As a parent, I know the questions that keep families up at night. Is my child safe at school? Is she learning what she needs? Is someone paying attention when something goes wrong?

Those questions are why I am proud to carry the endorsement of the Montana Federation of Public Employees, the educators and public workers who show up for our kids every day.

Two things need attention in Helena. The first is funding and teachers. Montana asks a great deal of its teachers and pays them less than we should to keep the good ones. When we fund our schools well and pay teachers fairly, we attract and keep the professionals our kids depend on. Every child is different, with different strengths and different ways of learning, and only a trained teacher can give each one the attention they deserve.

The second is safety. I hear from parents whose children face bullying that goes unaddressed, and no parent should carry that worry. Getting ahead of it means funding counselors and mental health support so problems get caught early, and it means clear accountability when a school does not act. I would rather get ahead of a problem than answer for it after a child has been hurt.

This is common ground waiting to happen. Every parent in this district, whatever their politics, wants a safe school and a great teacher for their child. That is a Montana value, and it is worth funding.

Help us build schools worthy of our kids at smithformontana.com/donate