Granada Hills Charter School Denies Prom to Students!

Dear PERK Members,

Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids, PERK, has been notified by concerned community members and parents of students at Granada Hills Charter School. It has been brought to our attention that the school is discriminating against students with an illegal vaccination policy.  We were informed that the school was excluding seniors from Prom, based on their vaccination status for Covid-19. We were also informed that students, including seniors, have been excluded from in person learning based on their vaccination status for Covid-19. 

Attorney Jennifer Kennedy asked PERK to sponsor a prom for these seniors.  We agreed to do so.  However, good news came in yesterday.  Because of the push back from activists, parents, and organizations, like PERK, Granada Hills Charter School has changed their policy to all students to attend all indoor events, such dances, performances, athletic games, and prom.  They can now attend prom regardless of their vaccination status.  We would like to especially acknowledge the work and efforts of attorney Jennifer Kennedy who has tirelessly and directly advocated for these students and families. 

 The heroes here are truly the brave students, who have remained steadfast in their faith and in their belief in our inalienable, God-given right to individual liberty. Their principled conviction in refusing an unconstitutional, coerced, experimental, and dangerous injection has cost them dearly.  Since January 2022, GHC has denied children at both the TK8 and the high school the right to be on campus, in class with their friends and teachers, and has denied them every sport, academic team, and extracurricular activity offered to everyone else.  These children have been harmed by the very adults charged with their educational development and preparation for the future.  I honor the sacrifices they have made, with grace and grit, that many adults would not have borne.  While this sudden decision by GHC to return the right to Prom--that it never should have taken--is welcome, it is not enough.  Every Covid-19 mandate must fall: for students, employees, and campus visitors.  That is the only goal, and I will not rest until we reach it—together. - Jennifer Kennedy, Attorney at Law

Here is the letter PERK sent to Granada Hills Charter School who continues to implement illegal vaccination policies on three points. 

 ·       Granada Hills Charter School has no authority to enact its Covid-19 vaccine policy.

·       Granada Hills Charter School cannot require students to participate in independent study programs.

·       Granada Hills Charter School is illegally barring students from extracurricular activities such as prom.

 We have addressed these problematic issues in our recent letter to Granada Hills Charter’s Governing Board and Executive Director.  We ask for your continued support of PERK as we continue this work defending your children and parental rights.

Sincerely,

Amy Bohn

PERK President

Click here for copy of letter to GHC.

Parents making a difference.

Attorney Jennifer Kennedy with GHC parents.

SPRING RECESS

ACTION STEPS March 31st - April 10th

During Spring Recess, most legislators will be back in their local district offices starting on Friday March 31st. This is the perfect time to meet them and engage in their local community events. If your Assembly member is on the Assembly Health (regarding AB 659) or Assembly Education (regarding AB 1078) committee, then your activism is crucial! Contact your rep to find our about local events you can attend. Make an appointment at their local office. Or call their local office to register your opposition. The reps in these committees have the power to vote down these bills.

AB 659 - HPV Cancer Prevention Act (Aguiar-Curry) … Read more

Sample script:

“Hello, I am a California resident. I oppose AB 659. Please vote NO or Abstain, unless the author removes the HPV vaccine mandate.”

AB 1078 Instructional materials: removing instructional materials and curriculum: diversity (JACKSON) …Read more

Sample script: “Hello, I am asking the Assembly member to vote NO or Abstain on AB 1078.”

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Please contact your local Assembly member regarding:

AB 665

Minors: consent to mental health services is currently on the Assembly floor for possible vote next week. (Carrillo and Weiner)

“Hello, I am asking the Assembly member to vote NO or Abstain on AB 665, there are better solutions to solve the Medical Coverage for mental health without removing the guardrails for abuse of the current law.”

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Legislator Events

Be sure to go to your legislators local events. Develop a relationship with them, inform them of your concerns on these different bills. Check your legislators social media or website for events in your area and check the PERK events calendar regularly for updates. If you know of any upcoming events please email us here.

CALIFORNIA BILL UPDATE: March 31, 2023

BILLS WE OPPOSE

AB-665 Minors: consent to mental health services (Carrilllo and Weiner)

Assembly Bill 665 would remove the requirement that children must be a danger to themselves or others, or be alleged incest or abuse victims, before seeking care without their parents' consent. This will remove the guardrails that prevent abuse of current law, so instead of cases of emergency, mental health professionals or school psychologists can refer for treatment and/or send a child to residential shelter services for any reason without parental consent.

Status: Asm 3rd Reading File Assembly Bills 03-30-2023 #62

If it is passed it will head to Senate.

Take action by contacting your Senator about AB 665.

AB-659 Cancer Prevention Act aka HPV vaccine mandate bill (Aguilar- Curry)

Declare the public policy of the state that pupils are expected to be fully immunized against human papillomavirus (HPV) before admission or advancement to the 8th grade level of any private or public elementary or secondary school.Adds the HPV vaccine to the list of required immunizations for all college students 18-26, with only a medical exemption option to opt out.

Status: 03/23/23 In Health committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

AB-1078 Instructional materials: removing instructional materials and curriculum: diversity. (Jackson)

Prevents Local School Board Control of Books/Curriculum in Public Schools

Status: 03/02/23 Referred to Com. on ED.

BILLS WE SUPPORT

AB-1314 Gender identity: parental notification (Essayli and Gallagher)

Would provide that a parent or guardian be notified, if a child requests to be publicly addressed by a different gender pronoun other than their birth certificate, or to use facilities of a different gender, a parent must be notified.

Status: 03/13/23 Re-referred to Com. on ED.

SB-292 Education expenses: Education Savings Account Act of 2024 (Grove)

This bill would enact the Education Savings Account Act of 2024 and establish the Education Savings Account (ESA) Trust.

Status: 03/27/23 April 12 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

SCA 5  Educational expenses: education savings accounts (Grove)

This measure would authorize the state, and every agency or political subdivision of the state, to disburse funds pursuant to an agreement between the state and a parent or legal guardian of an eligible child for tuition and education-related expenses, as provided by statute, and provide tax or other public benefits to private schools, private colleges, private universities, or private vocational educational or training institutions, irrespective of religious affiliation, to further the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral, and agricultural improvement. And to appear on the same statewide election ballot.

Status: 03/27/23 April 12 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. 

AB-1652 Curriculum: right to examine.  (Sanchez R)  

 This bill would require each school district, county office of education, and charter school to post the process for examining curriculum materials on their internet website.

Status: 03/09/23 Referred to Com. on ED.

AB - 1023 School cybersecurity (Papan D)

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation that would provide additional support and funding to local educational agencies to improve and expand protections against cybersecurity threats.

Status: 03/27/23 Re-referred to Com. on E.M.

SB 16 - Civil rights: discrimination: enforcement. (Smallwood-Cuevas D)

This bill would also specify that nothing in the California Fair Employment and Housing Act shall be construed to limit or restrict efforts by local entities to enforce state law prohibiting discrimination against classes of persons covered by the act in employment and housing, including experience addiction to the social media platform.

Status: Sen 2nd Reading - Sen Bills 03-30-2023 #6 - PASSED.

Heading to Assembly Rules. Take action now by contacting your Assembly Member to vote YES on SB 16.

AB-801 Student privacy: online personal information

This bill would require an operator to delete a preschool, prekindergarten, or K–12 student’s covered information if the student, or the student’s parent or legal guardian, requests an operator to delete the covered information under the operator’s control if the student is no longer attending the school or district, and would authorize an operator to require documentation that the student no longer attends the school or district.

Status: 03/27/23 Re-referred to Com. on ED.

AB-802 Curriculum: right to examine. - support

This bill would require each school district, county office of education, and charter school to provide written notice to a pupil’s parent or guardian of their right to examine the curriculum materials of the class or classes in which their child is enrolled, as provided, to post information on that right to their internet website if they maintain an internet website, and to ensure that each of their individual schools posts information on that right on their individual internet website if they maintain an individual internet website.

Status: 02/23/23 Referred to Com. on ED.

Legislators are on Spring Recess until until Monday, April 10th. Use this time to contact your local legislators about these bills.

In remembrance of the 6 lives lost at the Covenant School in Tennessee shooting. #defendourchildren

In remembrance of the 6 lives lost at the Covenant School

by Rebecca Heinemann, Co-founder of PERK - Franklin, TN

 When I first heard the news of the school shooting in Nashville and that it was not my son’s Catholic school, I was relieved and felt I could put the news in my back pocket and move along my day. But as the reality of the tragedy began to sink in and how close to home it all was, I realized I needed to take action and go check on him. I needed to know more, and I needed to do something.

 My first step was to attend the prayer service that very day at his school before his pickup. At this gathering is when it truly hit me that this horrific school shooting could have been my child’s school —which is only 18 minutes away. It could have been my child. I now can’t stop seeing the bodycam scenes of the officers running through the school and hearing the intense gunfire playing over and over in my head and I think of the parents who dropped off their child that day never to see them again. All horrific and senseless.

 There is no question that we have come to a dark place in America, and I search for answers as to how we got here and how we get out. Most importantly how do we protect the children? Protecting our children has been spiraling downward for years. Did it begin with mothers leaving the household for careers? Having less time to pay attention to what is truly going on with their children? I don’t judge anyone who has done this —as I placed my career first and foremost until I was 39 and thank God, was blessed with my son at 43. But I do start to question our culture and how we have placed motherhood on the back burner. Where did it get us as a society? Have our children suffered in the long run? How do we get back to that place where motherhood is revered? How can we protect and support our children, while also allowing them the freedom to thrive and gain independence?

 After moving away from LA, I thought my child would be safe in rural Tennessee in a Catholic school tucked away in farm fields, roaming cows and horses. I thought we could live peacefully away from the politics in an idyllic world, but I was wrong. The events of March 27 showed me that the fight to protect our children goes on more than ever because it’s coming from all angles. I’m not sure of next steps, but I hope all mothers will begin to think to themselves what more can I do. Be alert, be aware and join in the movement to protect our children.    

 
Please say a prayer for those who lost their lives at the Covenant School.

(TOP ROW) Katherine Koonce, 60 -head of the school; Mike Hill, 61 (custodian); Cynthia Peak, 61 - substitute teacher; (BOTTOM ROW) Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9; Hallie Scruggs, 9; William Kinney, 9

Link to more information on the victims - https://www.foxnews.com/us/who-are-nashville-school-shooting-victims

SPRING RECESS ACTION STEPS

Legislators are on Spring Recess MARCH 31 - APRIL 10.

During Spring Recess, most legislators will be back in their local district offices starting on Friday March 31st. This is the perfect time to meet them and engage in their local community events. If your Assembly member is on the Assembly Health (regarding AB 659) or Assembly Education (regarding AB 1078) committee, then your activism is crucial! Contact your rep to find our about local events you can attend. Make an appointment at their local office. Or call their local office to register your opposition. The reps in this committee have the power to vote down AB659. If you know of any upcoming events please email us here.

Oppose AB 659 - HPV Cancer Prevention Act (Aguiar-Curry)

Assembly Bill 659, also known as the HPV vaccine mandate bill has been amended.  It removed the mandate for 8th graders, but now will add Human Papillomavirus (HPV) to the described list of diseases for which immunization documentation is required for all students, ages 18-26, enrolled in Community College, UC and Cal State Universties.  Only a medical exemption will be available to opt out, Click on image to take action.

AB 659 has been amended to move the mandate from 8th grade to college entry.

The amendments bring 2 new issues to light:

1. The bill language deceives families into thinking they are *expected* to receive the HPV vaccine upon 6th grade enrollment. It imposes an undue burden onto schools to mislead parents about the real vaccine requirements.

2. This bill doesn’t align with CSU’s recent drop of vaccine requirements for enrollment. Adding an additional barrier for education will not help enrollment rates rise.

Kindly ask the assembly health committee to abstain on AB659 until all the mandates are removed from the bill and there is no misleading information for parents.

Keep scheduling meetings and developing a relationship with your reps and their staff. This is a long game and the best thing we can do is continue to show up and cultivate a relationship with them.

If you have a student in college, activate your schools public policy department and ask them to send in a letter of opposition.

OPPOSE AB-1078 -- removes local authority over school districts. Instructional materials

Local school boards will lose their authority over curriculum, remove parents input and give all the power to the California Board of Education. Click on image to take action.

Instructions on how to submit letter here.