Dear Friends,
I was told at an early age that one should try to be a good man, not a great one. The irony of this statement is that by being a good man, one often becomes a great one. And one of my greatest blessings is having an example of this throughout my life: my father.
His presence in the lives of my sister and I, both in adolescence and continuing into adulthood, has been one of self-sacrifice. This seems simple when I think of how grateful I am for all the 4 AM wakeups he endured to drive me to hockey practice, tighten my ice skates, and sit in a cold rink with only a cup of coffee for warmth while I lived my dreams.
It gets harder, however, when I think of the opportunities my dad gave up to be close to my sister and I throughout our childhood. My parents are both lawyers too, and the opportunities presented to my dad for his talent in practicing law could have taken us around the country, even the world. Instead, he chose to work harder so that we could have stability in our growth, and so they could homeschool my sister and I and raise us to love God and His Word.
This doesn’t mean he was perfect—you can’t be a parent and expect your emotions not to get the better of you at times (often at the instigation of my sister and me!). But fatherhood is not about perfection—it’s about commitment. Even when my dad made mistakes as a dad, he chose the hard right over the easy wrong and simply continued to be the very best dad he could. That commitment to being present and persistent is the gift that keeps on giving to our family.
His enduring commitment to our family makes him a good dad—and by sticking to this commitment when it was hard, he became a great one. Beyond that, the magic of fatherhood is that good often begets good—his committed presence has given me a fighting chance to be a good man too.
To all the fathers who have sacrificed for their families, even when it was hard, we thank you this Father’s Day. Your heroic efforts bless your family and give the next generation the chance to do the same.
For those who don’t have a good model to follow, or who no longer have their fathers to celebrate, may our Heavenly Father be your guide and comfort. His fatherly love and care is more than sufficient.
We wish you a happy Father’s Day!
Sincerely,
Joseph Kohm
Public Policy Director
As strange as that may sound, that day may be closer than you think! If we listen to transgender activists, politicians, and some educators, “gendered” words are outdated, antiquated and oppressive vestiges of a bygone era, despite being the norm for all of human history up to this point! The push to replace sex-specific words in our vocabulary is just the latest iteration of the radical sexual ideologies that stretch back to the same-sex marriage battle – and even before in the Sexual Revolution.
Recently, moms were the victims of this push to change language. Over Mother’s Day weekend, mothers were appalled to hear that they were being referred to as “birthing people” in an extreme effort to separate language from biological sex. I guess that would make fathers “non-birthing people”?
Whatever labels the Left tries to use to replace the word “father,” nothing can replace how important that word – and the person of a father – really is.
Jesus used the word far more often than I realized. Check it out for yourself with a concordance and you will be surprised. He used it both in the context of his relationship with his Father and of ours as well.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
Even outside of Scripture, the word “father” is rich with meaning. The Online Etymology Dictionary traces its origins to the Old English fæder, “he who begets a child, the nearest male ancestor;” also “the Supreme Being,” and by late Old English, “one who exercises parental care over another.”
God the Father “exercises parental care” for us perfectly, better than any earthly father. In fact, according to Acts 17:28, “… in him we live and move and have our being…’We are also His offspring.’” He not only cares for us now, but is the very reason for our existence!
Sadly, the last few generations of public-school students have not been taught that God is their Creator, let alone their heavenly father. Instead, they’ve been taught the theory of evolution – specifically, without God in the picture at all. We are, according to popular theory, just random accidents – not the creations of a loving God. Yet Biblically speaking, we know that we were created in the “image of God” with both purpose and relationship in mind.
The feminist and transgender movements may have sought to disassociate the word “father” from anything good. But this Sunday, millions of children in families across America will show appreciation for fathers and celebrate their dads with cards and gifts that will strengthen their family bonds.
To be sure, our earthly fathers are not perfect, and all have made mistakes, whether big or small. But love and forgiveness are keys to making families work the way God intended. I’ve seen that in my own life: my earthly father was an alcoholic for many years, but my Heavenly Father redeemed that situation and turned it into a blessing.
Please help us to continue having a strong influence on legislation affecting faith and family. Our mission is to help families in Wyoming to thrive. With our Heavenly Father’s help and your prayerful support, we are making a difference.
Sincerely,
Nathan Winters
Executive Director
P.S. This Father’s Day, I encourage you to visit Fathers in the Field. This is a wonderful, national ministry helping the fatherless that was started right here in Wyoming.
As our organization travels the state presenting the troubling facts about public education in New Jersey, we are constantly asked if the lessons and library books we use as samples are in a specific local school district. The answer is “we don’t know.”
We explain the difference between the state laws approved by the legislative majority and signed by Governor Murphy, and the state learning standards approved by the New Jersey State Board of Education. We offer examples of lessons that were developed by leftwing activist groups that have been officially or unofficially recommended by state officials. Schools are not required to use these particular lessons, but they are examples of the problematic propaganda that has infiltrated government schools by giving radical political organizations access to young children. This would include the following:
| Curriculum | Organization |
| LGBT “contributions” law | Garden State Equality |
| Sex Ed Learning Standards | Advocates for youth |
| Diversity and Inclusion law | Learning for Justice |
| . | . |
Yet, there is another issue beyond curriculum – library books that are accessible to minors that contain graphic pornographic illustrations or highly sexualized descriptions of masturbation and oral sex. This is a brief list of just some of the books that have either been assigned as recommended reading or made available to students in school libraries in New Jersey.
All Boys Aren’t Blue
Becoming Nicole – The Transformation of an American Family
Black Queer Southern Women
Fun Home: A Graphic Novel
Gender Queer
George
I Hope We Can Choose Love – A Trans Girl’s Notes
Lawn Boy
Raising Rosie – Our Story of an Intersex Child
She He They Me – For the Sisters Misters
This Book is Gay
Parents have valid objections to these books, so we took action! Our team met with legislators from various legislative districts to share with them photos and quotes from some of the books listed above. Our request was simple, fair, and uncontentious. Parents want transparency in education to extend beyond lessons in all subjects. They want to know what books, some featuring narratives of erotic porn, are sitting on the shelves of their child’s school library.
Parents have the right to know!
We are excited to share with you that the legislative team in District 10 (Senator James Holzapfel, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, and Assemblyman John Catalano) have introduced Senate bill 2722 and Assembly bill 3887. This bill will require each public school to post on their website a comprehensive list of all resources available in the school library.
Here is what these legislators have to say about this bill. Media across the state are talking about it too: WOBM FM and 101.5FM
And this all started with you!
Parents shared these books with us. We made appointments to meet with legislators to advocate for you and speak up for your parental rights. After discussion and follow up, legislators sent a draft of the bill to us. Our policy attorney reviewed it. The legislative team introduced it.
This is why we need your support! There is still a long way to go in New Jersey. Introducing the bill is step one in a lengthy process. We are still fighting for transparency in all subjects, and to Repeal the Sex Ed learning standards, Replace the so-called diversity curriculum law, and Restore parental rights. Will you consider financially supporting Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey this month? Remember these three words: Repeal, Replace & Restore. Going forward, you are going to hear them over and over.
Fighting for your family,
Len Deo
Founder
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, the largest conservative caucus in the U.S. House, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) led by Rep. Jim Banks (R—IN) an alum of our sister Foundation’s Statesmen Academy, released their Family Policy Initiative, articulating ten policy principles designed to restore the American family.
Under the current Administration, American families are struggling. Parents are being forced to defend their rights and fight radical ideologies in their children’s schools. Female athletes are being forced to give up their opportunities to males in favor of a political agenda. And preborn children are not yet fully protected under the law.
American families deserve better.
Family Policy Alliance strongly supports the RSC’s Family Policy Initiative. It is rare to see Congress focus on the problem, instead of just a symptom, in America. This Initiative is foundational in rebuilding an America where families flourish, and we congratulate the RSC for focusing on the root causes of what is ailing our country.
Read more about the RSC’s Family Policy Initiative here—which includes a strong pro-life plank. This is especially timely with the Supreme Court likely poised to overturn Roe v. Wade this summer.
Parents who take on the responsibility of raising their children together are among the most selfless of Americans. We urge Congress to implement policies aligned with this vision, and we look forward to the day when America’s families do not just survive but thrive once again.
For the family,
Joseph Kohm,
Public Policy Director
As of this week, one in three states now have laws to #SaveGirlsSports. That’s more than double the number of states with similar laws last summer!
But now, the Biden Administration plans to propose a rule that would redefine “sex” in a federal law known as Title IX. This proposed rule will likely:
- Force girls to compete with males in girls’ sports.
- Force girls to share showers, locker rooms, and bathrooms with males.
- Force girls to give up scholarships and opportunities to males who identify as females.
It’s part of a broader effort to push woke ideology in our children’s schools, from school policies to curriculum and beyond.
Americans are not on board with this agenda – and key leaders agree. Earlier this spring we sat down with someone who helped safeguard Title IX: former Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Now, as we anticipate the coming Biden rule, we wanted to share that conversation with you NEXT WEEK!
YOU’RE INVITED
Fighting for Our Children’s Futures
A Conversation with Secretary Betsy DeVos
Tuesday, May 31
1 pm ET / 12 pm CT / 11 am MT / 10 am PT
Join us on Facebook or YouTube
Secretary DeVos served as the 11th Secretary of Education under President Trump. She has been active in politics for over 35 years, having served in many leadership roles. In education policy in particular, she has been involved for nearly three decades as an advocate for children and a voice for parents. She is especially passionate about reforms that help underserved children gain access to a quality education.
Join us to hear about all things education reform, from educational freedom (school choice) to combatting woke ideology in schools. Whether you are a parent or grandparent, or just someone concerned about our children’s future, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!
See you next week on Facebook and YouTube!
Meridian Baldacci
Director of Strategy
P.S. Be sure to pass this invitation along to a friend who should attend, too! You can forward this invite or tag them on Facebook!
As of last week, one in three states now have laws to #SaveGirlsSports. That’s more than double the number of states with similar laws last summer!
But now, the Biden Administration plans to propose a rule that would redefine “sex” in a federal law known as Title IX. This proposed rule will likely:
- Force girls to compete with males in girls’ sports.
- Force girls to share showers, locker rooms, and bathrooms with males.
- Force girls to give up scholarships and opportunities to males who identify as females.
It’s part of a broader effort to push woke ideology in our children’s schools, from school policies to curriculum and beyond.
Americans are not on board with this agenda – and key leaders agree. Earlier this spring we sat down with someone who helped safeguard Title IX: former Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Now, as we anticipate the coming Biden rule, we wanted to share that conversation with you today!
YOU’RE INVITED
Fighting for Our Children’s Futures
A Conversation with Secretary Betsy DeVos
TODAY – Tuesday, May 31
1 pm ET / 12 pm CT / 11 am MT / 10 am PT
Join us on Facebook or YouTube
Secretary DeVos served as the 11th Secretary of Education under President Trump. She has been active in politics for over 35 years, having served in many leadership roles. In education policy in particular, she has been involved for nearly three decades as an advocate for children and a voice for parents. She is especially passionate about reforms that help underserved children gain access to a quality education.
Join us to hear about all things education reform, from educational freedom (school choice) to combatting woke ideology in schools. Whether you are a parent or grandparent, or just someone concerned about our children’s future, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!
See you today on Facebook and YouTube! (If you are seeing this message late or miss joining us today, you can always watch the videos at these links any time.)
Meridian Baldacci
Director of Strategy
P.S. Be sure to pass this invitation along to a friend who should attend, too! You can forward this invite or tag them on Facebook!
Nothing can sound more outrageous than the subject line to this email: “NJ Diversity lessons linked to domestic terrorism.” Conspiracies and overblown rhetoric too often circulate in entrenched political corners. This is dangerous because unbalanced people might take extreme actions in response to the labels and defamations, they have been convinced are true. For example, in 2012, a man entered the headquarters of our friends at the Family Research Council in Washington D.C. and shot a security guard. The shooter told officers after the incident he intended to shoot as many people as possible. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to terrorism charges.
But what was his justification for such targeted political violence? The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) labeled the Family Research Council as a “Hate Group” because of their Biblical beliefs regarding sex, gender, and the nuclear family. This was not an oversight by SPLC leadership. In their worldview, if you believe in in the goodness of God’s creation in Genesis 1 & 2 – you subscribe to a hateful ideology. Therefore, according to the SPLC, there is no difference between antisemitic and racist Neo Nazis compared to Focus on the Family or Alliance Defending Freedom! It’s a classic case of left-wing insanity!
And now the New Jersey Department of Education, under the leadership of Governor Murphy, and Acting Commissioner of the Department of Education, Angelica Allen-McMillan, is recommending local school districts use lessons developed by the Southern Poverty Law Center to teach Kindergarteners to 2nd graders about gender identity and human sexuality.
Learning for Justice is the educational arm of the Southern Poverty Law Center. On their website, they make their mission statement clear: Learning for Justice seeks to uphold the mission of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Originally, when the SPLC started in 1970, it focused on fighting poverty and racial discrimination. In 1981, they started a project called Klanwatch to monitor the KKK. This project is now titled Hatewatch. It is no longer limited to violent right-wing extremism, but now includes mainstream Christian organizations that advocate for parental rights in education and the Biblical family unit.
How can diversity and tolerance lessons be handed over to controversial political groups that have a long track record of slandering Christians? We share this information with state legislators each week when we meet with them to discuss curriculum issues and pending bills in Trenton. In future emails, we will analyze some of these lessons to point out the illogical indoctrination that is now becoming more prevalent in NJ public schools.
ULTIMATELY, this insanity needs to stop! That is why our ultimate goal is aligned with the efforts of pro-family state legislators to Repeal the Sex Ed Learning Standards, Replace the so-called “Diversity” Curriculum Law, and Restore Parental Rights.
Fighting for your families here in the Garden State!
Len Deo
Founder
This past Monday, May 9, Senator Vin Gopal (D-Freehold) introduced his “Transparency in Health and Physical Education” bill in the Senate Education Committee. He is the chairman of this committee and therefore oversees the bills that are allowed to be publicly heard and debated. Our team was there to speak in favor of transparency in education, but we, along with many parents and other parental rights organizations, had to oppose this specific bill.
Because parents rose up and once again expressed their objection to the new sex-ed learning standards that will go into effect this upcoming school year, Senator Gopal said, according to the media, that he would support transparency in education for ALL subjects. Sadly, at his first opportunity to introduce a bill that would mandate school districts post ALL curriculum, lessons, and learning materials online, was limited to just Health Class.
This is troubling because lessons that promote transgenderism to young children can legally be taught in NJ public schools in multiple subjects starting in kindergarten. Schools are not obligated to teach lessons regarding gender identity outside of health class, but they are able to do so if the local school board wants to.
Our team recommended the Senate Education Committee support a bill that was first introduced in June 2021 and reintroduced in the new legislative session in February 2022. This bill is sponsored by Senator Steve Oroho (R-Sparta) and Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-Montville). It requires schools to post on their website ALL curriculum and learning materials 30 days before the school year begins. Senator Gopal committed to reaching out to the bill sponsors to discuss this bill. He explained the reason he decided to initially only support “Health Class” transparency was not to confuse parents on what classes they can opt out of.
Despite his reasoning, why could he not allow two Transparency in Education bills to be discussed in the same Senate Education Committee hearing? The first bill could be limited to health class with opt-out language, with the second bill for ALL other subjects. The reason might be the testimony of the NJ Education Association (NJEA) in their support of his transparency in “Health Class” bill. They thanked him for working with them in drafting the bill language. In other words, the NJEA – not parents – had the final say on what type of transparency there would be!
Finally, another very troublesome component of Senator Gopal’s bill is the fact that parents would be given an opportunity to express their concerns and objections over sex-ed lessons after local school boards approve them. Parents would essentially be left out of the developmental process of these lessons. We are not surprised because they were left out of the developmental process in drafting the bill language.
While we certainly have major concerns about the end product of Sen. Gopal’s bill, we are extremely thankful that Senator Gopal is leading a bipartisan effort to rebuild trust in NJ public schools. He was very kind and respectful to the parents who passionately shared their concerns. This was refreshing for a change! We look forward to working with him on future legislation. Senator Gopal gives us a new hope in finding a resolution for families.
Download our free resource “Diversity or Deception” to learn the difference between the Sex Ed Learning Standards and the Diversity and Inclusion law. Get the facts and learn how these separate curriculum issues found their way into your child’s classroom.
Fighting for your families here in the Garden State!
Len Deo
Founder
When you’re facing opposition from radical activists and the Biden Administration, you must be doing something right.
This afternoon, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill into law. The new law ensures parents are not kept in the dark about what is happening with their children in schools and protects kids in kindergarten through 3rd grade from sexualized classroom instruction.
And, in the words of John Stemberger, President of Florida Family Policy Council, “The Florida parents rights law is necessary because schools have become places more concerned with indoctrination than they are with education.”
Florida Family Policy Council, our ally in Florida and a trusted voice for parents and families, shepherded the bill through the Florida legislature. We are grateful for their work on this bill, and for Governor DeSantis’s bold leadership in signing this bill in the face of pressure.
If you’ve been following this story, you know that Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek pressured Governor DeSantis to veto the bill – and some LGBT activists both outside and within Disney want the company leadership to go further. In fact, the well-funded and largest LGBT activist organization, the Human Rights Campaign, rejected a $5 Million donation from Disney in an attempt to pressure Disney to do more to oppose Florida’s pro-family bill.
But Disney clearly picked the wrong side in this fight. Not only did Governor DeSantis sign the bill this afternoon, but polling indicates that the law is strongly supported by Floridians – including by Democrat primary voters—and by Americans generally.
Disney leadership weren’t the only ones who missed that memo, though. Today, President Biden put out a tweet clearly targeting the new Florida law. And now the Human Rights Campaign is raising even more “emergency money” where every dollar is matched to “fight back.”
This activism isn’t limited to Florida. Of course, the Biden Administration and Human Rights Campaign have each committed themselves to an activist agenda across the nation. But now Disney has publicly insinuated that it wishes to “take action” against other states with pro-family laws and has even said that its goal “is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts.”
TELL DISNEY TO STAND DOWN: sign our open letter!
As a company that caters to families, Disney needs to hear from you that their stance is anti-family and opposed to public values. We’ve sent this open letter to Disney, along with Florida Family Policy Council, and thousands of you have already added your names to it. If you haven’t yet, though, it’s not too late. Disney will keep facing pressure from LGBT activists to oppose good pro-family laws, so they need to keep hearing from you, too.
After you sign the letter, we have more good news from the states: Utah’s legislature just passed a law to protect female athletes in their state, making Utah the 12th state to Save Girls’ Sports!
But the full story is remarkable. After the bill passed the Utah legislature, the Republican Governor vetoed the bill, even in the wake of male Lia Thomas winning a women’s swimming title in the NCAA. But rather than giving up, lawmakers in Utah voted to override the Governor’s veto and make it law anyway!
It’s an inspiring story for Indiana, where the Save Girls’ Sports bill was also vetoed by its Governor (and is awaiting a potential override vote) and for other states still hoping to get similar bills into law this year.
But even more than that, it’s inspiring for each of us who want to see a better, more pro-family America. It’s a reminder that no matter how much the Biden Administration tries to push its radical agenda on America, and no matter how much woke companies rattle their fists and pocketbooks against pro-family laws, they’re out of touch.
The American people are on the side of parents and children, truth and fairness. And when we stand together, those values will win the day.
So, we’re looking ahead with hope. Today, parents and children in Florida are protected. Female athletes in Utah and 11 other states know their state believes in them and stands for fairness in sports. And really, this is only the beginning.
Will you join us?
Meridian Baldacci
Director of Strategy
P.S. Don’t forget to sign our open letter to Disney today!
Recently, there has been nationwide media coverage concerning a bill in the state of Florida that prohibits teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to young children ranging from 5 to 8-years old. Get ready to read the controversial portion of the bill that has LGBT activists, woke corporations, and Disney employees raging with blind resistance:
“Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
Let me ask you, when did it become improper and objectionable to protect little children from losing their innocence? The answer is – it has not! According to a recent Rasmussen Reports survey, 62% of Americans agree with this Florida bill. Tragically – despite the support this bill has – education unions, leftist legislators, and Disney still demand teachers inject confusing and complicating gender ideology into kindergarten classrooms. Why are they so obsessed with sexualizing incredibly young children?
Here in New Jersey, we are working with pro family legislators to stop Governor Murphy from depriving parents of the education and health care records of their children. In the past two weeks, many legislators have signed on as co-sponsors of bills that provide greater transparency in education. I look forward to sharing with you a full list of bill sponsors in the months ahead.
| We are searching for “School Observers” to investigate whether their local school district is teaching CRT or how they are implementing gender identity in the lower classes (kindergarten through third grade) in their child’s school. This helps us share real stories with legislators of parents in their district who have to face time-consuming obstacles in accessing school curriculum. If you are interested in being a “school observer,” please fill out this form and we will be in contact with you. Please keep in mind, your child must be in grades K-12 in a NJ public school to be one of our observers.
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Fighting for your families here in the Garden State!
Len Deo
Founder
P.S. CLICK HERE TO HELP US CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR RIGHTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS!
