As any parent who is raising children in this district knows, our children’s education is more than a top priority…it is a non-negotiable right to receive quality education, have the best educational resources, a safe learning environment, and the best social and emotional support possible. We have some of the best public schools in the country, but sadly, we also have schools that continue to fail our students.
Parents and educators throughout the district have shared with me their support for School Resource Officers and the need for mental health services, yet Jim Himes voted against “Protecting Our Kids Act” that would have provided our schools with SROs and mental health counselors to close gaps in school security, strengthen active shooter preparedness efforts, with all costs offset by unused state and local COVID funds. These were unused funds to protect our children and he voted “NO”.
On top of the educational inequality, I know that COVID-related isolation has created a disparity of learning loss and we need to ensure this never happens again! Congress recently approved funding of additional student mental health programs, but parents deserve to know that Jim Himes voted against an amendment to ensure that parental notification occurs when a student receives mental health, gender and reproductive health counseling in their schools.
As a mother of five children, I’ve experienced first hand how critical it is that parents are central in response if their child is suicidal, or is experiencing any other medical, social, emotional or physical distress. Parents are the primary caregivers for their children and have ultimate responsibility for them, not the government.
