Deadline day has passed for the Mississippi legislature

Governor Tate Reeves discussed legislation on a "Parents Bill of Rights" in his State of the State Address Monday night, but neither of the two bills in the House that would enact the "Families' Rights and Responsibilities Act," were taken up in the Education committee yesterday.

Nancy Loome is the executive director of the Parents Campaign. She said she was pleased to see both bills put aside.

"These would have required massive amounts of paperwork for teachers and removed all flexibility from classroom instruction," she said. "and also subject teachers to lawsuits if they didn't comply... we're very happy to see that one fall by the wayside."

The House Education committee did pass 20 bills, including one that would create a Patriotic Education Grant Program and another that would make charter school teacher eligible for educational enhancement funds.

Experts are also keeping an eye on legislation advancing in the Senate. Kelly Riley is the executive director of the Mississippi Professional Educators. She says she is worried about a bill that would allow school districts to decide if they can have employees with enhanced carry permits have weapons on campus.

"We do not support the arming of classroom teachers," she said. "Right now, current state law gives school districts the descretion to set its own policy... so that's a bill that we are closely watching."

The Senate Education Committee also passed a bill that would start a grant program for school districts that adopted a modified school calendar.