Moving Missouri Forward

Over the past two weeks in the Missouri Senate, one measure took center stage. A comprehensive package of legislation relating to education, Senate Bill 4 provides greater transparency to K-12 education and takes steps to ban the teaching of divisive racial concepts in our classrooms. I was under the weather this week and not able to be at the Capitol to cast a vote for SB 4, but I do support the legislation.

As I traveled around the 33rd Senatorial District, I’ve heard many constituents share their concerns with the issue of race-centered lessons being taught in schools. Let me be clear: No person, let alone a student, should be told they’re an oppressor, or are oppressed, just for the color of their skin. No one benefits when we divide our communities, state or nation along racial lines. The measure the Senate passed and sent to the House of Representatives this week would ban teaching that suggests any individual by virtue of their race, ethnicity, color or national origin is guilty or responsible for the actions others have committed in the past.

Senate Bill 4 also includes language from Senate Bill 127, a measure I sponsored requiring the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a patriotic and civics training program for teachers based upon the U.S. Constitution and American history. This professional development training course would be voluntary, but completing the training would help prepare teachers to teach the principles of American civics and patriotism and, I believe, lead to students having a greater appreciation of our nation’s history and ideals.

Perhaps the most notable portion of SB 4 is the “Parents’ Bill of Rights.” This provision would provide parents access to textbooks and course materials used in their children’s schools. The bill also instructs the Commissioner of Education to establish an Education Transparency and Accountability Portal, which would serve as a clearinghouse for information about each public school in Missouri. In addition to the course materials outlined in the Parents’ Bill of Rights, the portal would provide information about the administration, oversight and finances of each school. I’ve been involved with local schools for all of my adult life, as a teacher and an administrator. During my time in education, I always loved seeing parents engaged and involved in their children’s education. The more invested a parent is in their child’s education, the better outcomes we see in the classroom.

There was one educational reform proposal I was glad to see left out of the perfected version of SB 4. While this bill was being debated there was an amendment offered that would require five-day school weeks for all Missouri school districts. This amendment did not pass, and it may surprise you to learn I’m glad it was defeated. As much as I believe students benefit from being in school, I am equally committed to defending local control of our schools. Just as I was duly elected by the people of the 33rd Senatorial District, your local school board was elected by you and your neighbors. Your local school board should be allowed to maintain local control, and do what they believe is best for the community they represent. While there are times when it’s appropriate for the Legislature to act to ensure every child in Missouri receives a quality education, other decisions should be made at the local level. I believe the choice of a four-day versus five-day school week is best left for each community to decide.

As I prepare this report, we are about to enter the eighth week of the 2023 legislative session. To date, 20 bills and one joint resolution have been perfected in the Missouri Senate, with nine of those measures having already been introduced in the House of Representatives. By comparison, at this time last year, the Senate had perfected only one bill, and none had made it to the House. Clearly, we’re doing better this year. I’m proud to report your state Legislature is working together and continuing to move Missouri forward.

It is my honor to serve the residents of Douglas, Howell, Ozark, Shannon, Stone, Taney and Texas counties in the Missouri Senate, and it’s always a pleasure to hear from friends and family back home. If I can help you in any way, please call my Capitol Office at 573-751-1882.  You can also visit my webpage at senate.mo.gov/mem33, on Facebook: @SenatorKarlaEslinger, or follow me on Twitter: @seneslingermo.