Dear Unit Presidents
and Legislative Chairpersons,
Attached is the list of questions
(see below) that were covered at today’s Legislative Forum held during our
regular Council meeting at Jeffries Elementary School. If your
representative did not attend today’s meeting, please encourage your unit
members to send these questions to their respective legislators with a request
for them to answer the questions. Their response to issues of statewide
concern are important to our local public schools and children and families in
Springfield and throughout Missouri. Please forward any response
that you receive to either office@mopta.org or stephaniem@mopta.org.
Representatives Charlie Norr and Charlie Denison attended today’s event.
If you live in one of their districts, please take a moment to send a note or
email thanking them for their time and for attending today’s event.
According to Representatives Denison and Norr, our legislators want to hear from
us. This would be a great way to start communication with our elected
officials.
Also, please think about attending the Annual
Child Advocacy Day being held in Jefferson City on January 27th starting at 9:00
a.m. Donna Petiford and Stephanie Miller will be attending and have room
for a few additional carpoolers and would encourage each unit to organize at
least a couple of people to attend. It would be great if there were enough
of us to charter a bus! Please contact one of us or visit http://www.mopta.org/ for more
information.
Thank you for all that you are doing for the children
of Springfield and Missouri.
Steph Miller
SCPTA VP Organization
and Development
MOPTA State Legislative Chairperson
Legislative Forum Questions for Springfield Council of PTA’s
Third Party Child Abuse Reporting
Missouri PTA adopted a new resolution at its 2007 Convention to address issues with the third party child abuse reporting process in Missouri. Under current Missouri law when suspected abuse of a student by a school employee is reported to a school administrator by a third party, the third party reporter may be held civilly liable for actions of the school administration toward that employee; and because of current Missouri law, a third party who observes a school employee abusing a student or suspects a school employee of abusing a student during school hours or school-sponsored activities may choose not to report such behavior to school administrators out of fear of legal and financial consequences. Will you support legislation that protects a third party, many times a parent or legal guardian, from civil liability when such party is acting in good faith on the behalf of a suspected child abuse situation?
Tax Credits, Deductions and Vouchers
Missouri PTA opposes any voucher system that finances non-public schools with public funds. Legislative consideration has been given to providing parents and sponsors of students in private and parochial elementary and secondary schools with tax deductions on their state income taxes for tuition paid to these schools. Tax credits or deductions would decrease state revenues and put a heavier burden upon other taxpayers. Missouri PTA has traditionally favored the use of public funds for public education only. Do you support or object to Missouri PTA’s position on this issue and why?
Teen Drivers and Cell Phones
The National Transportation Safety Board listed prohibiting teens from driving with cell phones as a 2005 “Most Wanted” Highway Safety Improvements Federal Issue. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the average of teen traffic accidents in Missouri is equal to one injury or death from teen driving every 25.4 minutes. A research study provided by Ford Motor Company showed that teens are four times more distracted than adults by cell phone use when driving. These facts have led Missouri PTA to urge legislators to prohibit teenagers who are driving under a permit or an intermediate license from driving while talking on a cell phone and require the Missouri Department of Transportation to track the use of cell phones in relation to traffic accidents. Can we count on your support of these issues?
Tobacco Settlement Funds
Missouri is currently failing to use the 1998 settlement monies with the tobacco manufacturers for its intended purpose of attacking the enormous public health problem posed by tobacco use, even as they collect record amounts of revenue from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes. Missouri has used a significant portion of the settlement monies to cover budget shortfalls. Every year new addicts in Missouri, including children and youth, outpace that of other states. Missouri PTA encourages and supports legislation requiring significant portions of the MSA monies be allocated to statewide youth tobacco prevention programs and campaigns using Centers for Disease Control recommendations as a guideline. Missouri PTA also encourages schools and school districts to incorporate youth tobacco prevention education in appropriate sections of the curriculum. Can we count on your support on getting this settlement money used for its original purpose?
Please email your responses to:
office@mopta.org or Stephaniem@mopta.org
or mail to MOPTA:
2100 I-70 DR SW
Columbia, MO 65203
For a complete list of Missouri PTA legislative priorities, please use the link below:
http://www.mopta.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=58&Itemid=185
Use the link below to find your elected officials:
http://www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx
