Dear Friend,
As I sit down and write this letter to you, we await the arrival of a television news crew from a local TV network affiliate here at our office this afternoon. On the agenda: an extended interview with one of the attorneys at our Independence Law Center and our work with local public-school boards across the state to enact child, family, and teacher-friendly policies. When accurately reported on and understood, these policies are very popular with parents and voters. So much so that barely a week goes by before we hear from yet another school board seeking help to develop such policies for their district.
What kind of policies, you might ask. It's a good question, given that news reports about them, especially in certain newspapers, often neglect to accurately describe the policies (if they describe them at all!). Instead, sadly, they resort to name-calling and mislabeling, stirring up needless controversy and division in their communities.
So, for example, when a school board considers a policy to protect girls' sports to maintain fairness in competition and personal privacy, some are quick to print stories describing such proposals as "hateful" or "bigoted." And when such a school board seeks help from our Independence Law Center attorneys to draft a policy in accordance with the law, regulatory guidelines, and the Constitution, well, let's just say those derogatory labels in news reports start flying with even more enthusiasm. The same scenario has played out regarding policies on bathroom and locker room privacy, explicit books in school libraries, and more.
Thankfully, folks across America are growing more accustomed to filtering through what can best be described as "advocacy journalism"—in other words, reporting that is not aimed at providing facts and insight but rather to advance a particular political agenda. We can see it for what it is—and reject it.
Nevertheless, it is important for people to know the facts and, in the case of these family, child, and teacher-friendly school board policies, to let their local school board know of their support or concerns.
That's why we regularly participate in and yet again are doing a television interview today—with hopefulness—that an honest discussion of these pressing issues and policies to address them will make it to air and help bring some clarity and confidence, rather than the confusion and polarization that some are seeking to sow.
With trust in God,
.jpg)
.png)
