Billings Gazette, April 18, on protecting Montana kids from abuse:
The bright blue pinwheels shining on lawns and fences in Billings have a serious purpose. Pinwheels for Prevention is an annual, national campaign to raise awareness of child abuse and to mobilize community members to help keep all children safe.
The number of child abuse and neglect cases filed in Montana District Courts has exploded in the past several years, increasing from 1,006 children in 2009 to 2,667 in 2017, according to the Montana Supreme Court Administrator’s Office. Last year, the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office filed 755 cases (including repeat removals) seeking court protection of abused and neglected children - six times the number filed in 2009.
Parental substance abuse is a factor in the majority of cases, although not necessarily the only factor. Methamphetamine is the drug most often cited, alcohol and opioids are frequently involved, too.
The enormous increase in abuse and neglect has severely strained Montana’s child protection system. Courts, attorneys and caseworkers are overloaded and nearly overwhelmed.
That’s why communities must get actively involved to stop this epidemic. In Billings where the child neglect numbers are arguably the worst in the state, there are many opportunities to help children and families stay healthy and safe. For starters:
- The Family Tree Center, 2520 Fifth Ave. S., phone 252-9799, needs volunteers to help teach parenting classes, to help with respite child care and assist at special events. Family Tree is a nationally certified Child Abuse Prevention Center sponsored by Billings Exchange Clubs. Family Tree provides a wide range of in-home services to families, classes at its center and works with mothers incarcerated at Montana Women’s Prison to teach parenting skills and supervises visits with their children.
- CASA of Yellowstone County trains volunteers to serve as court-appointed special advocates for abused and neglected children to ensure the best possible outcome for the child. CASA needs more volunteers to advocate for the 900 Yellowstone County children now in the foster care system. To learn more, call CASA at 259-1233 or attend an information session at the office, 1201 Grand Ave., Suite 5 (upstairs) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, 10:30 a.m. May 4 or 5:30 p.m. May 22.
- Family Support Network, 1002 Tenth St. W, phone 256-7783, is looking for volunteers to refurbish its playground, do interior painting and decorate family meeting rooms and offices for holidays. Family Support Network offers parenting classes, home visits and supervises visits between parents and their children who are in foster care.
Family Tree executive director Stacy Dreessen asks community members to help prevent abuse by:
- Being a nurturing parent. Children need to know that they are special, loved and capable of following their dreams.
- Helping a friend, neighbor or relative take care of the children, so the parent(s) can rest or spend time together.
- Helping yourself. When the big and little problems of everyday life pile up to the point you feel overwhelmed and out of control, take time out. Don’t take it out on your kid.
- Reporting suspected abuse or neglect. If you have reason to believe a child has been or may be harmed, call the 24-hour Montana child abuse hotline at 866-820-5437 or your local law enforcement department.
Billings Public Library is another resource with DVDs, books and online information about parenting and child safety as well as free online courses about parenting, which can be explored by visiting the library or at the link with this Gazette opinion at billingsgazette.com.
Let’s resolve to be part of prevention efforts that will give all Montana children the healthy, happy childhood those sparkly blue pinwheels symbolize.
Editorial: https://bit.ly/2qHULZ8
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Independent Record, April 15, on the need for a high school in East Helena:
Voters in the East Helena area rightly have an opportunity to decide whether they want local control over the high school education provided to students in their community. And while the proposal to build a high school in East Helena comes with numerous pros and cons, there may never be a better time than now to make it happen.
Currently, East Helena Public Schools provides public education to students in kindergarten through eighth grade and sends its roughly 350 high-school-age students to Helena to earn their diplomas. But the Montana Legislature recently passed a law allowing elementary districts with enrollment of more than 1,000 to become high school districts, which opened the door to the possibility of a high school operated by the East Helena school district.
Residents of the East Helena area voted 68-32 percent in November to research what it would take to build a high school owned and operated by their own school district.
The school district determined it could build the new school for 500-600 students at a cost of $29.5 million. While the new school would account for some student population growth, we believe it would need to be expanded someday to meet the needs of the rapidly growing area.
For taxpayers with a home valued at $200,000, the construction bond and the operational levy used to operate the East Helena school would amount to a tax increase of about $30 per month for the next 20 years. But East Helena voters shouldn’t make this decision solely based on the cost, because they will likely be paying more high-school-related taxes whether they vote to build the new school or not.
East Helena residents are currently paying taxes to operate the high schools in Helena, and those costs will probably grow as officials continue to grapple with issues related to the aging buildings and increasing enrollment. If a bond to improve or expand Helena’s high schools is approved before East Helena voters pass their own bond, East Helena residents will have to continue paying for the Helena schools even if they decide to open their own high school later.
And we doubt many East Helena residents would be willing to fund a new high school if they have to keep paying for the old ones.
We believe the school districts in Helena and East Helena both have the ability to provide a quality education to East Helena students, albeit in very different ways.
Naturally, Helena’s larger district would offer a wider range of courses, more advanced classes, better sports teams, and access to more expensive technology and facilities. But students enrolled in East Helena might have an opportunity to continue taking advantage of certain offerings in Helena, and the less-tangible benefits of smaller class sizes, a feeling of belonging and the pride that comes with a local high school cannot be ignored.
This isn’t a question of which school district is better. It’s a matter of what East Helena wants for its children and its community. If building a new high school is the best way to honor East Helena’s unique values and ideals, now is the time to make it happen.
We doubt East Helena voters will get an opportunity like this again.
Editorial: https://bit.ly/2HL63nM
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Bozeman Daily Chronicle, April 13, on the effect of a trade war with China on Montana:
As a favor to industries in states that handed President Trump an Electoral College victory in 2016, Trump has threatened steep tariffs on imported steel and other products from China that could ignite a much-feared trade war. The threats have appeal in states producing products that compete with Chinese imports, but imposing tariffs could inflict collateral damage on a wide range of industries, including cattle production here in Montana.
Retaliatory tariff threats from China have included a 25 percent import duty on U.S. beef. China only lifted a ban on U.S. beef imports last year after 13 years. As part of getting Montana beef to Chinese consumers, talks have been underway to market up to $200 million worth of beef through a Chinese online retailer. According to those close to the negotiations, the deal may be threatened by the impending tariffs.
Free trade - without the imposition of onerous tariffs - is not a partisan issue. Democrats and Republicans alike have touted its benefits to national economies. And historically, trade wars ignited by tariffs have been blamed for economic downturns, including the Great Depression.
The U.S. trade deficit with China hit $375 billion last year. The idea of punishing China with steep tariffs for what some charge are unfair trade practices has a certain visceral appeal. But the wide-ranging damage it can inflict on the economies of both nations is not worth the satisfaction of revenge.
Montana Sen. Steve Daines was involved in putting Montana beef producers in touch with Chinese importers last year. He should enlist the help of fellow Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte along with Democrat Sen. Jon Tester - himself a rancher - and use what influence they wield and consensus they can build to convince the administration that negotiations, not tariffs, are the best way to address the trade imbalance with China.
Continuing the threats of tariffs from both countries will only inflame the situation and widen the damage done to the economy - including ours here in Montana.
Editorial: https://bit.ly/2vqsgoC
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