Overview

Too many Washington state activists and legislators continue to insist that they know best how to raise our children. They want us to believe that social-emotional learning in the public schools is necessary and superior to family authority over those children for whom they are legally responsible until age eighteen. The Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) bills (SB 5395 and HB 2184) being considered by our state legislature strip children of their innocence beginning in Kindergarten and strip parents of their rights to raise their children according to their family values, religious beliefs, and morality. Also, there are two bills intended to force all public schools to have health centers (SB 6279 and HB 2288), supposedly making it easier for children to access health care. The government’s overreach is clear in these four bills.

Why does Concerned Women for America (CWA) of Washington care? Why do we pray and get involved?  CWA was founded to counteract the feminist movement of the 1970s by presenting a Biblical worldview on family and other issues. While feminism was roaring, Mrs. Beverly LaHaye stepped into the void with her spiritual armor in place and began to fight. We still need to stand in the gap and on the wall to defend our Judeo-Christian principles. Ezekiel puts it this way, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it…” (Ezekiel 22:30a) As believers we are called to have both faith and works (James 2:17). Let us defend both our faith and the absolute principles it promotes, thus protecting the family that God in His wisdom created.

Status and action items on bills CWA of Washington opposes:

Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE)

SB 5395 – Status:  Passed the Senate and is in the House Education Committee.

HB 2184 – Status:  Voted out of the House Education Committee on Monday, February 3. It now goes to the House floor for a vote.

Take Action:
Call your two state representatives TODAY and urge them to vote NO on HB 2184 and SB 5395:  Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000. Click here to locate your legislators.

School-based health centers

SB 6279 – This bill would expand school-based health centers, stating “that the Washington integrated student supports protocol … that helps fulfill a vision of public education where educators focus on education, students focus on learning, and auxiliary supports enable teaching and learning to occur unimpeded. The legislature recognizes school-based health centers as one of these auxiliary supports.” (page 1, line 9-17)  These centers will provide “integrated medical, mental health, and other health care services.” (page 2, line 29) There is no mention of parental involvement in either the development or implementation process. This bill clearly undermines and interferes with parental authority, including parents’ ability to carefully choose the right medical provider for their children according to personal needs and values.

Status:  The January 24, public hearing in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee was well attended with good opposition.

Take Action:
Contact members of that Senate Committee, especially the chairman, and urge them to oppose the bill.

HB 2288 – Similar to SB 6279, the bill states, “The legislature recognizes that school-based health centers may be an important component of education for common school students” (page 1, line 7-9). Again, this is government interference with parental rights, family authority, and individual rights to personal religious and moral values.

Status: On January 27, there was a public hearing in the House Education Committee. Scheduled for executive session today, February 6, at 8:00 a.m. in the House Education Committee (Subject to change).

Take Action:
Call the House Education Committee Chairman Sharon Santos and ask that her committee respect family rights to choose the appropriate medical care for their children and to oppose the bill.

Status and action items on bills CWA of Washington supports:

HB 2648 – This bill expands parental involvement in sexual education. It promotes parental choice, promotes abstinence as an equally valid approach to sexual education, and allows local districts more choices.

Status:  Referred to the House Education Committee.

Take Action:
Call the members of the House Education Committee and ask them to approve the bill and send it to the floor for a vote. Hotline:  1-800-562-6000

HB 2201 – This bill promotes equitable competition between students who participate in school athletic activities. From the bill: “(1)  Rules and policies adopted in accordance with RCW 28A.600.200 by a school district board of directors or a voluntary nonprofit entity must prohibit male students from competing with and against female students in athletic activities with separate classifications for male and female students if the athletic activity is:  (a) Intended for female students; and (b) An individual competition sport. (2)  For the purposes of this section, ‘male students’ means students whose sex assigned at birth was male.” (page 2, line 32-page 3, line 2)

Status:  Referred to the House Education Committee.

Take Action: Call the House Education Committee Chairman Sharon Santos and ask her to support this common-sense bill.

When you contact your legislators, let them know you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Washington.

Share this alert with your friends and family to educate them on these issues.

Please pray that legislators will listen to our words and remember they represent “we the people.”

In His Service,
Maureen Richardson
State Director