Author Archives: Admin

July 14, 2017 Radio Commentary

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Education EO and Local Control

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 14, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

When President Trump issued his April 26th Executive Order “Enforcing Statutory Prohibitions on Federal Control of Education,” it became the policy of the executive branch through the Secretary of Education to examine whether regulations and guidance documents uphold local control for curriculum, instruction programs, textbooks, library books, and other instructional material.

That order empowered the Secretary of Education to rescind or revise regulations and guidance documents that are inconsistent with federal law and propose replacement regulations within 300 days after the executive order was issued in April 2017.

On the basis of that order, the U.S. Secretary of Education should investigate the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) “Welcoming Schools Program,” that’s dedicated to utilizing LGBTQ-inclusive programs in Pre-K – 12 schools throughout the country.  To accomplish that, the HRC provides instruction through HRC-trained and HRC-certified facilitators, one of whom trained some of Georgia’s school nurses earlier this year. Continue reading →

July 7, 2017 Radio Commentary

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UBI: Guaranteed Income for NOT Working!

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 7, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Will Georgia go from a guaranteed minimum wage for workers to a universal basic income (UBI) for everyone who has a job or doesn’t work at all?  UBI is an emerging issue in other countries and has reared its head in the U.S.A., as well.  Hawaii, recently, passed a bill to study the possibility of implementing UBI there.

In the General Assembly this year, three minimum wage bills were introduced, along with two other bills concerning equal pay for males and females.  While H.B. 339 attempts to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 – a $2.10 hourly raise – H.B. 315 and S.B. 28 almost triple the current minimum wage to $15.00 per hour.  Plus, S.B. 28 would have added an annual cost-of-living increase, beginning January 1, 2019.  All those bills were left in committee for consideration next session.

It’s nothing new for minimum wage bills to be introduced or adopted in the U.S., but Finland adopted the UBI concept on January 1st, thereby guaranteeing 2,000 citizens $630 per month whether they work or not.  Similar projects, also, exist in Canada, Holland and Italy. Continue reading →

June 2017 Newsletter

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HRC, Transgender and Local Control

 When President Donald Trump issued his April 26th Executive Order (EO) “Enforcing Statutory Prohibitions on Federal Control of Education,” it became the responsibility of the Secretary of the Department of Education (DOE). If the Secretary accomplishes the goal in the title of the EO, the end result should be (a) enforcement of current laws passed by Congress to protect local control of education and the (b) repeal of federal laws that impede local control.

The broad scope of the EO authorizes the Secretary to (a) examine and determine which regulations and guidance documents uphold local control of education materials1and which do not; (b) rescind or revise regulations and guidance documents that are inconsistent with education law; then subsequently, (c) propose and publish new regulations and guidance documents within 300 days after April 26, 2017, the issue-date of the EO.

Are Welcoming Schools Programs under local control? The Welcoming Schools Program of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) should be investigated for (a) the Pre-K2 – 12 LGBTQ inclusive programs that defy local values. Also, to be investigated should be (b) HRC-trained facilitators3 and (c) their LGBTQQ4 curricula content, (d) supplemental material and hand-outs, (e) as well as school nurse training. A Welcoming Schools facilitator, who represents the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition, also, recently trained Georgia’s Fayette County school nurses.

  • To read the rest of this newsletter in PDF format, please click here.

June 30, 2017 Radio Commentary

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Here and Now in the U.S.

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, June 30, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

For several years, religious freedom has been the subject of legislation in Georgia, but last year the governor vetoed the only bill that passed, while subsequent bills died in committee. So, religious liberty bills don’t become law in Georgia.

However, the new president of the United States issued an executive order that may have a positive influence on the situation.  During the May 4th observance of the National Day of Prayer, President Trump signed that executive order in the Rose Garden.  Visitors at the ceremony included two of Evangelist Billy Graham’s children – Franklin Graham and Cissie Graham Lynch.  Another Billy Graham daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, was a featured speaker for the National Day of Prayer.

Not only is it significant that Franklin, Cissie and Anne attended the national observance of the Day of Prayer, they were invited into the Oval Office, as well.  Those gestures demonstrate the protective attitude toward religion voiced by President Trump, when he said, “We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied or silenced anymore.”

A stark contrast between the new administration and the previous administration is Mr. Trump’s February 22nd reversal of the unacceptable public school directive requiring male and female restrooms and locker rooms to become all-gender facilities, regardless of community values or opposition.  Continue reading →