I love our rural community. This photo mirrors a painting I have given to me by a dear friend that was originally painted by a grade school friend’s mother. I have displayed it in every home I have lived in. To me this picture represents the beauty of this place, and not just because of the scenery. But, the people. I love these people. I adore the ones who share my beliefs, and I love the ones who don’t. I am grateful for those that like me, and I am grateful for those that don’t. I have been truly blessed to live here for the majority of my life. And I have probably received more grace and love by my community than I can ever give back.
But this last week, my heart broke for our rural townships. So in love I will tell my community the truth. Something is rotten in our little hamlet of the Nestucca Valley. And the putrid smell isn’t cow manure.
Out of a conviction from God, a sense of duty to our community, and an interest in taking part of our local government I have attended quite a few school board meetings over the last 2 years. I am like all of you: I have a very busy schedule. My life is full, and has its share of challenges. Still as much as possible I have been at our local school board meetings. I have been a witness, and often the only witness, outside the school employees and board members.
Our local school district, under the direction of our superintendent, has taken on many projects this last year. They have their normal duties of approving budgets, contracts, and settling employee issues. They have also had to coordinate the sell of a property and the planning for the construction of the new and renovated elementary building. That really is quite a lot to take on, and no doubt they have done much of that right.
However, they have also been about adopting many, many new policies. In fact, one section of their new policies is probably longer than their entire group of previous policies. It has been a challenge to follow, and nearly impossible to get through all the policy readings. Truthfully, I have not been able to get through all the policies. Not only has it been difficult to get through the reading of these policies, but mistakes in the writing of the school agenda and the lack of comments from the board on the policies, outside of grammatical errors, can lead attendees of the meeting to believe they are harmless, necessary pieces of legalese. But, that is not the case.
For reasons I still cannot comprehend on June 10, 2019 our local school board approved most of the I, J,K proposed policies which were recently made available to view by the public on the school website. In particular interest to our community should be policies IGAC Teaching on Religion and IGAI Human Sexuality, AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Health Education. To save you navigating the school website (impossible on most handheld devices) here is a direct link to the I policies .https://www.nestucca.k12.or.us/do/Board/meeting/Policy-I-Instruction-Draft.pdf Please do not read either title and be misled by the content. Both policies stamp all over teachers’ freedom of conscience and constitutionally protected first amendment rights.
Most urgently, Nestucca Valley School District just took a swipe at every parent’s right to teach their children what is moral when it comes to sexual behavior and abortion. Please understand: You CANNOT opt out of this curriculum, Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade. You will not even be notified when the school teaches your children about being transgender, queer, or nonbinary. Not to mention that your girls will be told all about their right to abort their child without your knowledge. Oh, sure, they will still notify you and give you an opt out for the actual sex education. And I would suggest you do at least that, because the school curriculum cannot teach that ANY sexual behavior is shameful, as long as all parties are in consent.
Are you angry, yet? Are you disappointed? Frustrated? Then please, please let your school board members and superintendent know. I have been told any policy can change, but in all honesty folks I think that it will take more than just me and a few friends to change this one. It is time to wake up and smell the scent of your rights being taken away one little bit at a time. It really does stink: It is rotten to the core.
Don’t think it stops here. Don’t think you can hide in your private school or homeschool. This year’s attempted legislation at mandatory vaccinations and bringing government experts into every home to decide whether the home is stable and well functioning at state level has proven that is not true.
And, please don’t believe that just because the Oregon Department of Education has deemed this is what is good and right for your children that it requires our local school district to place comprehensive health education directly in their policy books. There are many, many school districts around the state that have not.
I will leave you with one final thought. There are those in authority that think they can silently pass laws and policies that take away your constitutionally protected rights, and they will do so with no qualms. But, you do not have to let them. They think that if we just let these policies stand, even if they later get sued and have to amend their ways, it will be worth the cost. After all, who is going to pay for a lawsuit against a local school district: You are. Probably on both sides of it. Meanwhile, they have managed to confuse, and dictate the morality of your children.
That is a price tag I am not willing to pay. Not without a fight, because I love this community and it’s people. I hope you will join me.
Here are some other links that may help you understand these issues:
Oregon Department of Education:https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/healthsafety/Documents/sexedfaq.pdf
Parents rights: https://www.parentsrightsined.com/
These are valid, pertinent articles that raise concern, but may not represent my personal convictions.
apprehended by Christ 
Well written April.
LikeLike