Laura Kelly’s Early Childhood Executive Order is extremely concerning for many Kansans.
With Laura Kelly’s new executive order, multiple State agencies will wrap around your baby and family.
Below is testimony from two citizens.
Please read the documents at the end of the article and consider reaching out to your Senators, Representatives, and the Kansas Board of Education
Testimony to Kansas Board of Education
Good evening members of the Kansas Board of Education,
My name is Jaime Raney. I’m writing from Miami County in Spring Hill Kansas.
I will not address all the deep concerns I have with the document known as KELS (Kansas Early Learning Standards) in this email but I’d like to quickly share a few.
KELS works to insert itself into the lives of every child and family in Kansas focusing on ages birth through 5.
Parents have the unalienable right to nurture and raise their children during this sacred time as they see fit without interference from the State.
If a parent deems support is needed, they should be able to seek professional services aligning with their values. Private and public options are already available. Children with other guardian situations can and do utilize these services currently.
KELS state that they’re not an assessment for children, families or programs but across 155 pages definitions and standards are provided for health, social emotional development, literacy, math, science and the arts (again ages 0 to 5) and what young children should know and do as a result of engagement with what is deemed a caring knowledgeable adult.
KELS commits to collection of data and encourages the sharing data across agencies without Legislative action.
Minor children cannot consent to or understand the implications of this data collection. Data that could stay with the child for the rest of their lives.
Who has control of this data? How many agencies have access? What data is being gathered and where would it be gathered from for babies and toddlers-would this come from private medical doctors, day cares, or families?
Citizens shouldn’t be compelled to share their private data. The State should protect the privacy of children and their families-KELS undermines this completely.
A “Multi-Tiered System of Supports” is to be put in place to implement the Standards.
What agencies would be involved in this and what would they be doing since KELS is not assessment or curriculum?
There are mentions of home visits. This is not the hallmark of a free society and we shouldn’t open our homes to the government.
What happens if families refuse these supports and voluntarily services or do not share the same values or views as the State?
Its been shared that the purpose of the Task Force was “ to reduce burdens placed on families”.
If the State is interested in reducing burdens, it should start by controlling itself.
Taxes should be cut and the State should also resist trying to grow the size and scope of most of its agencies, task forces and committees.
Many of the agencies involved with creating KELS will grow larger and have increased reach as a result of its implementation. They will speak hours about KELS benefits and provide studies to support their opinions.
I am positive, given the resources, time and inclination, that anyone could find a decent study to support whatever data set they’d chosen.
It is clear that State believes it knows best regarding the health choices, child care choices and the learning experiences that every Kansas child should have. This is a dangerous encroachment on the rights of families to guide and protect their own children.
While the government can require parents provide a minimum amount of care to protect and nurture children, it is not the place of the State to dictate how a parent does this.
Please support children and parents and vote to throw out these Kansas Early Learning Standards.
“the child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.”
Supreme Court Justice James McReynolds
With kind regards,
Jaime H Raney
Spring Hill, Kansas
Kansas-Early-Childhood-Transition-Task-Force-Final-Report
From the Editor – this Executive Order is extremely concerning for many Kansans.
With Laura Kelly’s new executive order, all these agencies will wrap around your baby and family.
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6023/Kansas-Part-C-State-Systemic-Improvement-Plan-PDF
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5924/Individualized-Family-Service-Plan-PDF
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5925/Family-Service-Coordination-PDF
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5923/Eligibility-PDF
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5908/Data-Collection-Procedures-PDF
With permission, I would like to share some thoughts and concerns that I have received over the past few weeks regarding the changes to the Kansas Early Learning Standards that have come before the State Board of Education for approval.
First of all, they are being referred to as the Baby Standards. I must say that I have to agree with this name. Throughout the document, “from birth” and “infant” verbiage is used.
Do the parents of Kansas realize that the government has worked to grow itself and continuously expand its “responsibilities” regarding education?
Do the parents of Kansas realize that “education” has so far expanded beyond ABCs and 123s, history and general knowledge to now encompass practically every facet of a child’s life: their thoughts, their beliefs, their experiences, their behaviors, their every circumstance?
The Baby Standards are riddled with subjectivity. Who gets to decide how caring, knowledgeable, appropriate, engagement, support, benefit, inclusive, nurturing, readiness, satisfactorily, as well as many other terms are defined, measured, and carried out?
The document is definitely not clear as to who these “standards” are intended for. It states that it is for providers and teachers, and overtly states that the standards are not designed to assess children or families. BUT, it also refers to parents as a child’s first teacher, and it states what “ALL adults” must provide, and it provides for using the standards to “engage” families in conversations, just to name a few.
Is the subjectivity and contradictory language an oversight or intentional?
How are the inherent rights of parents and children protected from the misuse or abuse of this document?
How is the personal property (i.e. each person’s individual data) protected from unauthorized collection and use?
How is the individual able to protect their privacy (i.e. prevent the recording of any data)?
The number one job of those in elected office is to secure the individual unalienable rights of citizens.
The education and raising of children is the responsibility of parents, not the State.
The State has and is slated to continue to expand its policies, practices and data collection on children and families.
The State is also actively seeking out and engaging all families and babies.
How is this the proper role of government? Is it appropriate for government to be directing or even opining on the customs, attitudes, values, or beliefs of its citizens? Are people free to live according to their personal consciences? Or are the people being regulated, controlled, and forced to live subordinate to the State?
Government agencies and “stakeholder” organizations infringe unalienable rights when they believe and act under the premise of what they determine is good or best for a child. This is not only wrong, it is dangerous. The Baby Standards should be alarming to every parent.
Children are born to parents, not the State.
These standards, along with all the things they align with, infringe inherent parental authority.
They are not emblematic of our Constitution nor are they emblematic of freedom.
If you are concerned, you are encouraged to contact the State Board of Education.” L.H.
Contact Information
District 1
Danny Zeck
Phone: (913) 683-1836
Email: dzeck@ksde.org
District 2
Melanie Haas
9909 Craig Dr.
Overland Park, KS 66212
Phone: (816) 226-7728
Email: mhaas@ksde.org
District 3
Michelle Dombrosky
14248 W. 157th St.
Olathe, KS 66062
Phone: (913) 782-1835
Email: mdombrosky@ksde.org
District 4
Ann E. Mah
3351 SE Meadowview Dr.
Topeka, KS 66605
Phone: (785) 266-9434
Cell: (785) 231-0823
Email: amah@ksde.org
District 5
Cathy Hopkins
211 W. 21st Street
Hays, KS 67601
Phone:(913) 634-0445
Email:chopkins@ksde.org
District 6
Dr. Deena Horst
920 S. 9th
Salina, KS 67401
Phone: (785) 827-8540
Cell: (785) 822-5521
Email: dhorst@ksde.org
District 7
Dennis Hershberger
Phone: (620) 931-7459
Email: dhershberger@ksde.org
District 8
Betty Arnold
5311 E. Pembrook St.
Wichita, KS 67220
Phone: (316) 684-7792
Email: barnold@ksde.org
District 9
Jim Porter
501 S. 7th
Fredonia, KS 66736
Phone: (316) 617-6779
Email: jporter@ksde.org
District 10
Jim McNiece
1213 Manchester Court
Wichita, KS 67212
Phone: (316) 729-9742
Email: jmcniece@ksde.org