[Lekooks] Fwd: Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity Call to Action TOMORROW (in person and written options)

Tue Nov 7 15:22:18 CST 2023

The Wisconsin Legislature is trying to pass a bill that would make
discussion of anything related to racism and other topics it considers
"controversial" subject to parental approval.  If you are interested, read
on.

Kerry

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: WCC Admin <wcoc at wichurches.org>
Date: Tue, Nov 7, 2023, 3:06 PM
Subject: Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity Call to Action TOMORROW (in
person and written options)
To: <taking-a-faithful-stand-for-equity at wichurches.org>

Dear friends,

We are writing to notify you about a bill of interest, AB 510, scheduled
for a committee hearing at the State Capitol tomorrow, Wednesday, November
8th, at 1:00 p.m.

AB-510, also called a "parental bill of rights,"  will come before the
Assembly Committee on Family Law. Its provisions include, but are not
limited to (from the Legislative Reference Bureau summary):

   -

   The right to review instructional materials and outlines used by the
   child's school, to the extent required by federal law.
   -

   The right to timely notice by the child's school, through a process
   consistent with school policy, of when a controversial subject will be
   taught or discussed in the child's classroom. The bill defines
   “controversial subject” as a subject of substantial public debate,
   disagreement, or disapproval and specifies that the term includes
   instruction about gender identity, sexual orientation, racial identity,
   structural, systemic, or institutional racism, or content that is not
   age-appropriate.
   -

   The right to opt out of a class or instructional materials at the
   child's school for reasons based on either religion or personal conviction.

Quite simply, this does violence to the learning community and
instructional process, to students including those from marginalized
communities, and to teachers. This is a model of legislation we have seen
do harm around the country. It silences teachers and squashes dialogue. It
makes learning about the histories and cultures of a wide swath of
Wisconsin students by definition a controversial option.

This bill was introduced in the previous legislative session and vetoed by
Gov. Evers. Its companion bill in the Senate, SB-489, has been referred to
the Senate Committee on Education but has yet to be scheduled for a
committee hearing.

Here is a link to the bill summary:
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2023/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab510

We received notification of the committee hearing for AB-510 this afternoon
and are quickly mobilizing people to submit written or verbal testimony at
the capitol tomorrow, November 8th. Here is our guide for written and
spoken testimony
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YtxKMgFjjyAXodE7srKFbApDdWRNS3x8IIxOf7DSfHY/edit?usp=sharing>,
and we will continue to update it with resources (and have already dropped
resources including links to testimony and the veto message from the last
time this bill was introduced).

   -

   If you want to submit written testimony, please email it to
   testimony at fairwisconsin.com as soon as possible. Please email your
   testimony with the bill number in the subject line (this helps with
   printing and organization) and clarify your opposition in your writing. The
   aim is to gather an enormous amount of written testimony that demonstrates
   significant resistance to this piece of legislation.
   -

   If you want to testify in person, please join us at the Assembly
   Committee on Family Law - 412 East at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday,
November 8th, at
   the capitol. We recommend bringing ten copies of your testimony so you
   can distribute it to the representatives as you read it.

WCC staff member, Rev. Breanna Illéné will be on the ground at the Capitol
tomorrow to support you. She is also available via email (
illene at wichurches.org) or phone/text (715.864.2638) for any questions or
concerns. If you plan on attending, please respond to this email so we can
be on the lookout for you. WCC Advocacy & Engagement Facilitator, Eyon
Biddle, Sr. is also available via email (advocacy at wichurches.org) or
phone/text (414.239.4498) if you have any questions or concerns as you
write testimony.

A note on justice in public: If you are a staff member of a faith
community, please be aware and check in with appropriate
leaders/committees, especially if you intend to speak on behalf of your
faith community. Testifying (spoken and written) is a public act, and the
media could pick things up.

For the Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity cosponsors:

   -

   Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee
   -

   MICAH
   -

   Wisconsin Council of Churches
   -

   Wisconsin Council of Rabbis
   -

   Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
   -

    WISDOM

------------------------------

Other actions you can take:

   -

   Contact your legislators  <https://legis.wisconsin.gov/>
   -

   Write an Op-Ed – especially outside of Dane County
   -

      Video training from Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity – Matt
      Rothchild <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2HiyoHe6kI>
      -

   Share about your experiences and/or testimony on social media. We need
   people to take a stand in their communities and your personal or
   organizational social media is a great way to help people know what is
   happening.

-- 
Wisconsin Council of Churches
30 W. Mifflin St, Ste 602
Madison, WI 53703
608-837-3108
wichurches.org <http://www.wichurches.org>

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