Call Me Colleen

Throughout the waves of deep grief and great anger of the past days, I’ve been soul searching in regard to who I am and where I stand. I’ve come to many conclusions and written a great deal in my personal notes about my feelings about the state of our country as well as my feelings towards those who made the choice to support Donald Trump. As I look over those several thousand words, it’s clear I’ve been too depressed and angry to write eloquently on the subject, so I will save those words for another post. Today, I would like to share why I am making the choice to go by my first name.

When I first started working at Normandy 7th & 8th Grade Center in August of 2015, I considered asking to go by “Miss Colleen” for the simple reason that I prefer to be addressed by my first name. I refrained from doing so because I was young, new to the job and everyone else seemed to go by their last names. I figured I needed to go by the same thing at both of my schools, so I introduced myself as “Miss Shaughnessy” at Normandy Kindergarten Center as well. Most of my 5-year-olds who I only saw for around 30 minutes weekly never really learned my name, so I decided to introduce myself as “Miss Colleen” at the kindergarten center this past August. Consequently I have a significantly higher number of young friends who call me by name this year.

For an entirely different reason, I am proclaiming today that my first name is the most important of my three names. The reason is this: I am beholden to no man. Last names celebrate the lineage of the men in our families. We take on our dads’ or our husbands’ last name. Some women get married and chose to keep or hyphenate their last names, but this is still typically celebrating the heritage of their father or in some instances their mother’s father. I don’t think there is anything necessarily wrong with this, but I would like to be addressed by my first name because that is the name that is unique to me as an individual. And again, I am beholden to no man.

I love all three of my names: Colleen Bernadette Shaughnessy. I’ve always loved my last name. I like that uncommon and it’s Irish and I think it’s a lovely name. I still love my last name, but I identify with my first. Maybe someday I’ll get married and change my last name. Maybe I won’t. On this day, at this point in my journey, my last name just isn’t as important to me as my first. And so I’m going to start telling my middle-schoolers they can call me “Miss Colleen” if they would like to. And to all my lovely co-workers: Please call me Colleen.

Sincerely,
Colleen


PS: I know some people will read this as some kind of protest against my family of heritage. To those people, I would like to say: “I’m sorry you don’t understand. I am not taking a stand against a person or a family. I am celebrating who I am as an individual. And maybe I am standing up against patriarchy, but it’s not personal, so please don’t take it personally.”

MO Amendment 3: I’m Pro Public Preschool and I’m Voting No

We’re nine days out from election day and as of right now I plan to vote “no” on Constitutional Amendment 3, which will read:

Shall the Missouri Constitution Be Amended To:

• increase taxes on cigarette sales each year through 2020, at which point this additional tax will total 60 cents per pack of 20;
• create a fee paid for by cigarette wholesalers of 67 cents per pack on certain cigarettes, which fee shall increase annually, and;
• deposit funds generated by these taxes and fees into a newly established Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund?

When cigarette taxes are fully implemented, estimated additional revenue to state government is $263 million to $374 million annually, with limited estimated implementation costs. The revenue will fund only only programs and services allowed by the proposal. The fiscal impact to local governmental entities are unknown.

Fair Ballot Language:

A ‘yes’ vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to increase taxes on cigarettes each year through 2020, at which point this will total 60 cents per pack of 20. This amendment also creates a fee paid for by cigarette wholesalers of 67 cents per packs of 20 on certain cigarettes. This amendment further provides that the funds shall be deposited into a newly established Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund.

A ‘no’ vote will not amend the Constitution relating to taxes and fees on cigarettes.

If passed, this measure will increase taxes on cigarettes.

I would love it if Missouri could provide an additional 263 to 374 million dollars annually to early childhood education and health programs. And although I am generally not a proponent of regressive and vice taxes as they tend to hurt impoverished people the most, I could get behind a cigarette tax increase in Missouri because the national average is $1.65 in taxes for a pack of cigarettes and we’re only at $0.16 here. So I should be 100% in favor of Constitutional Amendment 3, right?

I am voting “no” because Constitutional Amendment 3 will benefit big tobacco, not young children. 

Based solely on the name, Raise Your Hands For Kids sounds like a lovely organization. I consider myself to be an advocate for children, so it stands to reason that this organization entices a person like myself. After doing just a little bit of research, I discovered that Raise Your Hands For Kids is nothing other than a big tobacco lobby created for one purpose: the passage of Constitutional Amendment 3. This supposedly pro-child amendment is just a scam attempting to dupe well-intentioned voters into supporting big tobacco companies.

Like I mentioned earlier, the cigarette sales tax has a national average of $1.65 per pack. Under the proposed amendment, Missouri will remain at less than half of the national average. The tax increase would be incremental over a number of years, giving tobacco companies the opportunity to absorb small tax increases. The only evidence we have of price increase decreasing the number of smokers is when the price increases suddenly and dramatically. The experts on the issue oppose the amendment including the American Lung Association in Missouri, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, Tobacco-Free Missouri, The University of Missouri and Washington University in St. Louis.

If Constitutional Amendment 3 passes, there is no guarantee that the revenue raised would go to early childhood programs for children with economic need. The funding could go to private schools and religious institutions. The poorest people in our state who are addicted to tobacco will be helping to offset the cost of wealthy families’ preschool programs. How is that possible? Because public education does not begin until kindergarten in our country. This is why early childhood education funding matters appear at the state level. The federal government does provide some funding for preschool, such as Head Start and Early Childhood Special Education funding. But those programs are grant-funded and therefore we are unable to guarantee the sustainability of the funds.

In case you zoned out or just don’t want to read this entire post, here are my main arguments:

• Constitutional Amendment 3 is an amendment in support of big tobacco, not early childhood education.
• The lack of funding for early childhood education is twofold: Missouri needs to increase funding on the state-level utilizing a sustainable revenue source (as opposed to a falling source like cigarette sales) and federal law needs to be changed in order to include pre-kindergarten as part of the public education program. 

If you also believe the ample research supporting the long-term positive outcomes of early childhood education is more than enough evidence to support the argument that a pre-kindergarten program should be enjoyed by every child, you can help. Consider voting for champions of early childhood programs on November 8th. 

Art that Shapes the Nation

8 years ago, I was watching and listening to this song: Yes We Can. Obama Day was life-changing for me. I experienced personal tragedy. I moved home. I watched this video over and over and over again. Yes! We! Can!

Let's do this. Get informed. Watch 13th. Listen to Common's Letter to the Free. On November 8th, we have a choice to make. And we need to take it Seriously:

Written by Sara Bareilles. Performed by Leslie Odom Jr. Inspired by the most recent This American Life episode: Seriously?

"Let's start with hope. I threw it in the middle like a skipping stone, the ripples won, son of a gun. Some would not have thought so, but I stand here commander in chief. And I take that seriously.

But along the way, a rogue ripple turned tide wave; In reaction to what I've tried to do. A Rebirth of A Nation's hatred. Red, white and blue. Is black in there too. Seriously.

One man rewriting the book on bad behavior. Maybe cheats the neighbors. Feels he gets what they pay for. We can't pat him on the back and send him on through. No man's ignorance will ever be his virtue. Is this the best we can be? Seriously?

Let's talk of fear and why I don't bring it in here. It's a dangerous word. It spooks the herd and we all bleed in the stampede. Fear makes a false friend indeed. And I take it seriously.

Oh hear me now before the truth gets drowned out by a demigogue flexing. A demigogue flexing. He's history repeating.

Angry? Am I angry? You ask am I angry? And I'm at a loss for words. After all we've done; Every battle hard won; Every hair gone gray in the name of this place. And a history plagued with incredible mistakes. Still I pledge my allegiance to these United divided States seriously. Let's end with why. It's a question I want to ask of us as a populous. Why not take our time or the weight of this story seriously?"