The Missouri Supreme Court this week upheld a state law that requires unaccredited public school districts to pay for students who want to attend better public schools in neighboring districts.

Currently, there are three unaccredited districts: Kansas City, and the St. Louis area districts of Riverview Gardens and Normandy. Families in unaccredited districts have been trying for several years to transfer their children to better schools.

The ruling by the court left some room for interpretation concerning just how districts are to comply with the state law. Both urban and suburban school officials are now reviewing the 37 page opinion to determine their next steps.

Although the court's ruling does not authorize payments for students to attend private or religious schools, it may set the stage for state legislators to consider more robust school choice options. The MCC continues to advocate for parental choices in education in Missouri laws.

Catholic teaching very clearly upholds the right of parents to direct their children's education. This teaching also says that public authorities have the responsibility to ensure that school choice options are feasible for parents to take advantage of. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the following:

"As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental. As far as possible parents have the duty of choosing schools that will best help them in their task as Christian educators. Public authorities have the duty of guaranteeing this parental right and of ensuring the concrete conditions for its exercise." (par. # 2229)

Juvenile offenders now have a better chance of staying in juvenile facilities versus being sent to adult prisons. This week Governor Jay Nixon signed SB 36 which extends the age to 17 ½ years old that a juvenile offender can remain under the Division of Youth Services (DYS).   Sponsored by Senator Wayne Wallingford (R-Cape-Girardeau), this new law adds six months eligibility that the court could consider when imposing a juvenile sentence.

Also known as Jonathon's Law, this bill was filed in response to a young man from southeast Missouri who committed suicide within days of being sentenced to an adult institution. The MCC supported the bill because the U.S. bishops have urged that youthful offenders should be treated differently than adult offenders. Missouri's DYS is recognized as a national leader for its successful juvenile justice program in rehabilitating young offenders.

Tuesday night the City of St. Louis experienced 18 shootings and one stabbing. The violence threatens to drive out people who want peace and quiet. For a revealing inside story on the violence, see this St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.  

The 2013 Annual Assembly of the MCC will feature a workshop on this topic presented by St. Louis criminologist Rick Rosenfeld. (Don't forget to mark your calendars for this event on Saturday, September 28 at the State Capitol).

The U. S. Supreme Court this week unanimously denied a biotechnology firm the legal right to patent human genes isolated from a patient's blood stream. The court ruled that because the genes at issue were naturally occurring, they were not patentable. Synthetic DNA strands, the court observed, would be patentable.  

St. Louis Review reporter Jennifer Brinker recently discussed the implications of a recent federal court order requiring the FDA to make Plan B emergency contraceptives available over the counter to all girls 10 years of age and older with Theresa Prosser, a St. Louis professor of pharmacy and health policy. Prosser expressed concern that customers might purchase Plan B thinking it is harmless without getting any information about its how it works, or its potential mechanism of action. Since the drug will be available over the counter, she said, no counseling from a pharmacist would be required. For more on the interview with Prof. Prosser, click here.