Guests - Katey McPherson, Betsy Smith
Protecting Arizona's Children: Advocate Katey McPherson on School Safety and Mandatory Reporting
Child advocate Katey McPherson joined host Kathleen Winn to discuss ongoing issues of student safety in Arizona schools. McPherson, a mother of four and fierce warrior for child protection, highlighted failures in mandatory reporting and the need for greater accountability among educators and administrators.
McPherson pointed to persistent problems in districts like Chandler Unified, where administrators faced scrutiny for mishandling allegations of inappropriate teacher conduct. One long-time educator recently surrendered his certification after nearly 40 years rather than face discipline for failing to report concerns.
"They continue to protect their own," McPherson said, noting that hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars have gone toward defending administrators instead of prioritizing student protection.
She emphasized that grooming and predation often go unreported due to reputation management. Recent cases in Peoria Unified involved female teachers accused of soliciting and paying students for sex, with administrators again failing to notify law enforcement promptly.
Arizona's Senate Bill 1437, passed with bipartisan support, strengthened reporting requirements. It mandates that school personnel report suspicions directly to law enforcement, bypassing internal handling or school resource officers alone. Trained detectives now review cases to ensure proper forensic interviewing of child victims.
McPherson praised the law but stressed enforcement gaps. Failure to report can result in misdemeanors, felonies, or loss of teaching certificates, yet delays and internal cover-ups persist.
"It's not complicated," McPherson asserted. "If something inappropriate happens, getting to it quickly is key—like putting out a fire before it causes more damage."
She called for more parent education on rights, prevention training for students, and clearer laws around boundary violations that fall short of strict sexual abuse definitions. McPherson also advocated for school boards and leaders to stay current on modern risks like trafficking and gang activity.
As the holiday season approaches, McPherson urged families to listen openly to children.
"Just listen more than you talk," she advised. "Kids will tell you so much if you give them the space."
Law Enforcement Under Fire: Betsy Brantner Smith on Rising Dangers and Crime Trends
Retired sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association, returned from Hawaii to join Kathleen Winn for their "Smith & Wynn" segment. The discussion turned to escalating attacks on law enforcement and manipulated crime statistics nationwide.
Smith reported a promising drop in line-of-duty deaths to 94 officers in 2025—a 43% decrease—putting the profession on track for below 100 fatalities for the first time in decades. However, assaults remain alarmingly high.
"Over 87,000 American police officers have been assaulted this year," Smith said, adding that more than 330 officers were shot.
Attacks on ICE agents surged over 1,000%, part of a broader "war on cops" fueled by political rhetoric.
In Tucson, CrimeGrade.org gave the city a D+ overall safety rating, labeling it the most dangerous in Arizona despite Phoenix's larger size. Violent and property crimes both earned D grades, with annual crime costs exceeding $515 million—about $1,200 per household.
Smith criticized preventable crimes tied to policies like free public transportation and inadequate handling of drug addiction and mental illness. She highlighted gerrymandered statistics in cities like Washington, D.C., where commanders reclassified serious crimes downward.
"Democrats do not value public safety," Smith argued, pointing to pro-criminal prosecutors and defunding efforts in blue-run cities.
Campus Tragedy: The Brown University Shooting and Security Failures
The conversation shifted to the December 13, 2025, mass shooting at Brown University, where a gunman killed two students and wounded nine others in an engineering building during finals week.
The suspect, 48-year-old former student Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, harbored a 25-year grudge against a former classmate—he later killed an MIT physics professor before taking his own life.
Smith condemned glaring security lapses on the elite campus.
"He was casing the building for at least two weeks," she noted. "Campus police should have noticed a middle-aged man loitering."
Brown's own police department delayed the active shooter alert by 22 minutes, and limited cameras compounded the issues. Smith blamed leadership prioritizing DEI over qualifications for the police chief.
"This will become a case study in what not to do," Smith said, drawing parallels to Uvalde.
Parents were urged to request Clery Act crime statistics from any college campus to assess real safety risks.
Political Events and Broader Concerns
Winn shared highlights from Turning Point USA's AmFest in Phoenix, attended by over 38,000 conservatives. Phoenix PD managed minor protests effectively, with only 20 Antifa demonstrators appearing.
Criticism targeted local figures protesting ICE operations, including Tucson leaders opposing federal enforcement of existing laws.
As 2025 ends, both guests stressed vigilance: protecting children through accountability and supporting law enforcement amid rising threats.
For those inspired to act, McPherson welcomes community voices at school boards and the Capitol. Smith encouraged donations to the National Police Association to back officers without union or grant support.