‘Say what?’ ideas for protecting Kentucky kids deserve support from state lawmakers

Republished from Kentucky Lantern

Say what?”
Merriam-Webster describes this idiom as “a way to express surprise or disbelief at what someone has said or at unexpected news.” It is also the most popular response to any question or request directed to my three teenage grandkids. I’m never sure if that teen response is genuine surprise or a very skilled stalling technique.
There are a lot of “Say-what?s” in our world, aren’t there? Some are serious and discoveries core to life. Others? Well, they’re a bit more frivolous.
Have you ever really looked at the warning label on that product you just purchased? Forbes Magazine catalogues those into its “Stunningly Dumb Warning Labels” list. For instance, on nearly every chainsaw is the directive, “Do not hold the wrong end while in operation.” Say what? Or the required label on Superman Halloween costumes – “This costume does not enable flight.” Say what? Or how about the warning on a popular nighttime sleeping medicine – “This product may cause drowsiness.” Say what? Look on your washer and you will learn a stunning lesson – “Do not put a person in this washer.” Say what? Or perhaps the most intriguing, “Say what?” is on your favorite product – fox and bobcat urine powder … remember its stark warning – “Not recommended for human consumption.”
As the Kentucky General Assembly re-convenes for this 2025 legislative session, our elected leaders face an array of complicated and difficult issues. Let’s be blunt – when you talk about issues like abortion, taxes, crime, and education, the genuine debate based on sincere beliefs will be loud and raucous. Many of the emerging economic and social policies with which the Commonwealth must grapple are difficult propositions to tackle and around which to reach consensus. In fact, I would assert we need to give our lawmakers some grace and goodwill as they ponder those perplexing public conundrums.
On the other hand, there are a litany of issues – at least as pertain to kids – that are, “Say-what?” proposals. These ideas are deep in common sense and long on common ground. For instance,
- We can reduce the risk of sexual abuse and exploitation of students by ensuring appropriate disclosures, checks, and training for potential public and private school employees.
- We can boost safety and reduce online risk by increasing awareness of and ensuring appropriate responses to sexual extortion.
- We can protect kids from the harmful effects of vaping simply by ensuring compliance with existing laws through licensing retailers, conducting compliance checks, and penalizing those businesses selling to young people.
- We can help our youngest kids with special needs by incentivizing early childhood programs to better serve children with disabilities.
- We can uphold established and basic legal rights of children by ensuring that minors speak with a juvenile attorney before they waive their Miranda rights.
- We can promote housing stability by prohibiting a minor from being named on eviction notices and sealing filings that do not result in an eviction.
Check out our Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children to learn more about these and other 2025 opportunities for our General Assembly to make a positive difference for children across the Commonwealth.
Any hesitation from any legislator on any of these measures should be met with your, “Say what?” as a constituent.
The commonwealth’s kids simply deserve state leaders who give their full support to measures like these that can help Kentucky become the best place in America to be young.
Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter. Kentucky Lantern stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
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