Governor’s Column - October 20, 2006
by Governor Matt Blunt
Supporting Missouri’s Future Generations
Our children deserve the best we have to offer. As a father and as governor it is my hope that our state can provide a solid foundation for our children to build a successful future. Missouri must ensure that our children receive a first class education and provide for their safety and well being.
I have focused on making education the state’s top public policy and budget priority. I am pleased to report that the state has provided nearly a third of a billion dollars in increased funding for elementary and secondary education since 2005 and created a new school funding formula focused on students’ needs. We are also working to provide students new tools for learning in math, engineering, technology and science to ensure that they are prepared to be active participants in the global economy.
Protecting our children’s safety is critical to their success. Our state was among the first to implement a nationally connected communication system called the AMBER Alert Web Portal to ensure word can spread as quickly as possible when a child has been abducted. The system allows Missourians to receive alerts and status updates on e-mail, pagers or cell phones so they can help bring a missing child home. I recently signed an executive order mandating that all state employees with state cell phones and other wireless communication devices subscribe to receive AMBER Alert information through this system. You can sign up at www.missouriamberalert.com. The abduction and safe return of baby Abigale Woods reminds us how critical this tool is to protect Missouri families.
As a state we have taken aggressive steps to keep dangerous sexual predators away from our children. Missouri now has a version of Jessica’s Law to ensure sex offenders who prey on young victims stay in jail at least 30 years and are monitored their entire lives. I also signed a law that made Missouri one of the first states to utilize global positioning satellite (GPS) technology to track certain sex offenders. In addition, we have expanded the sexual offender registry and added new tools to make it a more powerful resource for parents.
This week Melanie and I were honored to participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Crisis Nursery of the Ozarks in Springfield. Crisis nurseries provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and families when they are experiencing problems at home, and have proven to be effective tools in preventing child abuse and neglect. The center will offer residential care for children ages birth to twelve when there is trouble at their home, and provide families in crisis with education, support and training services. The Springfield center will join others across our state helping families during trying times.
Ensuring a solid foundation for our children’s future and meeting their needs now is a responsibility that I take very seriously as Missouri works to support our future generations.