The Senate Finance Committee took over three and a half hours of public testimony on the Alaska Safe Children’s Act today.
Most of those who testified were in support of the new version of the bill which would make a sexual assault and awareness and domestic violence awareness program available to teachers.
Toni Roberts said she coached Breanna Moore in the Anchorage School District and was not only set back by Moore’s murder, but also a more personal event recently.
Roberts: “I am the mother of a nine year old little boy who was raped on multiple occasions just last summer by a high school neighbor of his father’s. A young man my son knew and trusted. As a teacher the sheer number of children in my classroom struggling with the long-term effects of sexual abuse causes trouble in their learning, their behavior, their classmates ability to learn, and the teacher’s time spent on behavior management instead of curriculum. Imagine what classrooms could look like if kids came to school ready to learn.”
She added that she thought she had given her son the right tool and knowledge to prevent that sort of abuse.
Governor Bill Walker commented today, saying he was moved by a mother who approached him in Delta on Monday.
Gov. Walker: “She was just very very driven on the issue and there she was with two little girls. So I’m very pleased that I understand that there’s a committee substitute that’s being presented, every indication is that it’s going to the floor for a vote and it may not be exactly what everybody wants but it’s certainly going in the right direction.”
The Senate Floor will convene at 11:00 am Thursday morning.