Dear Member of CWA of Iowa,
With the passing of Easter, we are reminded how God reached down to men and gave them a way to Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. May redemption and grace touch your hearts long after this Easter season passes.
Concerned Women for America (CWA) of Iowa stands fast to upholding Biblical principles, and we will be relentless in the task. We are calling for the 8th Annual Governor’s Conference on Bullying to be held on April 3, to extend protections to ALL Iowa students instead of LGBTQ students only. (http://iowasafeschools.org/content/view/137/108/)
State Director Tamara Scott states, “Surely Iowans can expect better when a conference receives taxpayer dollars and implies approval from the Governor.”
CWA of Iowa believes that all students should be protected from bullying. At the very least Christians, who’ve been the most persecuted and martyred (http://www.persecution.org/2013/02/28/worldwide-consensus-rising-christians-most-persecuted-group-on-earth/) group since the birth of Christ should be included. The workshops should encompass the Christian community, but instead they have been singled out as the enemy. Click here to view workshops. CWA of Iowa finds the workshop titled “The Bible Tells Me So” nothing more than an opportunity to create hostility toward people of faith, sending a loud message to students and teachers that their views are not welcome in the classroom or on the campus.
Penny Nance CEO of Concerned Women for America states, “CWA is committed to protecting our children in and outside of the home. Schools should be a safe environment for children to learn in, not a social experiment for interest groups to push their agenda on impressionable young minds.”
We reached out to the Governor’s office three times to find out if they were at all connected to the conference. Each time they said they would get back to us. Finally they called back with this statement, “This conference is put on by a private organization (Iowa Safe Schools) not a government one. The private organization calls it the Governor’s because it was started under Governor Vilsack; therefore, our office cannot change the name of the conference. If you have more concerns, contact the organization directly.”
We then contacted Iowa Safe Schools directly and asked if the Governor allowed them to use his name. Nate Monson, Director of Iowa Safe schools replied, “Yes he is! Just like last year. Thanks for the question!”
As Iowans we look to Gov. Terry Branstad as a leader, a protector and guardian of all of our children. CWA of Iowa has encouraged the Governor to either pull his office title from the conference or eliminate the offensive content, and at the very least include protection for the largest group of students likely to be persecuted and mistreated, Christian students and teachers. Surely Iowans can expect better from a conference bearing a title implying the Governor’s approval.
Ravi Zacharias at the 52nd Iowa Prayer Breakfast left us with a challenge, “The ultimate test of any civilization is what they do with their children.”
Pray: CWA of Iowa calls upon each of you to pray for our leaders and authorities and to protect our children, ALL of them.
Take Action: This conference is being sponsored by Des Moines Area Community College (DMAC). Please call DMAC today and politely tell them you oppose the use of tax payer and tuition money being used for the 8th Annual Governor’s Conference on Bullying. ALL Iowa students deserve protection, not just LGBTQ students.
Blessings,
Tamara Scott
State Director
CWA of Iowa
director@iowa.cwfa.org