Three Pigs BBQ 35406 E. Truman Rd. Vents above cook top had accumulation of dust build up. Correct by 3/14/2022. Temperature device was not located onsite to check internal temperatures of food. Repeat. Corrected. Employee brought one to site. Hand soap was not available. Corrected. Employee brought soap to site. Food handler cards were not provided. Correct by 2/12/22. Porky’s Blazin Bar-B-Q 9512 Buckner Tarsney Road No violations recorded. Grain Valley North Middle School 31608 N Pink Hill Road No violations recorded. by Burton Kelso, The Tech Expert New Year's Day always celebrates out with the old and in with the new and that's a refreshing thought as you begin to think of getting rid of old habits and starting up new habits. When it comes to your tech devices, it's another story as your tech devices. Tech never lasts forever as big tech companies are always looking for ways to push shiny devices in your face and as a result, it means your favorite tech gadgets will no longer be supported. Worried about what's going away? Check out these devices and technologies that may become obsolete and disappear this year.
BlackBerry. I know many of you probably think Blackberry has been obsolete for years, but there is a small community of people who have been hanging onto an older BlackBerry phone running BlackBerry OS. If you have used a Blackberry for years, that changes because BlackBerry is ending support for legacy services for BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry PlayBook OS. eReaders. eReader sales have been in a steady decline for the past several years. With the emergence of eReader apps and larger screens for smartphones and tablets, people are satisfied with using one device to handle most of their technical tasks rather than having a single device for each tech chore. Dashboard mounted GPS Devices. GPS isn't going anywhere. It better not because I would never find any destination. Think about it, when was the last time you saw someone with a TomTom or Garmin mounted to their dash? When making a journey from point A to Point B, your in-dash GPS or smartphone is your device of choice. 3G connectivity. Like it or not, 5G connectivity is taking over in 2022. 4G will still be around, but 3G will be no more. Many tech devices such as smartphones, tablets, medical devices will be affected by this change. Check with your device provider to see if your device will work without 3G. Wired audio devices. The emergence of Bluetooth has pretty much spelled the end of devices that use headphones and connected speakers. It's also made its way into automobiles which helps create an environment that helps you keep your tech connected to your car keeping you safe. With smartphones no longer being manufactured with headphone jacks and more wireless products showing up on shelves, it won't be long before wired headphones and speakers are gone. USB-A ports. USB C is becoming the standard USB port on tech devices. It doesn't matter if you have a Windows or Mac laptop or an Android phone, the USB C is the go-to port. Also, the industry is begging for all tech devices to have one charging port. Once Apple makes an iPhone with a USB port, old-school USB ports will be gone like the Dodo Bird. External Hard Drives Physical Storage. I'm sure you have an external hard drive or thumb drive laying around your house collecting dust. Cloud storage of your documents, photos, and videos on platforms like Google Docs, iCloud, or Microsoft Office 360 gives you peace of mind that you can access your devices anywhere in the world as well as not worrying about losing your USB Flash Drives or external hard drives. Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras. Smartphone cameras are so advanced, that many professional photographers and video creators are ditching their digital cameras for their smartphones. When was the last time you took your point-and-shoot camera on a family vacation? Passwords. Thanks to fingerprint, eye, and facial scanning passwords could be phased out this year. Most tech devices such as Windows and Macintosh computers, as well as smartphones and tablets, use biometric recognition to authenticate your identity and enter passwords on your behalf. Also, the traditional use of passwords will go away with sites and devices requiring you to enter passphrases instead. Keep in mind that just because a device becomes obsolete doesn't always mean that you will no longer be able to use those gadgets. Some devices can have a limited life. For example, for those tech devices that won't work on 3G, you may be able to connect those devices to Wi-Fi and get limited use from them. However, for most devices it will mean you need to recycle those outdated devices responsibility It also means that you won't get help from the manufacture like you would a device that is supported. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society For some time now, I have been wanting to write a series of articles about the early educators in Grain Valley. I will be looking for information about not only the classroom teachers, but Board of Education members, superintendents and principals who were responsible for educating the young people of our town. It will not be easy. I have spent more than a few hours on Ancestry.com, and thus far, I have found limited information, but I won’t give up! The Historical Society has several copies of the photo above. This is thought to be the oldest photograph of students, teachers, and the gentlemen of Grain Valley that made up the school board. The photo was taken around 1900 as my great aunt, Ruth Sanders is one of the young girls seated on the ground. Aunt Ruth was born in 1892. One of the gentlemen on the back row is Jesse D. Johnson (or David Jesse Johnston), identified as the School Board President. Two photos identified Mr. Johnson, they just don’t agree on which person he is, his exact name or how to spell his name. This makes research all the more difficult. So bear with me as I attempt to learn about these pioneers in education. Some early superintendents were Ira McGenness (1909), J. E. Carter (1915-1919), Delma L. Webb, 1921 & 1922) and R. H. Boston (1925-1927). Lawrence Dimit was the principal in 1907. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything about any of them, YET! School diplomas and certificates are generally the best sources for correct names and spellings, If you or anyone you know might have information about the early educators, prior to 1930, PLEASE reach out to me. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society
I am a sucker for a good story with a neatly wrapped and (preferably) happy ending. Truth be told, so are a lot of ya’ll. Poll a group of hard core Soprano watchers, and they will tell you they truly would like to have known a little more about what happened to good old Tony, and a smaller segment of the group hoped he turned state’s witness and helped the Feds put some of the bad guys away.
I am along for the ups and downs before the happy ending arrives for sure. When I watched (and then re-watched and re-watched and re-watched and then taught another generation to watch) The Notebook, I was fully aware that Noah and Allie’s romance was going to have some bumps. The classic story of young kids from different sides of town, a domineering patriarch with big ideas for his baby girl, and societal pressure had to have some curves. But I was rooting for those kids, and down deep, I looked for that moment when they would reunite. Spoiler alert: This isn’t really a spoiler alert, because there are plenty of other twists and turns. If you haven’t seen it yet, I am available Sunday afternoons to guide you through all the nuances. I have been rooting for happy endings since I was a kid. I loved it when Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, and Mike Teavee all fell by the wayside as Charlie Bucket convinced Willy Wonka that the chocolate factory should be his. He just had to win, right? Over our recent holiday break, I imposed a happy ending moratorium on our binge watching one afternoon after watching enough Marvel stuff to last me a full lifetime. We plowed through about three of the most sugary ending flicks ever created, and the cherry on top was a movie where at the very end it took us into the lives of the characters 10 years out to tell us where they are now. Perfection. Not a single loose end, and everybody prospered. The critics may say, “Well, life isn’t that way! Plenty of people don’t get this pretty story and end up with their true love and live happily ever after or end up with 50 million dollars,” and I agree. Isn’t that the point? We get to vicariously see somebody else’s neatly wrapped package, even if ours was a ratty old gift bag with re-used tissue paper. I am sure our love for the good finish has something to with an endorphin or serotonin or melatonin or some other ‘onin’ rush that is a proven scientific phenomenon. Take for example Reese Witherspoon’s character Melanie from Sweet Home Alabama. When she finally sees her soon to be ex-husband Jake’s beautiful glass sculptures, our heart beats faster, our cheeks get flushed, and our eyes leak a little, because we know she is headed away from her fancy New York fiancé and right back into Jake’s arms. It’s a feel good rush. This is not to say we never root for the underdog or wonder what happened to the guy or gal left behind. I mean, I do feel a little bit sorry for Cal Naughton in Talladega Nights, when he realizes Carly is just after his fame and money. But he and Ricky end up re-united as best buddies, so even then, we get our bow. And if you haven’t seen this movie, I am guessing we can’t be friends. This happy ending thing works for all kinds stories, right? Sports nut? I offer you Hoosiers, The Longest Yard, Rudy, and Miracle as examples. Comedy? Office Christmas Party and Napoleon Dynamite. Adventure lover? How about Raiders of the Lost Ark? This desire for the happy ending results in us pouting on social media when a movie or television character we have become attached to gets dissed, lobbying directors for sequels or even prequels to explain away what we don’t know or like, and creating memes with better outcomes. I am already anticipating what will happen at the series’ conclusion of This Is Us if each of the beloved Pearson family doesn’t get just the perfect denouement. Critics will debate if Kevin should have sought out and reunited with Sophie, if Toby ever really loved Kate for who she was, and if Randall could have become President. I will likely be right there with them. I have a theory about my personal desire for a happy ending. The last couple of years of not being able to control a pandemic and feuds over everything from politics to cancel culture have created a need for comfort and predictability. What better place to find it than a movie or television? If you’ll excuse me, I am off to watch To Sir With Love, where Sidney Poitier’s Mr. Thackeray will tear up the lucrative engineering contract to stay with his unruly students, and I will smile with satisfaction at this totally expected ending. Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer. There are many ways to cook your food while adding extra nutritional benefits. One thing that is often forgotten is adding healthy fats to our meals. Healthy fats are an important part of our diet, but can sometimes be portrayed as “bad” since they contain more calories than their carbohydrate and protein counterparts. However, these calories are healthy and, when included in moderation, make up a great part of a balanced diet.
One way to include healthy fats in your diet is by using our dietitian Pick of the Month: Chosen Foods avocado oil. Chosen Foods avocado oil is 100% pure, naturally refined and always made from ripened-to-perfection avocados. Chosen Foods avocado oil is incredibly versatile in the kitchen because it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point of 500°F. These attributes make it a perfect oil to use in everything from baking and other high-heat cooking methods, like sautéing or grilling, to homemade dressings or sauces. Avocado oil is a great source of healthy unsaturated fats, which are important for heart health as they can help improve cholesterol levels and ease inflammation. Help protect your heart health by choosing Chosen Foods avocado oil and using it in a recipe today. For an idea on how you can use the oil, check out the recipe below for cauliflower fried rice with shrimp. The shrimp will add additional healthy fats, as well as protein, and the riced cauliflower will boost your vegetable intake. For more great recipe ideas, join our Freezer Meal Prep Workshop where you will get the recipes and shopping list for 5 meals, and during the virtual 60-minute class you will prep the meals with a registered dietitian. For more information or to register visit hy-vee.com/health today. Cauliflower Shrimp “Fried Rice” All you need: 1 pound shrimp (small, uncooked, shelled and deveined) 4 large organic eggs, whisked 6 cups riced cauliflower 4 tbsp Chosen Foods avocado oil, divided 1 cup broccoli florets 1 cup sugar snap peas or frozen peas 3 tsp grated fresh ginger ¼ cup coconut aminos, or Bragg’s or tamari (soy) sauce Optional: sesame seeds for topping All you do:
Recipe source: Chosen Foods (https://chosenfoods.com/blogs/central/cauliflower-shrimp-fried-rice) This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice. by Michael Smith This is the first year the Grain Valley wrestling team will compete at the Class 4 level for the district in state tournaments. The past few seasons, the Eagles have been competing in Class 3, but this time around, they are taking a big leap into facing bigger schools and tougher competition. They got a small taste of that Tuesday against Class 4 counterparts Truman and Blue Springs South in a home tri dual. In those matchups, Grain Valley showed it can compete with bigger schools as it dominated in a 63-12 victory against South and 78-3 drubbing of Truman. “We just jumped up to Class 4 and we are trying to send a message,” Grain Valley sophomore 113-pounder Gavin Parks said. “We belong here and we can get stuff done.” So far, Grain Valley head wrestling coach Jeff Bowman had been pleased with his squad had handled tougher competition. “We went to the KC Stampede earlier in the season and were able to wrestle some tough guys,” Bowman said. “We aren’t afraid of a tough competition. Today we were able to see where we were.” Ten Grain Valley wrestlers finished 2-0 on the day including freshman 138-pounder Kaden Crandall, who had one of his most impressive showings of the season. He got a first-period pin against South’s Christian Hill and fell behind 2-0 early before battling back and getting a late takedown to take a 4-2 decision against Truman’s Caden Deeny. “I fought hard, I came into today knowing it wasn’t going to be easy,” Crandall said. “I just wanted to wrestle my match and push myself to win those.” Bowman noted that Crandall has recovered from an early-season injury nicely and said he has been wrestling well in his first varsity season. “He started out the season with a neck injury, so he was hurt a little bit,” Bowman said. “He has done a really good job since then. He challenges the guys in the room. He has some funky, little things he likes to do in practice. But he’s fun to have on the team and I am looking forward to seeing what he can do.” The coach may feel that way about some of his longer tenured wrestlers as well, like Parks (113 pounds). He went 2-0 and got two pins, including one against longtime friend Logan Mainard of South. “Me and Logan go way back,” Parks said. “We have been practice partners since youth. The rivalry is fun. Any time we see each other, it’s going to be a good match. He did well. He’s getting better and I am getting better.” So is Tanner Barker (152), who is looking for his first state medal as a junior. He went 2-0 with pins against South’s Jacob Williams and Truman’s and Aiden Manka. “I love wrestling. There’s nothing to it. I just want to go out there and do what I love,” Barker said. “I love, love, love neutral. That’s where I score most of my points.” While Barker soundly defeated his opponents, junior Brock Smith (120) had to grind out one of his victories. After he got a first-period pin against Truman’s Ethan Grout, Smith had a tough match against South’s Tyler Fields. He broke a 3-3 tie with an escape and takedown in the third period to take a 6-3 decision. “I knew that match was going to be tough,” Smith said of his bout with Fields. “I saw him at MO West. I knew he was going to come at me hard. He kept stepping with his right, so I was able to take him down a couple of times and hold him down.” Other Eagles to finish 2-0 on the day were Dru Azcona (126), Colston Parks (106), Tyler Groves (132), Evan Reich (170), Kollin Hanshuld (145) and Justin Deweese (160). GIRLS: Ava Kusick, a 105 pounder, pinned Truman’s Jennalee Bailey in 3:18 in the Eagles’ only girls match of the day. Grain Valley 182-pounder Collin Burd runs through the smoke machine before his match. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley freshman Kaden Crandall tries to keep Truman's Caden Deeny grounded. He won both of his matches Tuesday. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley junior Dru Azcona uses an armbar to pin Truman's Elias Chapin.
Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Cory Unrein, Co-Owner/Publisher, Grain Valley News
Senator Robert F. Kennedy addressed a crowd in Indianapolis, Indiana, the evening of April 4, 1968, upon the news of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. On a day when we reflect on the importance of continuing the work and vision of Dr. King, Kennedy's call against divisiveness feels particularly apropos this year.
"Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings. He died in the cause of that effort. In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it's perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. We can move in that direction as a country, in greater polarization … filled with hatred toward one another. Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion and love. My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He once wrote: "Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God." What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black. We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times. We've had difficult times in the past. And we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; and it's not the end of disorder. Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people." - excerpts of speech by Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (April 4, 1968) by Michael Smith There have been some heavy hearts on the Grain Valley wrestling team the past couple of weeks. On January 1, 2022, former Grain Valley wrestler and 2020 graduate Trenton Starr passed away. Many Eagles fondly remember Starr, including sophomore Gavin Parks. He said he and the team have dedicated the season to Starr. After Grain Valley rolled past Odessa 60-7 in a Thursday dual at home, the passing of Parks’ friend was the first thing that came to mind. In his match, Parks used a takedown and cradle to pin Landon Scarborough in 1:07. “I had a former teammate who passed away and that was his move,” Parks said of Starr. “I wanted to do that for him." “It was pretty tough for the whole team. (After Starr passed) we took a day off and went to the funeral. We bonded as a team, and we are coming back stronger than ever.” Bowman was the head coach during Starr’s final season with the Eagles and had fond memories of his former star wrestler who was a two-time state medalist. “Anytime you lose a family member, it’s tough,” Bowman said. “We talk about it in the wrestling room. Win, lose, angry or sad, we are always a family. That kind of started with Trent Starr. If you listen to people talk about him, he loved everybody. He had a contagious smile. People loved to be around him." “For us, to just be able to embody some of what he stood for like love, compassion and understanding, it just makes me super proud of these guys that they took that from them. It’s been tough, but with each other, we got through it.” Junior Dru Azcona (126), who was a teammate of Starr’s in the 2019-20 school year, admitted it was emotional to continue wrestling after his passing. “We try not to show it, but deep down, the whole team is doing it for him,” Azcona said. “I am doing it for him from now on. We know he’s looking over us. In practice we see his name on the board. We are doing it for him.” Azcona certainly did in a tough match against Gable Gross. He jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a takedown and an escape. Gross got a takedown in the third period to narrow the gap to 3-2 before Azcona got another takedown and eventually hung on for a 6-3 decision. “It was a good match,” Azcona said. “I just got done getting the second shot in my arm, so a little rusty. I needed to get back out there, and I felt good.” Tanner Barker (152) felt good in his match, too, against former state champion Shon Badder. He used a lightning quick single leg takedown that jump started his 5-2 victory. “I thought I wrestled fine, I just tried to stay hydrated all day,” Barker said. “I wrestled quickly and wrestled my match.” Like Barker, Collin Burd (182) grinded out a victory of his own in a 4-3 decision over Daniel Bischoff. He went down 2-0 after Bischoff got an escape, but he later worked his way into a tie before getting a double leg takedown in the third to give him enough cushion to hang on for the win. “Throughout the match, I was seeing that his legs were open,” Burd said, “so I figured I could get to that when I needed to.” One of Burd’s teammates had a little bit of an easier time in his match. Andrew Czeschin (285) said he’s had a tough past couple of weeks but ended his slump after getting a throw and pin in 15 seconds against Ayden Agcorpa. “I actually wanted to wrestle for a little bit,” Czeschin said. “I actually haven’t had a great season the past couple of weeks, and I wanted to come back with a decent win." Other winners for the Eagles were Colston Parks (106), who used an armbar to roll over Brady Jones and get a pin in 1:23; junior varsity wrestler Ethan Jones (120) filled in for Brock Smith and got a pin in 3:41 over Tyler Renfro; Tyler Groves (132) reversed a takedown attempt from Jase Todd and got one of his own and later got a reversal in a 4-0 decision; and Jace Worthington (170) used a unique version of a cradle to get a fall against Blake Gillespie in 1:32. Kaden Crandall (138), O.T. Frederick (195) and Gavin Parker (220) all won by forfeit. Eagles Girls Wrestling: There were two matches in the girls contest that saw Odessa win 45-6 with the benefit of seven forfeit victories. Sevreign Aumua (149) got the Eagles lone victory when she pinned Brianna Ford with four seconds left in the match. Grain Valley 170-pounder Jace Worthington goes for a single-leg takedown of Blake Gillespie of Odessa. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley junior Tanner Barker, right, sizes up Odessa's Shon Badder. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley sophomore Ethan Jones looks for an opening in his match with Odessa's Tyler Renfro. Photo credit: Michael Smith
Jackson County Executive recommends public health order requiring universal masking for K-12 schools1/14/2022
Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. announced January 13th that he will recommend a public health order requiring universal mask-wearing at K-12 Jackson County public schools. A majority support of the Jackson County Legislature will be required to enact the order, which would take effect on Tuesday, January 18 at the earliest, or upon adoption by the Legislature and signature of the County Executive.
White said he is making the recommendation in response to the significant surge in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations due, in part, to the highly-contagious Omicron and Delta variants and stagnant vaccination rates in Eastern Jackson County. “We know how valuable in-person learning is for students, but maintaining that practice is becoming increasingly difficult as schools struggle to have enough teachers in the classroom and more children are getting sick at an alarming rate,” White said. “Masking wearing has proven to be an effective way to mitigate the spread of the virus and will help keep students, teachers, staff and visitors safe in school buildings. Our vigilant masking efforts, combined with vaccinations for everyone ages 5 and older, will be key to reducing the risk of COVID-19 spread in schools.” The latest data from the Jackson County Health Department shows:
Legislation Update We have hit the ground running for this second week of session. To start, I have filed my final bill that I will be sponsoring this session. My coroners’ bill, which would provide flexibility to county coroners’ salaries. In a continuation of last session, I am once again chairman of the House Professional Registration and Licensing Committee this year. The committee had our first hearing this week. We heard two bills dealing with modifying provisions related to physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Lastly this week, my vaccine liability bill, HB 1641, was heard in the judiciary committee. As stated in the past, this bill would make employers liable for damages or injuries that may arise as a result of a required vaccination of an employee. We had a lot of testimony in favor of HB 1641 and I want to personally thank everyone who took the time to show their support of this bill, whether it was filling out a form online or in person: Laron Bryant, Melinda Clark-Sann, and Kris Shilt. House Committee Approves Congressional Redistricting Map (HB 2117) Legislation that will establish new boundaries for Missouri’s eight congressional districts is one step closer to consideration on the House floor. The House Special Committee on Redistricting gave its stamp of approval to HB 2117 Wednesday, January 12 during a public hearing in the State Capitol. The committee chair and vice-chair said the map approved by the committee was created with input from legislators representing their constituents, public testimony from citizens across the state of Missouri, and 2020 census data. “The map created in HB 2117 contains compact and contiguous districts as required by our constitution while also keeping communities of interest and like-mindedness together,” said the chair of the House Special Committee on Redistricting. “The Census data allowed us the opportunity to better understand Missouri’s population and we used that information in combination with the testimony shared in committee to create a map that accurately reflects our state and our congressional districts.” The committee’s vice-chair said the bipartisan process used in committee allowed members from both parties to have input on the new district boundaries. The committee met again Wednesday afternoon to give time to an alternate map proposed by the minority leader of the House. While the committee did not approve the map, the vice-chair said she was pleased with House Leadership’s commitment to due process. “Our goal has been to allow all state representatives, and Missourians from all parts of the state, to make their voices heard on this bill before we move forward,” said the vice-chair of the House Special Committee on Redistricting. “I’m confident we have a bill that fairly and accurately represents our districts, and that can receive strong support on the House floor. There is no stronger foundation than the Constitution we are sworn to uphold.” HB 2117 must now receive approval from the House Rules committee before moving to the House floor for discussion. The bill will be discussed on the floor on Tuesday, January 18. The current version of the map can be viewed at the following link: https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/maps/Map.4875H.02C.pdf House Committee Considers Bills Designed to Ensure Appropriate Curriculum in Schools (HB 1995 and HB 1474) The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee held a public hearing this week to consider pieces of legislation designed to give parents more control over what their children learn, and to prevent inappropriate curriculum from being taught in school. Lawmakers took testimony on HB 1995, which would establish the Parents’ Bill of Rights for Student Well-Being. The legislation would require school districts to adopt a policy to promote parental involvement including procedures for objection to instructional materials. The bill requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop specific forms that school districts must use for parents to opt out of instructional material, and for parents to be notified in advance whenever a teacher intends to teach a divisive or controversial topic. “We need to send a very clear message that the state of Missouri, if we ever have to choose a side, we will always take the side of parents,” the bill’s sponsor told the committee. The bill also establishes the Missouri Education Transparency and Accountability Portal to give access to every school district's curriculum, source materials, and professional development materials. During the hearing, the committee also heard testimony on HB 1474. The bill also creates a Parents’ Bill of Rights, but has additional language to prohibit the instruction of critical race theory in public and charter schools. Specifically, the bill prohibits school districts, charter schools, and their personnel from teaching, using, or providing such curriculum or from teaching, affirming, or promoting any of the claims, views, or opinions found in the 1619 Project, which is a collections of essays on race. The bill does not allow curriculum that identifies people or groups of people, entities, or institutions in the United States as inherently, immutably, or systemically sexist, racist, biased, privileged, or oppressed. The sponsor of the bill said his legislation is the result of parents who are concerned their children aren’t being taught a full, accurate picture of the nation’s history. He said, “What we need to do is encourage kids to go above and beyond what we are teaching them in school and to dig deeper into history, learning from the good, learning from the bad, so we don’t repeat the bad.” He added, “This bill in no way is trying to stop kids from thinking. I think it’s trying to prevent educators, prevent institutions from flooding kids with a certain train of thought, teaching them this is the only way to think about these situations.” The committee completed the public hearing on both bills but has yet to bring them to a vote. Finding the Best Environment for Children in Need (HB 1563) Members of the House Emerging Issues Committee heard testimony this week on legislation that would require the state to put more effort into placing children in state custody with family members before placing them with strangers. The sponsor of the bill thinks the state can do more to find family members who would be a good fit for each child. “We want to go 50 deep if we have to, to try to find somebody that is going to be a good match for that child, that is going to be able to provide that child with a safe and healthy place to live,” said the bill’s sponsor. “It really comes down to what is going to be best for the child or the children, and trying to keep children and families together rather than separating families.” House Bill 1563 would require the Missouri Children’s Division to make “diligent searches” for biological parents when a child enters state custody. In the case of an emergency placement, the division would search for grandparents. If they can’t be found or aren’t fit, it would then look for other relatives for placement within 30 days. Members of the House Committee on Emerging Issues asked the sponsor whether his proposal would simply place burdens on overworked, underpaid members of an understaffed agency. He agreed those are concerns for the division but noted the state has resources that are available but not being utilized to the fullest. The Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association told the committee their agency, serving 24 counties, helped find family members for 34 children in state care in the last two quarters of the last fiscal year. The chief program officer for the association said it could help even more children, but the Children’s Division hasn’t being asking. “We don’t receive the referrals like we should, for being a contracted agency. They’re paying for our service but they’re not always using it,” she said. She believes as employees with the Division leave and are replaced, those new hires simply don’t know that her agency and others like it are available, or how they can be used. She said similar agencies cover other parts of the state and her agency and others like it are simply more capable and have more resources than the Children’s Division for doing the kinds of searches the bill would require, and with compelling results. She told the committee, “With our program that we run and are contracted with, it’s called 30 Days to Family, we’re able to find at least 80 relatives if not more. Our average this last year has 115 relatives, and we do that within 30 days.” The committee completed the public hearing on the bill but has yet to put it to a vote. Please let me know If you have other concerns and suggestions. If you would like to schedule a specific time to meet locally, please call my office at 573-751-1487, or email my office at jeff.coleman@house.mo.gov. |
Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|
Grain Valley NewsGrain Valley News is a free community news source published weekly online. |
Contact Us |