State Rep. David Tyson Smith

No meeting between Governor Parson and CPS Superintendent Yearwood, at this time

January 27, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri Governor Mike Parson speaks to CPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood (middle) at the Columbia Farmers Market on August 25, 2022, as Boone County commissioner Justin Aldred listens (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The Missouri governor’s office says there is no scheduled meeting at this time between Governor Mike Parson and CPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood. 939 the Eagle News checked with Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones on Thursday.

The Columbia Public Schools (CPS) superintendent had issued an open invitation to the governor to meet with him, after Governor Parson criticized CPS for last week’s diversity celebration that included three drag queens who performed before a sold-out crowd that included about 30 CPS students. Governor Parson says adult performers are not diversity.

Governor Mike Parson says CPS parents weren’t clearly informed of the program’s contents, and the governor is has called on CPS to focus on math, reading, writing, science and history.

Dr. Yearwood says it was not an adult performance, and he wrote a letter to the governor which said Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) had misrepresented some things about the Columbia Values Diversity event. Dr. Yearwood says that type of misrepresentation “is harmful to our students, our staff and our community.”

Columbia Councilwoman Andrea Waner has criticized the governor’s comments. State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) and former Missouri Democratic Party chairman Stephen Webber (D-Columbia) have also defended CPS and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe.

Attorney General Bailey has slammed Superintendent Yearwood, saying he cares more about indoctrination than about education.

Columbia Democratic lawmaker and former state party chair defend mayor from criticism over drag queen performance

January 24, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (left) speaks to St. Louis Public Radio political correspondent Jason Rosenbaum at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on January 18, 2023 (photo courtesy of Governor Parson’s Flickr page)

“Nothing short of deplorable.” That’s how Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) describes Thursday’s Columbia diversity celebration that featured three drag queens who performed before 1,000 people, including about 30 Columbia Public Schools (CPS) students.

A key mid-Missouri Democratic state lawmaker, a former state party chair and the Boone County clerk are defending the event.

Attorney General Bailey is blasting Columbia Public Schools (CPS) and Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, telling “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that the drag show is an outward expression of desired sexuality.

“This issue is about protecting children. And if the school officials who are charged with the care, custody and control of those kids aren’t concerned about what’s in the best interest of the child and protecting our children and giving the parents a voice, then we will step up and do it for them,” Bailey says.

State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on February 7, 2022 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The attorney general says all options are on the table, adding that he’s committed to ensuring that our school system is educating children, not indoctrinating them.

State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) has written a letter to Mayor Buffaloe, supporting Thursday’s Columbia Values Diversity celebration. Representative Smith writes that “those who criticize the city, the school district or others in supporting diversity must not be allowed to damper our spirit of inclusion.”

CPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood says although CPS was unaware what the performance by NClusion+ at the Holiday Inn Expo Center would entail, it was not an adult performance. Dr. Yearwood’s letter to Governor Mike Parson (R) says the attorney general is misrepresenting what happened at Thursday’s breakfast. Bailey disputes that and takes exception to Yearwood’s letter.

Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe (second from left) poses with performers after the January 19, 2023 Columbia Values Diversity Celebration. Mayor Buffaloe tweeted after the event that “as hate crimes against drag show locations and performers are being committed in other communities, we want to reaffirm that Columbia is a community that supports all” (photo courtesy of Columbia Mayor Buffaloe’s Twitter page)

“Well the superintendent says well look, we didn’t really know what was going to be at the event. Okay so that’s an admission of willful negligence. If that’s true it’s an admission of willful negligence. But I disagree with that, I reject that. They had an affirmative duty to know and several school officials were listed on the program, so I think they did know,” Bailey tells listeners.

The attorney general says the drag queen performance was inherently sexual.

“I am calling for the resignation of termination of any school official that knew that the drag show was going to be part of the event and willfully took children to the event. They need to resign or be terminated immediately,” says Bailey.

Former Missouri Democratic Party chair Stephen Webber, a former Columbia state representative, defends the event and is grateful to Mayor Barbara Buffaloe. Webber tweeted, in part: “We can’t let incendiary, bad faith attacks against vulnerable communities go unchallenged.”

Boone County clerk Brianna Lennon, who attended the breakfast, also defends the performance. She tweeted “I want to echo support for the CoMo Values Diversity planning committee, CPS, the city and the participants for creating a beautiful program to reflect our community. I’ve attended many breakfasts and this year was one of my favorites.”

Click here to listen to Wednesday’s full “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” interview with Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

Mid-Missouri lawmaker hopes to honor female veterans

January 3, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on May 3, 2021 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Legislation designating June 12 of each year as Women Veterans Appreciation Day has been filed by a mid-Missouri state lawmaker.

The issue is important to State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia). He’s the bill sponsor.

“You know my grandmother was in the U.S. Navy. And I learned a lot about life from her. She was actually also a private pilot and so she was an amazing woman and so she always, I mean she had models of terrain from World War II. She was in World War II,” Smith says.

Representative Smith tells 939 the Eagle that his bill highlights the growing number of women in the U.S. Armed Forces and the National Guard, including his grandmother.

“She worked on bombers when they came in. And so she was an amazing woman and 50 years ahead of her time. And so, the bill basically says hey let’s appreciate women’s veterans. There’s been disparities sometimes in their recognition and so forth. So let’s celebrate them one day a year,” says Smith.

Smith’s one-page House Bill 212 designates June 12 of each year as Women Veterans Appreciation Day. Missouri’s 2023 legislative session begins Wednesday January 4 at high noon in Jefferson City.

Medicaid expansion remains a top priority for Columbia state lawmaker

December 28, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

A key mid-Missouri Democratic state lawmaker is confident that GOP Governor Mike Parson will again fund Medicaid expansion in his proposed budget, which will be unveiled in mid-January.

Medicaid expansion has been a top priority for State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia).

“You know so far it was funded, and it was funded last session. I’m confident that it will be funded again. I think what we have to watch out for is some of these resolutions that are being filed. So for example (House) Budget (Committee) chairman Cody Smith (of Carthage) filed it was a joint resolution 117 last year, which curtailed some of Medicaid expansion to make it more difficult. It had work requirements,” Representative Tyson Smith says.

He notes 53 percent of Missouri voters approved Medicaid expansion in August 2020.

“You know the governor’s been doing the right thing, he’s funding it. The administration is doing the right thing. You know, there was some lag going on for awhile. There was a lot of backlog, I think we’ve gotten through a lot of that. And hopefully it will continue to work and you know, people will respect the will of the voters and it will continue to get funded and people can get the health care that they need,” says Tyson Smith.

53 percent of Missouri voters approved Medicaid expansion in August 2020. However, it failed in 107 of Missouri’s 114 counties, and opposition to Medicaid expansion has primarily come from rural GOP lawmakers who represent those districts. Medicaid expansion ended up in the courts, and the Missouri Supreme Court issued a 7-0 decision that the ballot measure was constitutional.

Medicaid expansion is aimed at providing healthcare to Missourians who earn less than $18,000 annually. Supporters say the voters have spoken and that providing health care is better for the state in the long term, as some of the expanded population would have ended up in hospital emergency rooms for health issues.

GOP lawmakers who oppose Medicaid expansion say it will force other state programs to be cut. Statistics from the state Department of Social Services (DSS) show the number of Missourians on Medicaid has increased for at least 12 straight months, from 1.1 million in December 2021 to 1.4 million in November 2022.

Governor Parson will unveil his budget blueprint during his January 18 State of the State address in Jefferson City.

(AUDIO): State Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) appears on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”

November 23, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Veteran State Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) is about to begin her fourth and final term in the Missouri House. While her newly drawn district still includes Centralia and Hallsville, it now also includes Hartsburg. Representative Toalson Reisch tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that she’s thankful on this Thanksgiving for her family, including her children and grandchildren. She’s looking forward to January, and also supports an idea from State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) of both sides of the aisle eating meals together in Jefferson City: