1 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: On this episode of Newts World. There is a huge 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: agreement among a vast majority of Americans on many key issues. 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: There's a potentially vast movement focused on solving problems, emphasizing 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: positive values that unify while drawing a clear distinction between 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: most Americans and the small elitist minority which have sought 6 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: to dominate and distort America. One of those issues is 7 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: transparency in the education of our children in public schools. 8 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: In polling you can find at American Majority Project dot com, 9 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: eighty four percent favor parents having the right to see 10 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: everything their children being taught in school. Several states are 11 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: taking steps to allow parents access to the classroom by 12 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,639 Speaker 1: passing legislation that ensures parents' rights to transparency in their 13 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: child's public education. One bill is the Missouri Parents' Bill 14 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 1: of Rights, which was just passed by the Missouri House 15 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: of Representatives on April nineteenth, twenty twenty two. House Bill 16 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:16,199 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty eight is currently in the Missouri Center Here 17 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: to talk more about the Missouri Parents Bill of Rights 18 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: is the bill's lead sponsor. I am really pleased to 19 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: welcome my guest, Representative Ben Baker. He is a Republican 20 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: representing Missouri's District one sixty, Newton County in the Missouri 21 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: House of Representatives, where he has served since two eighteen. Then, 22 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: thank you for joining me on Newts World. Thank you 23 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 1: for having me. This is a great honor, and look 24 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: forward to discussing something that I'm very passionate about. Let 25 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: me just share with our listeners. In addition to your 26 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: legislative duties, you were a lay minister, missionary, former professor, 27 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: former deed of students at Ozark Bible Institute in the Oshoe, Missouri, 28 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: which is where you receive your Bachelor of Arch degree. 29 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: So you're approaching this legislation having taught in a classroom. 30 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: Tell us about the House of Bill eighteen fifty eight, 31 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 1: the Parents' Bill of Rights Act of twenty twenty two, 32 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: which did pass the Missouri House on April nineteenth by 33 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,119 Speaker 1: a vote of eighty five to fifty nine. Why did 34 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: you decide to sponsor the Parents Bill of Rights Act? Sure? 35 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: So for me, this began really when I had just 36 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: been elected about a year so this would have been 37 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: twenty twenty and a different but similar issue. I wanted 38 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: to pass some legislation at that time that would give 39 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: parents the ability to have more involvement in content and 40 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: events in our publicly funded libraries. We had some instances 41 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: in Missouri. I'm sure you're well aware of this propaganda 42 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: that's happening, I believe, where the drag queen Story Hour 43 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: events are being held at public libraries. And so because 44 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: of that agenda that really as being prominently placed in 45 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: front of children who walked in the door of these libraries, 46 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: I took exception to that, and so I tried to 47 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: go about crafting a bill at that time that would 48 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,839 Speaker 1: empower parents to be able to weigh in on the 49 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: local level on content. And wow, was I in for 50 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: a ride with that. The American Public Library Association, the 51 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: Missouri Library Association, literally set out to destroy me. Sent 52 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: messages to the activist organizations to bombard you with calls 53 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: and emails and all of that. Thousands of them, and 54 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: those folks are militant. I received death threats for me 55 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: and my family. It made national news. Of course, with 56 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: the drive by media, it ended up being the guy 57 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: who wants to burn books basically, which was a completely 58 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: false narrative about what I wanted to accomplish. So that 59 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: bill never even got referred to a committee. I want 60 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: our listeners to understand just how intense the secular religion 61 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: of the left has become. So in a debate over 62 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: whether or not public libraries ought to have the Drag 63 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: Queen Story Hour, you're getting death threats absolutely, and from 64 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: places not in my state, from some people not even 65 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: in this country. So these activist organizations are so well 66 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: organized and well funded, and they disturb this stuff up overnight, 67 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: and the media just are chopping at the bit to 68 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: run with it. And the next thing you know, you're 69 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: blasted all over the place with a false narrative, and 70 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: then you have to plague defense of trying to explain 71 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: what your bill actually does. And that's all orchestrated by 72 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: them on purpose. It was my oversight that didn't plan 73 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: for that. Accordingly, I will admit, what was the reaction 74 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: of your constituents, the people who actually elect you. They 75 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: were overwhelmingly in support by far, and even I would 76 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: say most people in Missouri. Of course, you had the 77 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: cities Saint Louis and Kansas City and some people in 78 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 1: those areas that didn't like it, and specifically in the 79 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: libraries because of the propaganda that was out there. But 80 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: that got me going down this road of trying to 81 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: deal with these issues and parents' rights. And this was 82 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: really before all this has even come to be more 83 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,559 Speaker 1: in the spotlight in the last couple of years. So 84 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: when COVID happens, you know, fast forward a little bit, 85 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: and I think the silver lining to the pandemic, if 86 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 1: there is one, is that parents started paying closer attention 87 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:47,239 Speaker 1: to who represented them locally on city councils and school boards, 88 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 1: but even more so began to pay attention to what 89 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: was being taught to their children via remote learning when 90 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: they shut down the schools and sent them home. So 91 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: you began to see the outcry of parents ending more 92 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: information as to this curriculum that they are now seeing 93 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 1: face to face and the content of the classroom and 94 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 1: the learning materials. And so parents began to see the 95 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: indoctrination that was happening in a lot of schools, and 96 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: they began to see the critical race theory agenda as 97 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:20,679 Speaker 1: well as the LGBTQ agenda that's being pushed on their kids. 98 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: You saw the strength of this in the Virginia governor's 99 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: race with Young Ken making that really his main issue 100 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: backing parents up, and that huge eleven twelve points swing 101 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: among voters, especially among suburban women with children of school age, 102 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 1: and so I think they're currently about eleven states that 103 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:44,799 Speaker 1: have a specific statue defining parental rights in education outside 104 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: of like special education. So that's what I did this 105 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: session was try to tackle this issue, try to craft 106 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: a bill that would get to the bad actors. But 107 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: I'm curious, where did you get the idea of a 108 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: parent's bill of rights? And did it just come to 109 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: you or is there a national network that is trying 110 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: to develop these ideas. There isn't for me. There may 111 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: be in some other states. For me, I saw a 112 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: bill that our US Senator Josh Holly filed on the 113 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: federal level, and that was a parents' bill of rights, 114 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 1: and I basically took that language and used that as 115 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: a starting place as a basic framework to begin with 116 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,559 Speaker 1: on my bill. And what I'm trying to accomplish again 117 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: is simple transparency in public education. And I think that 118 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: if we empower parents to be able to see what's 119 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: going on and to have access to curriculum, and then 120 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: a penalty for those that are the bad actors that 121 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: knowingly violate, I think it takes care a lot of 122 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,119 Speaker 1: the problem, and so we went from there and began 123 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: to craft that bill, and then of course in the 124 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: House perfection process, we had a few amendments that got added. 125 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: The critical race theory amendment got added as well, which 126 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: is again something that I think we need to get done. 127 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: So that's kind of where it currently is. And could 128 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: you describe what you see as parents rights? Sure? In 129 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: my bill there's two parts. There's certain rights. The right 130 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: to know what is being taught in the classroom, so 131 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: curriculum documents, books that are being used in the classroom. 132 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: The right to know who is teaching or presenting to 133 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: our children, whether that's the classroom teacher or special speakers 134 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: and assemblies or whatever. The right to transparency and financial 135 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: information as well. You know, people that are contracted by 136 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: the school, And what I was getting at with that 137 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: is like consultants that they're using to bring in to 138 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: teach teachers, and a lot of this stuff is coming 139 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: through those consultant firms from what I have found in 140 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: my research. The right to visit your child, check in 141 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: on them with reasonable exceptions. The right to view school 142 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: records and medical information concerning their child. The right to 143 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: receive information about collection of data having to do with 144 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: their child and the right to be made aware of 145 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: situations when it comes to safety with reasonable exceptions as well. 146 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: So that's kind of the rights portion of it. And 147 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: then there's restrictions for schools, so things like written consent 148 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: for certain extracurricular activities, written consent for biometric data. This 149 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: is something that I come from a rural area, and 150 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: I'm finding out that in some places in the country 151 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: now they're beginning to use facial recognition and retina scans 152 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: and different things of biometric data with students. So I 153 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: wanted to preempt that in Missouri and say that parents 154 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: should be able to say we need to be having 155 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: written consent for those type of things, gathering that and 156 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: archiving that data, open school board meetings and allowing for 157 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 1: public comment. Again, that's something that should be a given 158 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: when it comes to our schools. But yet there are 159 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: some places and even in Missouri, where now they're limiting 160 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 1: public comment or not even having a public comment portion 161 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: of their school board meetings. And so there's a lot 162 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: of things happening in the dark that is not good. 163 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: A prohibition of nondisclosure agreements, there's some instances around the 164 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: country where in order for the parent to be able 165 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: to see curriculum or have access to information regarding like 166 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 1: an IEP meeting, they would have to sign a nondisclosure 167 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 1: agreement that they won't talk about this or won't say 168 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,079 Speaker 1: anything about this to anyone. I mean, that's just crazy, 169 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: So I put that in the bill as well. No 170 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: employee of any school can coerce or attempt to coerce 171 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: a child to withhold information from parents. We had a 172 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: situation in Missouri in the Rockwood School District where a 173 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: teacher was telling staff members to hide the curriculum from 174 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: parents during that virtual learning, literally telling them to hide 175 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 1: the curriculum. So I put this in the bill. They 176 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: can't coerce or attempt to coerce a child to withhold 177 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: information from parents. And then online posting of curriculum again, 178 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 1: I think a lot of schools are doing that, but 179 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: we need to make it to where parents have easy 180 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: access to be able to look at what is being 181 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: taught in a classroom. And then the last kind of 182 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: part of that bill is a penalty, because I think 183 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: if you don't have any repercussions for bad actors, they're 184 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: going to continue their bad behavior. So this penalty makes 185 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: it to where the Attorney general or a parent can 186 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: bring a civil action for injunctive relief against the school 187 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: for knowingly violating the statute. If they are found guilty, 188 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: then they would begin to lose their foundation formula money 189 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: if they rectify the situation, for instance, a parent asked 190 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: for curriculum when they refused, or whatever it might be. 191 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: If they rectify it, then they wouldn't lose that money, 192 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:39,439 Speaker 1: or they'd be refunded any they did lose. So again, 193 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: just getting to the root of the problem and saying 194 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: you need to be able to provide access to these things. 195 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: I don't know where it went wrong, but I think 196 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: this whole notion of the school board and the teachers 197 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: union having a closed shop and parents not having a 198 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:15,439 Speaker 1: right either to know what's happening to their child or 199 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: even to show up at a meeting of the Board 200 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: of Education. I don't know when all that broke down, 201 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 1: but it is such a huge break in the American 202 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,839 Speaker 1: system to tell parents that they can't even know what 203 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 1: their children are being taught. It really is. But here's 204 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: the thing. My eyes have been open to newt as 205 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: I have been working on this issue. I think it 206 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 1: goes back to principle. And I'll tell you from being 207 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: on the Education committee here in Missouri since I've been elected, 208 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: because education is such a thing that I'm so passionate 209 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: about and I'm a huge advocate for school choice. That man, 210 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:55,079 Speaker 1: you're talking about a fight the education establishment is so 211 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: dug in, but you really get down and this has 212 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 1: been several times in committee meetings and debates that I've had. 213 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: The Left do believe that the government knows best for 214 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: your children. And I think the other day Biden even 215 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: went as far to say that you know, your children 216 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: basically don't belong to you when they're at school as parents, 217 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: which is just ludicrous. This is not an American idea. 218 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 1: So I think it goes back to their twisted philosophy 219 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: about life and about the responsibility of parents, and they 220 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 1: really believe that government has now fulfilled the role and 221 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: has a greater role when it comes to education than 222 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: parents do. And I think that's what it goes back to. 223 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 1: Well amazing part of that among the elites, they regard 224 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: the parents as the incorrigibles who are precisely the people 225 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: they're trying to change. The children so they don't grow 226 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: up to be like their parents. Yeah. I have four daughters, 227 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 1: and I look at it from that perspective of a 228 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,079 Speaker 1: god given responsibility that I have to direct the education 229 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: of my children. And it's funny when we debated this 230 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: on the House floor, one of the Democrats, you know, 231 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: started throwing this out there. Do you mean that you 232 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: have the right as a parent to direct the education 233 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: of your child? You mean you can walk into the 234 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: school and direct what is being taught to them. You know, 235 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: it's kept going down this road of basically saying you 236 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: don't have the right to direct your child in education, 237 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: and it's just a crazy argument to me. That's hard 238 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: for me to even understand from that perspective, and I 239 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: just kept going back to I do have the right 240 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: to direct the education right child, and not only a right, 241 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: but a responsibility that I believe is one of the 242 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: greatest responsibilities I've been given. And that's what I think 243 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: this bill is trying to get at, is go back 244 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: to really recognizing the right of the parent, the god 245 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: given right to direct that education. How much effort is 246 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: the left and the teachers union making to try to 247 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: defeat you in this next election. So as far as 248 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: where my area is, I am in a rural area 249 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: and it's about an eighty percent Republican district. So for me, 250 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: I don't even have anyone that's filed to run against 251 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: me this year. But I will tell you that the 252 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: issue of public education versus education options and the education 253 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: establishment versus education reformists is a big battle in Missouri. 254 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: And we have a supermajority in both chambers in Missouri, 255 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: but it's split down the middle when it comes to 256 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: this issue. Last year, for the first time, we got 257 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: essays passed in Missouri, which was a huge step toward 258 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: education reform in Missouri, and it was really, in my opinion, 259 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: kind of a watered down essay, but it was all 260 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: that we could get done. We tried to do open 261 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: enrollment this year, and we had the exact number of 262 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: votes that it takes to pass a bill in the House. 263 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: It's been an uphill battle even on open enrollment, which 264 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: I think again is just something that is a no brainer. 265 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: If you pay taxes in another school district, you should 266 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: be able to send your child wherever you pay school taxes. 267 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: At very least I believe the dollars should follow a 268 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: child in a perfect world, and you should be able 269 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: to send them anywhere you want. It's a huge fight 270 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: the education establishment, of the teachers unions, the school Board Association, 271 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 1: all of them, the ANYA, for sure, they fight at 272 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: all on the Education Committee. Have you all looked at 273 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: the amount of absenteeism in Kansas City and Saint Louis, 274 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: because my impression is that these big public schools and 275 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: our biggest cities are getting paid daily fees in some 276 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: cases up to a third of the students aren't physically there. Yes, 277 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: I don't know the numbers right off the top of 278 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: my head, but it's been a subject of debate for 279 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: sure in the Education Committee and another legislation. There's no 280 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: doubt not only them not being in classroom in some 281 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: situations during the pandemic and all that that I think 282 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: was problematic, but parents are seeing these things and they're 283 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 1: pulling their kids out and they're sending them to private school, 284 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: they're sending them to Christian school because Missourians are not 285 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: in favor of this, and the polling shows that. And 286 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,120 Speaker 1: it's something that is always remarkable to me, even school choice, 287 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: when you look at just the issue of parents who 288 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: believe they should be able to send their child with 289 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: those tax dollars wherever they want. Is in the seventies, 290 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: it's like, I can't remember the exact number, but it's 291 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: like seventy six percent or something that feel that they 292 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: should be able to send their child wherever they want 293 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: to send them. In Florida, House Bill fifteen fifty seven, 294 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 1: the Parental Rights and Education Bill, was signed by Governor 295 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 1: DeSantis earlier this year. This is the bill that got 296 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: the big backlash and was dubbed the Don't Say Gay Bill, 297 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: which is a total misstatement of what it did. But 298 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 1: it did protect children in third grade and below from 299 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:46,360 Speaker 1: having their teachers propagandize them about gender issues. And interestingly, 300 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: in a recent poll by Public Opinion Strategies, when Americans 301 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: actually were shown what the bill actually did, they supported 302 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: it by sixty one to twenty six. Do you have 303 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:01,880 Speaker 1: anything comparable in Missouri in terms of no, very very 304 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 1: young children being propagandized over gender behavior and gender choice. 305 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: So I'm totally in favor of that. I'm very aware 306 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: of the language that was in the Florida bill. I 307 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: don't have a specific provision in my bill. I do 308 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: try to get at that with these rights that are 309 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 1: empowering parents and being able to have consent forms and 310 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 1: those type of things. But you're right in schools of Missouri, 311 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 1: for instance, second graders in Webster Groves, you know, asking 312 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: them to answer questions that seemed aimed unnecessarily at inserting 313 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,239 Speaker 1: a thought of division by skin color, or whether it 314 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 1: was books that had very inappropriate references and pictures of 315 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: sexual nature, profane and racist language that were in some 316 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: of those books in schools and protecting them. And that's 317 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: happening more than what people realize. And I think what 318 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 1: it is is some of the teachers and administrators that 319 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 1: have this notion of activism, they're using that platform to 320 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: push those narratives. So my bill doesn't have anything specific 321 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 1: on that, but I think it does address the issue 322 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: to some degree. In terms of your own interesting things 323 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: you're involved in. What things will you be proposing next? Well, 324 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: I'm always working on education issues. Another thing that's big 325 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:41,160 Speaker 1: to me is the workforce crisis that we're in that 326 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 1: I think we have to address. I've got a bill 327 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: this year called the Extended Learning Opportunities Act. And you know, 328 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: for so long the education system pushed for your degrees, 329 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 1: and for your degrees alone, you know, saying you've got 330 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: to have a four year degree, you're never going to 331 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: make it in life. Well, now we're realizing there's a 332 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 1: major gap when it comes to the skill trades and 333 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:05,239 Speaker 1: when it comes to things like electricians and plumbers. And 334 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 1: I own a construction business, so I'm very familiar with this. 335 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: So I'm trying to incentivize these kids to be able 336 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,679 Speaker 1: to be exposed to the wide variety of things that 337 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: are out there and opportunities for jobs where they can 338 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: make a really good living and not have to go 339 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: to school for four years or in some cases even 340 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: a year, you know, to get an apprenticeship or a 341 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: certification as a welder or something. And we have a 342 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: deficit of these jobs and people available to fill them, 343 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: and I think we have to go back and try 344 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: to rethink our approach on that. So that's some other 345 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: things I've been working on is workforce development. Those are 346 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: issues that I'm always trying to address. But the education thing, 347 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: to me, has been probably the main focus of my 348 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: tenure here in the House so far. And then deregulation 349 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: and licensing reform, that's something else that's important to me 350 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: and I think important to our state. I've got a 351 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 1: bill set on the Governor's desk this year that is 352 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: of that nature, and reform on home based businesses where 353 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: people can make a living from home and not have 354 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: to go through all the red tape that many times 355 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,120 Speaker 1: government puts in a way for them to be successful. 356 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: So those are kind of the issues I'm always focused on. 357 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: I'm the chairman of downsizing state government, which is a 358 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 1: perfect fit for me. Do you find that a lot 359 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: of the licensing requirements are really just restraints of competition 360 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: and aren't actually required for people to be able to 361 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: do the job? It really is, And not only that, 362 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 1: I think in many situations, it's just the ability for 363 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 1: the government, whether it's local government, county, city, or state, 364 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: to have a string attached that they can jerk the 365 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 1: rug out from under them at any time they choose. 366 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: And so trying to remove some of those arbitrary barriers 367 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 1: to people being able to make a living I think 368 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 1: is important. You know Micro who's best known for his 369 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: Discovery series Dirty Jobs and Deadly as Catch. He has 370 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: a new scholarship through his micro Works Foundation, which encourages 371 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,680 Speaker 1: being trained in the trades and I remember from our 372 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 1: podcast discussion he was saying how you can get trained 373 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: in welding and end up working on an oil rig 374 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: making over six figures a year. And yet people are 375 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: basically being told it's better for way to make sixty 376 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 1: thousand dollars a year and study French or study whatever 377 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: than it is for you to make one hundred and 378 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: sixty thousand dollars a year and actually use your hands. 379 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 1: And Row is a really good advocate for people just 380 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: going out learning a trade and having a good life, 381 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: earning a good living. And that's the thing. Many times 382 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: these students graduate from college and have a degree in 383 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: something where there's no market for it, but they'll have 384 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in student loan debt. 385 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: You know, now we have President Biden, you and I 386 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: to pay for everyone else's student loan debt. I was 387 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: smart enough to be able to make it through life 388 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: and not have any student loan debt. Why should I 389 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 1: pay everybody else's off? But that's another issue. I passed 390 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: the bill two years ago that has to do with 391 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 1: being able to put all the information when it comes 392 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: to outcomes of different areas of jobs in one place, 393 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,159 Speaker 1: So like for a higher education when a student graduates 394 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 1: high school, many times all this information is all over 395 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: the place, it's all scattered, and they end up kind 396 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: of getting pressured into one thing that maybe they don't 397 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: really want to do, or they don't know how much 398 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 1: money they will make in five years or ten years. 399 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: So what this bill did was make it to where 400 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 1: the Department of Higher Education had to put all that 401 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: information on one stop shop, where they could get on 402 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: there and see, Okay, if I go and be a welder, 403 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: I could make this much before if I go and 404 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:41,959 Speaker 1: be a teacher, I could make this much And how 405 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: much student loan debt would I have if I did that? 406 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: So again, I think just getting that information to students 407 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: and parents will solve a lot of the problems if 408 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: they just know what's out there. Well, I think that's right, 409 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: and I think that we're entering a period where you're 410 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: going to see more and more people do very well 411 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 1: just by pursuing the opportunity to work hard and to 412 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: learn a skill or learn a trade. I have to 413 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: say on student loans. By the way, I just sent 414 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,919 Speaker 1: sort of a tongue in cheek challenge to Elizabeth Warren, 415 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: her wealthiest constituents Harvard University, which has fifty one billion 416 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 1: dollars in its endowment, and I said that she should 417 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 1: challenge Harvard to pay off all of its own student 418 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:29,479 Speaker 1: loans and to go to a no tuition system, because 419 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: with fifty one billion dollars sitting there, if it's not 420 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: being used to help the students, what's the point. And 421 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: I think a lot of these big universities, a lot 422 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 1: like big hospitals, become sort of self serving institutions that 423 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 1: are actually looking after themselves. They're not looking after their 424 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: natural constituents or the reason that they were originally created. Yeah, 425 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:54,880 Speaker 1: we had a situation in Missouri. We have an institution 426 00:24:54,920 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: of higher learning in Saint Louis Washington University, and they 427 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 1: have an endowment. I mean, it's crazy how much money 428 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 1: is in there. You're right, some of these universities, why 429 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 1: wouldn't they pay off some of those student loads? If 430 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: they're asking us to do it, I think they should 431 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 1: go first. I have to put in a very brief 432 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:16,360 Speaker 1: advertisement here since you're from Missouri. One of my favorite 433 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 1: institutions exactly the opposite philosophy is the College of the Ozarks, 434 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 1: which is one of the few work study colleges going 435 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: back to about nineteen oh five. If you need federal 436 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: aid and you get in, they don't have any federal aid. 437 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,679 Speaker 1: But you can work twenty hours a week during the 438 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 1: school year and work full time in the summer, and 439 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: you can graduate owing nothing. They pay your tuition, your books, 440 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: your room and board. Ninety two percent of their students 441 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: graduate debt free, and the other eight percent bard money 442 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 1: to buy a car their senior year. Jerry Davis, their president, 443 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: is just an astonishingly good leader. And they have this 444 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: funny problem and you must have experienced some of this 445 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: in the college that you had worked at. The number 446 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: one way you get money for endowments is the parents 447 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,360 Speaker 1: of children who are coming to your school because they're 448 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,679 Speaker 1: all excited and they want to be part of it. Well, 449 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,239 Speaker 1: the challenge for the College of the Ozarks is the 450 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: only people they let in come from families too poor 451 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: to give money to the endowment, and then when they graduate, 452 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: their alumni can't send their children to the College of 453 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: the Ozarks because their income is too high. Now, I mean, 454 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 1: Jerry's been very lucky in that he's had some real 455 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: citizens who love what he's doing come in and they've 456 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: given them a pretty good size endowment. School with those challenges, 457 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: but I always love going down there and talking because 458 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 1: the whole tone of the campus, the patriotism, the seriousness, 459 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 1: the quality of students is just so remarkable and such 460 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 1: a contrast to some of these huge institutions that have 461 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: billions of dollars and then teach kids to hate the 462 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: very people who made possible having the endowment. Yeah, it's 463 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: a wonderful institution. I've spoken there myself. Actually, College of 464 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 1: the Ozarks is only about an hour and fifteen minutes 465 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,199 Speaker 1: from where I live. I'm also in southwest Missouri. My 466 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: district is right over almost against Oklahoma, below Joplin. But 467 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: the Bible School where I taught at had a similar 468 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 1: work program as well, and it works because it incent 469 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: advises students to do the right thing, to learn how 470 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 1: to work and do school and do life. And those 471 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: are all skills that I think we're missing a lot 472 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 1: of nowadays in these next generations, and I applaud what 473 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 1: they do at the College of the Ozarks. Masure I 474 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 1: find in general, if you work while you're going to college, 475 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: you learn a series of personal skills about how to 476 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,199 Speaker 1: manage your time that serves you well the rest of 477 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: your life. That was my experience. I was out of 478 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: the house when I was eighteen and went to college 479 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: there where I ended up teaching, and I paid my 480 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 1: way through school by working, and that work ethic that 481 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:54,959 Speaker 1: was taught by my father and my grandfather, and I 482 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: had the wonderful blessing of having that. You can't trade 483 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 1: that for anything, and I think it serves you well 484 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: in life well. And when I was Speaker, we passed 485 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,959 Speaker 1: the welfare reform that Reagan had first proposed in nineteen 486 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: sixty five running for governor, and it tied getting money 487 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: directly to work, and as a result, it was the 488 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:19,120 Speaker 1: most successful social conservative reform of the last half century. 489 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 1: People got jobs, they got off welfare, their incomes went up. 490 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: More children were raised above poverty by getting their parents 491 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: to go to work than anything else we'd ever done. 492 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: And of course the left has ever since been trying 493 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: to reverse it, because for some reason, the Left is 494 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: passionate about giving you money rather than having you earned money. 495 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 1: I think a really desperate desire to have people be 496 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: dependent on government. Ben. I want to tell I'm very 497 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 1: proud of your leadership. I am delighted that you developed 498 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: the Missouri Parents Bull of Rights, so we're going to 499 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: put it on our show page so people can learn 500 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: about what you're doing. I want to encourage you to 501 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: continue to have the courage to be a real reformer. 502 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 1: And my hat's off to you for having stood up 503 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 1: to the left and done the right thing. And I 504 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: hope you have a very very successful year. Thank you 505 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 1: so much, sir. It was a great honor to be 506 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 1: on your show. Thank you to my guest Representative Ben Baker. 507 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: You can learn more about the Missouri Parents Bill of 508 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: Rights on our show page at newtsworld dot com. Newts 509 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: World is produced by Gingwish three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our 510 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: executive producer is Garnsey Sloan, our producer is Rebecca Howe, 511 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: and our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork for the 512 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: show was created by Steve Penley. Special thanks to the 513 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 1: team at Gingwish three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, 514 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: I hope you'll go to Apple Podcast and both rate 515 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 1: us with five stars and give us a review so 516 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: others can learn what it's all about. Right now, listeners 517 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: of Newtsworld can sign up for my three free weekly 518 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 1: columns at Gingwish three x dot com slash newsletter. I'm 519 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 1: new Kendrich. This is news World.