Thoughts from the couch

In 1973, Atlanta was crippled by a record ice storm (very similar to the epic 1994 North Mississippi storm). Pine trees snapped like twigs as families huddled in their cold, dark homes. It was at that moment I discovered being an adult wasn’t much fun.  I’d watch every morning as my dad slid up the street to work. I had the week off. He had to risk his neck to get into the office. I vowed to never grow up.

Forty-five years later, I’ve succeeded at my mission. I’m sitting in my home office working thanks to the wonderful invention of the Internet and laptops. (Adulting has gotten much easier in the 21st century.) The kids still get snow days — but I can work anywhere when Mississippi freezes over. And I can offer you insights and observations from my couch.

The school funding rewrite advances to the full House.  Twenty years ago, the Mississippi Legislature (who were Democrats) came up with the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP). Not the Mississippi Amazing Education Program. Or even then Mississippi Awesome Education Program  It was a complex formula designed to provide C-level funding to all schools districts, no matter what their current local funding level.  And in typical Mississippi Legislature fashion, they only funded it fully twice in 20 years. Then the Mississippi Supreme Court said they didn’t have to follow their own law. So basically, our state won’t even support adequate  Someone once said, “You can’t fix education by throwing money at it.” I’m not sure Mississippi has ever tried it.

Today we have new legislators (Republicans now) who want to rewrite how education is funded (or not really funded as the case might be). The 354-page bill is speeding through the process as I type.  Education spending is a huge chunk of the state budget.  If I were an legislator (you think Mississippi has frozen over now), I’d want to have more control over how that chunk of money is spent, too. But I’m not. I’m just a parent who worries about how my kids’ schools (which are thankfully very good) are funded.  I, like many parents who care deeply about their kids’ educations, will be watching this closely as the session progresses.

Pro tip: The best way to lobby someone is not to sexually harass themLobbyist Scott Levanway made shockingly inappropriate comments to Harrison County Supervisor Beverly Martin at a social gathering last week. When her husband called him, he initially said it was “a joke.” What were the comments? You’ll have to Google them. But not since Bill and Monica, have parents been pushed into THAT conversation with their kids. Martin, to her credit, called Levanway out. He then (correctly) apologized. But too often, comments like that are excused as just “boys being being boys.”  Maybe boys talk like that, but men don’t.  There’s a statue in front of the Capitol honoring the mothers, daughters and sisters of the state.  If you are in power, the next time you walk past it, ask yourself this: Would I want my mother, daughter, wife, sister, coworker or friend to be spoken to like that? I bet your answer is no.

Officials increase access to autism therapy. This is the best story I’ve read all week. With the increasing rates of children with autism, so many kids need to learn in different ways. And any parent who has a child on the spectrum can tell you, that education can be difficult to find and expensive.  Hats off to the state officials who brokered the agreement with BlueCross BlueShield, Magnolia Health and United Health care to remove the age cap on autism services coverage.  It used to be 8. As parents of these loving kids know, their child’s minds don’t stop growing at 8.

BP money should go to the Coast. I’m always amazed at the stories about lottery winners who go broke within five years. But after watching our legislature over the past couple of decades, it’s easy to see how it happens. You get a chunk of money (tobacco settlement for example) and say it will go for one thing. Then you use that money to cover spending shortfalls (or excesses) in other areas. Before you know it, it has disappeared like shrimp on an all-you-can-eat buffet. I agree with the Senate: This windfall should go for what it is intended: Restoring one of our state’s Crown Jewels.

Trump’s Health. The president’s medical exam revealed he is in tip-top mental and physical shape.  I’m not sure I totally believe that, but OK.  One humorous moment came was when Eric Trump said the media was out of shape compared to his father.  OK, Eric, I’ll take that bet. Your dad is welcome to run a marathon with me in May.  It’ll only take the amount of time of a round of golf and some light Tweeting.

And finally, thankfulness.  As the temperature struggles to get out of the teens, I’m thankful I have a house, a couch, electricity and natural gas and a heater that burns it.  And I’m also thankful I live in a city that is 12 one day and 70 by the weekend. It’s the gift of living in Mississippi.


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