Missouri offers grants to school districts who want to provide tampons and pads to middle and high school students at no charge to the students. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s $53.7 billion state budget proposal designates $650,000 for the grants.
The Missouri House Budget Committee is inspecting Kehoe’s proposed budget outline. During a hearing Monday on his fiscal plan, Rep. John Martin, R-Columbia, said he disagrees with this funding use.
“I don’t think this is a core function of government,” said Martin. “It’s obviously a need – I’m not saying it’s not a need. I think it should be something taken care of locally. Give these funds to literacy or things like that. I think it’s more the responsibility of parents. I think government’s doing so much that we’re just taking away the responsibility of parents. And so, I don’t think this is needed.”
Fellow Republican, Rep. Scott Cupps, of Shell Knob, has a different view.
“Representative Martin, although I have the utmost respect for him, has never been a 22-year-old male teacher in a public school system. Because if you’ve ever had that awkward situation exist in your classroom, if we don’t have a clean and comfortable place where students can go and learn without the risk of embarrassment, it’s like, what is the point of public school, unless that scenario, environment, for lack of a better term, exists,” asked Cupps.
Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, is a school counselor.
“Unfortunately, some children don’t have the best of parents, the most wealthy parents. But what these children are entitled to is a free and appropriate education,” said Proudie. “Putting the money towards literacy for some lower income or foster, whatever the child may be going through, is not helpful if they’re not there or they have to be sent home with soiled clothes. Taking care of children is indeed a function of government. This is a good use of this money.”
In addition to districts, Proudie wants a way for individual teachers to be able to ask for reimbursement. State budget records show that despite several attempts to let districts know about the grants, a large number of districts did not submit a request for reimbursement on these items.
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