The Chair

Krayton Kerns
7.30.08 

In the 2007 legislative session I was called an elitist for supporting families and five year-olds over full day kindergarten.  Now there is a drive for government sponsored pre-kindergarten programs, so it looks like America’s four year-olds are next.  Proponents argue that it pre-K “creates better citizens”, which is a phrase that scares me.  I am probably the only representative who supports four year-old constituents; I will be term-limited out before they are old enough to vote.  If that makes me a dim-witted politician, so be it, but let me explain why I prefer parents over pre-K government schooling.   

Because of unique circumstances, all my family is home this summer.  On the weekends, when my son-in-law Tim catches a jump-seat ride home, there are twenty feet kicking at the four dogs under the dinner table. Clara and Mae, my four and three year-old granddaughters, add an interesting twist to the supper time conversation.  Grant, my nine month-old grandson, adds mostly a mess so our family dinners are a bit chaotic.  Picture a redneck version of The Last Supper where the flowing robes and halos are replaced with Carharts and border collies. (If you are going to call me an elitist, at least call me a redneck elitist.)

 Last Monday, after dinner and near bed time, Clara called her Dad in Portland to say goodnight.  Tim has spent most of the past six weeks in flight training with Horizon Airlines, so a phone call every night is how he tucked his children in bed.  All three kids miss their dad. 

“I miss you Daddy,” Clara said into the cell phone. 

“I miss you too,” her dad replied. 

“Dad, can I go to Portland with you some week,” Clara asked with tears in her eyes? 

“I wish you could,” he responded, “but I don’t have anyone to watch you while I am at work.”

Clara thought for a moment and sadly asked, “Couldn’t I just sit on a chair?” 

And there you have it, Clara exemplifies the exact reason my support will always go towards parents over bigger government.  Her daddy is such an enormous influence in her tiny life that the chance to merely “sit on a chair” near him, makes the drudgery of doing so worthwhile. 

My message is for parents:  The excitement of just being with you is an incredibly short period of time in your child’s life.  The American family will never be strengthened by severing those emotional ties and surrendering your four year-old to government pre-K programs.  I maybe just a dim-witted politician but I am the father of three and now the grandfather of three and that experience has branded me with one certainty.  The best people to raise children are…parents.