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Protecting children from their opportunistic social influencer parents
A new law in Illinois will require parent social media influencers to set aside money for their children, under age 16, who appear in the parents’ vlogs. Sounds like a good intentioned law, right? Well, it’s a bit complex.
Q&A with House Speaker Ben Toma
In a recent interview with the Arizona Capitol Times, House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria, discussed the highlights and disappointments of the 2023 session.
Grant addresses students’ mental health issues
Nikki Kontz, clinical director at Teen Lifeline, a crisis hotline and suicide prevention education provider, became a peer counselor after she lost a friend to suicide in high school. And 29 years later, as she oversees the program she started in, Kontz continues to emphasize the enduring importance of creating strong networks of support in schools, involving peers, teachers, counselors and admini[...]
Bill mandating parental oversight of school library books gets Senate panel OK
A bill requiring public review of all school library books has passed its first hearing in the Arizona Senate. House Bill 2439 would establish parental review for books that are... […]
Pandemic offers fresh look at education
Three years ago, the education conversation in Arizona was sinking into firm trench lines between the #REDforED movement and education reform advocates. When the coronavirus pandemic struck, it brought not... […]
Valley of the Sun United Way targets hunger, homelessness, kids, families
Valley of the Sun United Way has been investing in local communities for nearly a century with a unique model of bringing together public services, businesses, other nonprofits, and faith-based organizations.
Lobbied by her own kids, Scottsdale Republican says yes to 50-minute recess bill
Before she voted on a bill requiring elementary school students in Arizona to receive at least 50 minutes of recess per day, Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita faced intense pressure from a team of lobbyists hounding her day and night.
Risk to children’s online safety increases during summer
School books may be closed for the summer but laptops are open. As children spend more time on the Internet, police and parents are working harder to protect them from online predators.
Foster parents question new DCS rules
Foster parents worry that new rules drafted by Arizona’s child safety agency could create a harmful environment for foster children and parents alike.
State agency gets new name, adds emphasis on working with faith-based community
A little-known state agency is being given a new name and focus with the ultimate goal of keeping the number of kids in foster care from growing.
Teenagers at ground zero in Arizona’s marijuana battlefield
The struggle for legalizing recreational-use marijuana will likely center on the impacts of the drug on Arizona children.
Anti-marijuana forces are arguing that the drug harms the brain and that making it legally available will lead to more children using it, while legalized-marijuana advocates are ready to propose an excise tax that would go to schools.
New child assistance agency seeks funding to replace old database
The new Department of Child Services is asking for an additional $27.6 million for fiscal year 2016 to keep up with growth and replace an antiquated database that keeps track of the state’s abused and neglected kids.
