Dear neighbor,
After a difficult week for taxpayers, parents, students, small business owners, and employees, the legislature is finally on break until after Easter.
On Wednesday, the House voted to pass the “Safe and Supportive Schools Act” and sent it to the governor for his signature. I’m deeply troubled about the effect this new law will have on our students, parents, and local school districts.
No student should be subject to bullying for any reason. School should be a place where kids feel safe and comfortable to learn. However, a one-size-fits-all directive from a bureaucracy based out of St. Paul is not the way to solve the problem of bullying – especially for Greater Minnesota schools.
I’m also troubled that bill contains no requirement that parents be notified if their child is accused of bullying. Education begins at home and parents have a right to know if their child has been a victim of bullying or accused of bullying.
Ultimately, I trust our locally-elected school districts to implement the policies needed to address school bullying. They certainly know better than politicians out of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
We also saw the unpleasant side of politics this week when Senate Democrats made good on their deal with House Democrats. In exchange for House Democrats approving a new elaborate $90 million building for state senators, Senate Democrats announced they had come to an agreement with House Democrats on imposing an increase in the minimum wage. The bill passed both chambers this week and will be signed into law by the governor. By imposing this new regulatory burden on small business owners, I’m concerned young workers, entry-level workers, and those working part time will be laid off and have fewer job opportunities. It’s unfortunate this is the cost to the hardworking people of Minnesota just so Senate Democrats can have a new office building
As always, I can be reached via email at rep.steve.green@house.mn. To contact me by phone, call (651) 296-9918. Mail can be sent to Rep. Steve Green, 231 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155.
Sincerely,
Steve