2020 Education Legislation that Must be Opposed: Feb. 25, 2020

Lots of really lousy education bills are on the docket for tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 25.  First, in the Senate Ed Committee at 8am, and then in the House Ed Committee at 4pm.  If you are able to attend and comment on any of them, that would be great!  Please pick at least one bill (if you can’t do all of them) and email the appropriate group, as listed below.

Quick info: How to read a bill.

If something is underlined, it will be added to the law, if the bill passes.  If something is crossed out, then that will be removed from the law, if the bill passes.  Everything else is existing law.

Quick Info: How to email committee members.

See the list of Senate and House Ed committee emails listed below.  It’s best to put in the subject line something like: Vote NO on HB114Sub2 ((that means House Bill 114 Substitute 2).

Then address your email to each individual Rep or Senator.  You can certainly copy and paste the body of the email.  Make it short, sweet and to the point.  If you want to add more information, you can finish the email, and then say, for more information on this…and basically add a PS, so they can go as long or as short as they’d like.  They need to get these emails ASAP, as the Senate will probably not read emails once the committee hearing starts at 8am.  If you are a constituent of one of the committee members, please let them know that.

*Senate Ed Committee: 8am Write the Senators and ask them to VOTE NO!

HB114Sub2: You can read it here.  https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/HB0114.html : Early Learning Training and Assessment

This bill allocates $17.55 Million to establish additional testing and support coaches and early learning plans for math and reading.  It’s important to know that our current Math and English standards (which, sadly, are still Common Core) were declared to be developmentally inappropriate for grades K-3 by 500 Early Childhood Experts in 2010.  I would argue if we fixed our current math and English standards, we wouldn’t need to waste $17.5 Million in trying to assess and coach our teachers to teach our kids stuff that isn’t helping them read and do math.

SB136: https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/SB0136.html Healthy Lifestyles Revisions

For those of you who are wary of CSE (Comprehensive S3xuality Education—typo intentional to avoid spam filters), this is the bill to change our school health requirements to be broadened.  Incidentally, if you go to the CDC website, you will find that Utah has one of the lowest rates of STIs of any of the states.  The states with higher rates, many of them, have implemented CSE programs.  But because we have such a low rate, the health department touts the fact that we have a huge increase.  Yes, but that’s a percentage increase from a very, very low number to a higher number, that is still low.  It’s important to understand that Public Education used to be about those things that we could all agree on (2+2=4).  Once you start down this road, there will be very little agreement, and that is problematic. 

Some concerns:

Changes communicable disease to infectious disease.  While there is obvious overlap, infectious disease is, by definition, a disease that is transmitted via bacteria, or virus, etc.  The focus of infectious disease is the “infecting agent”.  Communicable disease is a disease that is spread via human to human contact in some form.  The focus of communicable disease is the human transmission to others.  In light of this being a health course and not an immunology course, the current wording “communicable” is probably more relevant.  See lines 60-62 and lines 68-70.  Current law allows emphasizes the importance of abstinence before marriage and fidelity after marriage as methods of preventing communicable diseases.  The references to marriage are removed, and abstinence is listed as a method for preventing certain infectious diseases.  Also, current law prohibits advocacy or encouragement of contraceptive devices.  This would be removed if this bill passes.  Line 187 includes a requirement that the course include “healthy relationships”, but there is no definition of what a healthy relationship is.  207-209 requires the local district  or charter (LEA) to report to the State Board the percentage of children who are not opted out of the course.  This will allow the state to know how many kids are not taking the courses, and will, in the future, no doubt lead to greater pressure on parents to have their kids take the courses.

**House Ed Committee: 4pm Write the House Reps and ask them to Vote No!

There are 3 bills that are extremely problematic.  1 that is mostly a waste of time and money.  I will list them in the order they are on the agenda, but the most egregious one is listed 3^rd (HB323).

SB0093Sub1: https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/SB0093.html Math and Science Opportunities for Students and Teachers

This bill will cost $4.8M.  The idea that the state decides to use this money up front for this purpose undermines local control.  That’s $4.8M that doesn’t go directly to the schools that choose not to participate in this program.  The real issue with students not learning math has nothing to do with not having the Opportunity provided in this bill (that’s mostly just money) and everything to do with the adoption of sub-par math standards (Common Core).  This bill is mostly just a waste of time and money that could be better spent elsewhere, especially at the local level in reducing class sizes.

SB0099: https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/SB0099.html School Leadership Development Amendments

This bill will create a mentor program for principals to the tune of $15.2 Million.  Similar to others, this takes $15.2 M off the table to be spent in any other way at the local level.  So, if you are sure principals being mentored is a higher priority than anything else your local district would spend that money on, then this is the bill for you.  But if you think maybe that’s a waste of money or that the local school district might prefer to use the money differently, then you should encourage your Reps to vote NO!  In Alpine School District, we already pay an annual fee to participate in the BYU Public School Partnership, along with 4 other districts.  As part of this partnership, we have a Principals/Leadership Academy that employees who are interested in becoming principals can take.  Also, ASD usually appoints principals from among applicants who have already spent a few years as assistant principals.  So, there is already a formal structure for mentoring.  Finally, in my years of knocking doors and talking to people, I have never received a single comment from the people that said we needed to spend more money on mentoring principals.

HB323: https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/HB0323.html School Mental Health Amendments (THIS IS THE REALLY  REALLY REALLY  BAD ONE!!!)

Because schools and teachers, especially are already overwhelmed, we are going to require the State Board to create a Mental Health screening tool that can be administered to every student in our public school setting.  We will either be creating a greater need to have mental health counselors in our schools to assist with this (instead of spending the money on actual reading, writing, and arithmetic) or we will delegate this to teachers.  It also opens up the possibility of parents being bullied into allowing their kids to be tested, and once tested, if a parent disagrees, then there is evidence that they went against the “state”.  Could Child Protective be called on parents who refuse?  It wouldn’t be out of the question.  Whenever we have societal problems, we tend to put all the focus on our public schools to “solve” the problem for us.  This is not the place to do mental health screenings.  Your pediatrician or a mental health counselor of the parent’s choosing would be the appropriate place for it.  Schools should focus on academics, art, etc.  They are to be supportive of parents.  They are not to replace parents. 

HB241: https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/HB0241.html Kindergarten Attendance Amendments

This make Kindergarten a required grade.  Currently, children are only required to attend school from ages 6-18.  This bill will require school from age 5.  Some problems (besides the obvious increased cost that will occur if more people put their kids in Kindergarten): Many students are not developmentally ready for Kindergarten at age 5.  Many parents choose to keep their kids home an extra year and then enroll them in Kindergarten at age 6.  You would be able to do this still, but you’d have to fill out a homeschooling affidavit, and then, see lines 131-134, the school board is required to give you information about the knowledge, skills, and competencies required before Grade 1. This is only required for homeschool Kindergarten.  Currently, there is no requirement other than if a parent requests this information for the other grades.  It is not a requirement for those who choose a private option.  Additionally, if children are not, yet, developmentally ready for school, it could create more students who are identified with learning disabilities or special needs.  Those students so identified would require more state (and federal) funding, as well as administration of IEPs (individual education plans), etc.  And as mentioned above, our current set of K-3 standards are developmentally inappropriate for K-3 children anyway. So, we’ll put more kids into a no-win situation.  All in all, there is no compelling reason to require Kindergarten attendance.

*Senators on the Senate Ed Committee:

Senator Henderson - dhenderson@le.utah.gov

Senator Davis - gdavis@le.utah.gov

Senator Fillmore - lfillmore@le.utah.gov

Senator Grover - keithgrover@le.utah.gov

Senator Hillyard - lhillyard@le.utah.gov

Senator Millner - amillner@le.utah.gov

Senator Reibe - kriebe@le.utah.gov

Senator Stevenson - jwstevenson@le.utah.gov

**Representatives on the House Ed Committee:

vlsnow@le.utah.gov

susanpulsipher@le.utah.gov

mballard@le.utah.gov

dnjohnson@le.utah.gov

blast@le.utah.gov

csmoss@le.utah.gov

jeffersonmoss@le.utah.gov

leeperry@le.utah.gov

vpeterson@le.utah.gov

mariepoulson@le.utah.gov

adamrobertson@le.utah.gov

swaldrip@le.utah.gov

christinewatkins@le.utah.gov

Rep. V. Lowry Snow (R), Chair 

Rep. Susan Pulsipher (R), Vice Chair 

Rep. Melissa G. Ballard (R) 

Rep. Dan N. Johnson (R) 

Rep. Bradley G. Last (R) 

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss (D) 

Rep. Jefferson Moss (R) 

Rep. Lee B. Perry (R) 

Rep. Val L. Peterson (R) 

Rep. Marie H. Poulson (D) 

Rep. Adam Robertson (R) 

Rep. Steve Waldrip (R) 

Rep. Christine F. Watkins (R) 

Goodbye but not Forgotten

Today is the last board meeting I will attend as your elected representative on the Alpine School District Board of Education.  To say it has been an honor but a difficult responsibility is an understatement.  I have been strengthened and encouraged by everyone's kindness and support throughout these past eight years.  And I thank you, more than many of you could ever know.

But having said that, this doesn't mean everything comes to an end and we drive away into the sunset.  This next year is every bit as important or more so than the last.  Who is serving in public office is nowhere near as important as what, We, the People do to inform that discussion and remain informed and involved.  I would like to ask those who are willing, can you attend a single board meeting out of 365 days in the next year?  Is that too much to ask?  4-5 hours out of 8,760 hours in 2019?  That's .06% of your time in the next year.  Is freedom, education and the future of our schools and our children worth .06% or .12% in that endeavor?  Let me know if you are willing to continue to be informed and involved citizens.  We have great people and teachers in this community.  Whatever the issues, we can improve them and solve them working together, not appealing to outside experts in DC or some Think Tank that stands to make a lot of money when they proclaim that our "education system" has failed.  A thriving educational system that partners with teachers, parents and the student doesn't make outside experts a lot of money, but it does educate the next generation, consistent with the values of their families and their communities.  This is only done when the individuals in this community step up and stay informed and involved.

There are so many things on the horizon, new health and science standards.  (The health standards are especially problematic, in my opinion.)  Math still being taught by cramming 4 years' worth of high-level math into 3 years (Algebra 1,2, Geometry and Pre-Calculus in 9-11th grades, IF you want to get to Calculus as a Senior).  What literature are our kids reading and obtaining their values from? How much emphasis on GRIT and social-emotional learning do you want in your schools, in a formal way, if any?  Do you want EVERY First Grader to learn to code?  How much technology do you want your kids exposed to in schools?  How will you, as a parent, manage their overall online activity when so much of the homework is now online?  If you have an opinion

, we need your voice.

I am grateful for the trust that you have bestowed on me.  I hope I have been worthy, in some small way, of that trust.  Thank you for your support.  As I have said before, you will never know how much your little notes, text messages, FB posts and treats have buoyed me up and given me the fortitude to go on.

My predecessor finished her final board meeting with these words: "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God."  I echo her sentiment and am grateful to have served.

Mt. Vernon, overlooking the Potomac River.

No on Question1 and School Board Races| A Philosophy

Please vote NO on Question 1!  There are so many reasons why, but the most important is that it sets a very dangerous precedent.  I'll also discuss the school board candidates below [Spoiler: State Board 9: Avalie Muhlestein and Julie King in ASD 1 (Westlake HS area)].  Please study and be informed before casting your ballot.

NO ON QUESTION 1: A Dangerous Precedent
Question 1 is a polling question.  To my knowledge, we have never had an opinion poll on our ballots.  So, instead of paying lobbyists to lobby the legislature or to get signatures for a ballot initiative, you are being used by an organization that was unable to accomplish their objectives by either of those options.  If you can't change laws the regular way, and you're rich and famous, you try to find a way around the normal lawmaking process. Co-opting citizens to pressure lawmakers is now a thing.  

Question 1 doesn't change A SINGLE THING. But the proponents HOPE the legislature will increase gas taxes, and then play a shell game to get SOME of that money into K-12, (as well as Higher Ed and Roads and money for UDOT. Shhh!  Don't tell anyone that part.  It isn't as emotionally appealing as grade-school kids.)  Legislators also know that GAS TAX CANNOT be used for Education under our Utah Constitution (hence the shell game).   If lots of people vote yes on Question 1, then the Question 1 proponents can browbeat legislators into passing, supposedly, their version of legislation that they were unable to get signatures for to get on the ballot. (Of course, politics being what it is, there is no guarantee that what we end up with will look anything like what the proponents are selling.)

But we want more money in K-12 education!  Do the ends justify the means?  Never!  Why are legislators wary of raising taxes? Because the legislators must represent their constituents and run for re-election.  Gas taxes negatively impact those who are struggling, working multiple jobs to make ends meet, and those who live farther away in rural areas than those on the Wasatch Front.  Legislators in those areas would be motivated to discuss and debate ways in which their constituents will be less impacted.  However, the majority of people in Utah live on the Wasatch Front.  So, Question 1 Proponents assume the majority of Utahns will support Question 1.  If you and your neighbors can feel good about "helping kids" (and college students and roads), then who cares if we make those who can least afford the gas tax increase suffer?  Majority rules.  And tyranny by the majority is becoming the way to get your pet policies passed into law, especially if you're rich and can spend tons of money to influence an election.

The solution: Donate RIGHT NOW to our Alpine District Foundation.  Don't wait for the legislature or Our Schools Now or a ballot initiative.  You can donate to:

•  the district as a whole, 
• an entire school (look to donate to our specialty schools like Summit, Polaris, Horizon, or Dan Peterson), 
• a program: band, drama, history, or 
• directly to a classroom at a given school.  

Your donation is tax-deductible and will go exactly where you want it to go.  You can also donate supplies or other materials as well.  Want to donate a set of trombones to the band?  You can do that.  And what's better than just donating directly to our schools?  You don't force others to spend more money on a gas tax that will help pay for roads and college students.  Imagine if those who have spent MILLIONS to finance the Question 1 ads had, instead, donated that money to their local schools!  (P.S.  For those in other districts, you have a foundation too!)

For more information on my concerns with Question 1, click here to see my video.  (Side note: did you know Utah spends the largest percentage (40%) of its budget on education, more than any other state in the country?)

In the future, if Question 1 succeeds in changing state law, mark my words, it will become the method of choice for those with time and money to circumvent the average person's voice. Just a reminder that checks and balances and separation of powers are the bedrocks of our freedom.  Direct democracy: going to the majority of the people and using them as the big stick to beat the legislators up with, violates those principles and disenfranchises those who don't have the time, money or power to object. This is an unraveling of the checks and balances that prevent that other "golden rule"--the person with the gold, makes the rules--from destroying freedom.  Success on Question 1 doesn't bode well for freedom in the future.  Please VOTE NO on QUESTION 1, and I promise you it doesn't mean you hate children.

School Board Races

State Board:
I, personally, like both District 9 candidates for State Board.  However, if you voted for me because of my support for traditional math and my opposition to Common Core, you will want to support Avalie Muhlestein.  I appreciate her outside-the-box vision for education, and her desire to get rid of so much state-level accountability that sucks up time, money, and other resources that could be returned to the local level to pay more for teachers.  At the end of the day, we have state-level accountability because we don't trust our local people and our local teachers.  I want to trust our local people and get the state out of the accountability and data collection business.  I recommend you read through her platform and her issues, and consider a donation to Avalie's campaign.

Alpine School District:
The West area is the only race for ASD where there is much discussion and debate (see below).  For the other 3 races, I predict Amber Bonner (my area--ASD2), Sarah Beeson (AF--ASD3), and Ada Wilson (W. Orem--ASD5).  I had actually hoped there would be more debate, discussion and involvement in these races.  But, unfortunately, very few people are willing to run for school board. (3 seats are up in 2 more years, so start thinking about public service.)  While it is often a thankless job, our society is stronger when people are willing to step up to the plate and serve their community in elective office.  I'm grateful for all those who have thrown their hats into this ring.

For those in my area, I will be voting for Amber Bonner. Amber is very active and involved, has kids still in the schools, and asks questions.  She thinks things through, and wants, more than anything, to have smaller class sizes.  And she find ways to support teachers.  I think Amber will do an excellent job as our representative.  And most importantly (to me, at least), Amber listens to different perspectives.  And even if you see things differently, Amber knows you can still "care about kids." (Our inside joke.)

In ASD 1 (Westlake area), again, I, personally, like both the candidates.  But, my endorsement goes 110% to Julie King (see here and here).  Julie is a tireless advocate for parents and for finding ways to make things work for those kids who just don't fit neatly in the "box".  Instead of trying to find ways to make everyone the same, Julie is actively facilitating parents finding the perfect match for their individual kids in our system.  Julie is a "doer".  She has been a District Community Council rep at our special needs school out west, Horizon.  On one of her first visits, she realized they had serious problems with the entry doors.  She took it upon herself to find a way to get those doors fixed. Julie is supportive of fixing math, getting better standards (not CC or NGSS), expanding Gifted and Talented options, securing Data Privacy, and PARENTAL RIGHTS.  My only regret about not running again is not being able to serve with Julie on the board.  We have served together on the State Board's Data Privacy Commission, and she always has such interesting insights from her experience in Social Work, with the Juvenile Justice system, and as a Foster Parent.  Whether you are in her voting area or not, please consider donating to her campaign.

Common Core IS NOT Dead, Board Goals, State Issues

A lot is going on in education.  Most importantly, tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 23, our Board will have a retreat to set goals for the district for 2018.  Please email me or reply on facebook with what goals you would like us to set.  (I can bring up to 2 goals, but I would like to see all your thoughts.)

I'm going to give you a brief summary of what's going on Locally, Statewide and Nationally in education.

Local:

1. Board Retreat, setting Board Goals.  Review of 21st Century Learning/STEAM schools.  It is the school district's plan to convert all of our schools into 21st Century/STEAM schools.  Right now, Cedar Ridge, Ridgeline and Highland (if I recall) in my area are all 21st Century Learning.  This means more project-based learning, less memorization, more technology and a focus on the 6 C's: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Citizenship, Character.  

I, personally, have grave concerns with more tech in schools, especially with the emphasis on character traits and values, as evidenced by the 6 C's and the national ESSA (replacement for No Child Left Behind) requirements.  More on ESSA below.  Here is an interesting read on Critical Thinking that I agree with.  https://www.memoriapress.com/articles/the-critical-thinking-skills-hoax/

2. The Board set up a Local Building Authority last meeting to facilitate paying for the rebuild of Scera Park Elementary in Orem without raising taxes or going through a bond.  You can read more about it on my blog: https://wendy4asd.blogspot.com/2018/01/local-building-authority.html

3. This is an election year.  4 Alpine Board Seats will be up for election this year, as well as 1 State Board seat in our area.  I would like to encourage everyone to take a moment and think seriously about running for office.  The 4 ASD Seats are: Saratoga Springs/Eagle Mountain (currently held by Paula Hill who will not be running again), American Fork (currently held by John Burton), West Orem (currently held by JoDee Sundberg), and Highland/Alpine/Cedar Hills (currently my seat).  As always,  I welcome any and all to throw their hats into the ring.  Civil public debate is the BEST way to get the best ideas working for our kids.  The State Board seat is currently held by Joel Wright and covers most of ASD, except Orem and a small part out West.  Government of the people, by the people and for the people requires not just a few people involved, but all of us.  And the Founders expected that people would rotate their service in public office.  The deadline to file is mid-March.

State:

1. The State is close to releasing the new science standards for grades 5, 9-12.  Since the Grade 6-8 standards are a rewording of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), it is my personal belief that the Board will adopt, without hesitation, the NGSS for these grades as well.  I have many concerns about these standards, but the biggest one is that Utah currently scores higher on ACT science than any state that also tests 100% of its juniors, not just those who self-select as wanting to go to college.  (That means our scores will be lower, on average, than those states that let kids decide whether to take the ACT or not.)  We also score higher than the national average on the science portion of the ACT.  So, I'm unsure why we would adopt standards that show other states doing more poorly.  Not to mention that the math is almost non-existent, as are body systems, chemistry and physics.  Also, Utah's current science standards (except Grades 6-8) received a B grade.  NGSS received a C from Fordham Foundation.  You can read more by searching NGSS on my blog: https://wendy4asd.blogspot.com/search?q=ngss  Here's the video from when we adopted Grades 6-8: https://wendy4asd.blogspot.com/2015/11/utahs-new-science-standards-national.html  The arguments are the same.  Please share with your friends and neighbors and ask them to contact the state board: board@schools.utah.gov to express their concern or their support.  If you are supportive, I would love to know why and where the NGSS has worked and by what measures it has worked.
2. The State's ESSA plan was rejected, in large part, due to our opting out of SAGE.  Rather than finding out why parents don't want their kids to take SAGE, the Board is looking at renaming SAGE.  They have hired a new testing vendor, Questar, to continue with the SAGE testing, but the terms of the proposal indicate we need to continue to use the same questions as SAGE.  So, new vendor, same questions, new name.  
3. Associated with that, the State Board is deciding how they want to handle the ESSA rejection by the Feds.  Please remember, when ESSA was being passed, everyone said that it returned Local Control of education to the states.  Those of us who opposed it said that it wouldn't.  What does everyone think now?  The options are 1) Ask the US Dept of Ed for a waiver for the opt out provisions, 2) Tell the Feds we don't want their Title 1 money and ask the Legislature to make up the difference in funding (my preference) or 3) Change state law to REQUIRE parents to submit their kids to SAGE testing against their will (Land of the Free?)  I have good reason to believe that if the State Board were to play their cards right, the Feds would be hard-pressed to hold back funding for the lowest socio-economic strata of kids in the lowest funded state in the nation.  But they'll try. 
4. The Legislature is in session.  1300 bills opened about education, if I remember correctly.  Please pay attention and email your legislators.  I'm sure there will be a desire to limit opting out of SAGE testing and other measures designed to limit parents in their primary role of raising their kids.

Feds:

1. ESSA requires a measurement for non-cognitive measures.  Just watch how everything will be focused on things like GRIT and perseverance, as well as technology.  The "nice" thing about technology is that you can have second-by-second information about your kid sent to a computer program to determine if your kid has the right attitudes, values and beliefs.  The desire to have knowledge is over.  "The most controversial issues of the twenty-first century will pertain to the ends and means of modifying human behavior and who shall determine them. The first educational question will not be 'what knowledge is of the most worth?' but 'what kinds of human beings do we wish to produce?' The possibilities virtually defy our imagination." (John I. Goodlad) 
2. Secretary DeVos declares the "Common Core is dead!"  It's not.  Not by a long shot, and that is in large part due to ESSA.  You can read more about that here:  https://truthinamericaneducation.com/common-core-state-standards/betsy-devos-aei-american-enterprise-institute/  Please share this information with friends and neighbors.  Most BAD Educational ideas never die.  They just get renamed, rebranded and shilled to the public again as the "latest and greatest" education silver bullet.  

Tell Congress to Vote No on National Citizen Database

URGENT: Call Congress and ask them to VOTE NO on:

College Transparency Act (CTA): HR2434,
Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act (FEPA): HR 4174
Student Privacy Protection Act: HR 3157

Congress is set to vote on HR 4174, The Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act (FEPA) on Wednesday, November, 15.  Like most legislation, it's title sounds fine, if boring.  BUT FEPA will remove the current protections in existing federal law prohibiting the Federal government from having a national database of personal, private citizen information.  This will initiate a life-long tracking of individuals by the federal government.

Since power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, there is NO reason for a free country, founded on the idea of separation of powers to have the ability to amass data on its own citizens without their knowledge or consent. This law will also include kids in public school and can contain Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) data, also known as attitudes, values and beliefs.

Fast-forward to Election 2020: What if the federal government was able to control enough information about people to influence an election?  The Russians would have nothing on our own government!  Maybe it won't happen in 2020, but maybe 2028 or 2032.  Given this amount of data collection, we will become a Banana Republic.  If you like the idea of those who are currently in power being able to peer into the deep recesses of your life, imagine if those who are politically opposed to you had that same power?  This should generate bi-partisan opposition.  Should Trump or Obama or Holder or Sessions be able to have any information they want about you? If not, call Congress and tell them to Vote NO ASAP!

If you think this is a slight exaggeration, just remember Lois Lerner and the IRS.  There was no outside "data breach".  Regardless of the motivation in that case, simply having access to the IRS data would allow someone in that position to absolutely be able to target individuals and groups for their political beliefs.  Imagine if it wasn't just the IRS, but every other federal agency and federal bureaucrat who could gather information, nationally, as long as they could come up with a reason to justify it?

Here is a link to a call to action.

Here is information being sent to members of Congress and 3 fact sheets about the above bills.  * (See #1 in the action items.)

Articles about the problems with these pieces of legislation and the hearing leading up to FEPA can be found here, here and here.

Please take action now!

1. Distribute the information contained in the fact sheets (see above)* and ask people to contact their members of Congress, especially if they are on the Oversight Committee. Oversight Committee Members: https://edworkforce.house.gov/committee/subcommitteesjurisdictions.htm.

2. Ask Congress to delay the vote.  Phone for Congress: 202-224-3121.

3. Pray they will see the light that for all the supposed "good" this will do, the real good is in allowing free people to be free, without surveillance from their government.

Government surveillance of individuals without due process does not lead to more freedom, but it does lead to fear, intimidation, and compliance.