Sexual Education in New York – another casualty.
(Is it the virus or elected officials who refuse to pass this bill?)
New York State is one of the 21 states that do not mandate that sexual education (sex ed) be part of the required academic curriculum. Despite New York State’s image as a progressive bastion, there are no state standards – not even regarding birth control, std’s or simply saying “no”. 2020 was supposed to be the year that changed, with the passage of comprehensive legislation requiring age-appropriate sexual education instruction from K-12. But, now, with the coronavirus, budgetary challenges, and the rest of the legislative session in question, the young people of New York State may very well be forced to wait again.
According to the New York Civil Liberties Union , “Many public schools across New York provide sex-ed curriculum that is inaccurate, incomplete, and stigmatizing.” Other schools provide nothing. Much of the current curriculum fails to include education on sexually transmitted disease and LGBTQ+ students are often stigmatized or ignored completely. However, New York does have mandated HIV education, which may seem like a good thing but, in reality, isn’t because it is not required to be medically accurate. This can end up being more harmful than helpful. For example, in a local Westchester middle school, the gym teacher assigned to teach about HIV told students they could contract it from sweat. Not since 1991, when Magic Johnson announced that he had contracted HIV, has such absolute unscientific mis-information been on such public display – and this was in an academic institution students are required to attend.
Sex ed is an extremely important and valuable subject that should be mandated in all schools. Research done by the Public Library of Science shows “that when sex education is comprehensive, students feel more informed, make safer choices and have healthier outcomes — resulting in fewer unplanned pregnancies and more protection against sexually transmitted diseases and infection.” Having sex ed taught in school gives students the ability to get clear concise answers to any questions they may have, instead of relying on the internet which can provide incorrect and confusing information, or parents who may be too self-conscious or ill-informed. A curriculum, which the teachers must follow, alleviates any discrepancies between medical facts and individual opinions. The Journal of Adolescent Health published research that found “that when sex education included information about contraception, teens had a lower risk of pregnancy than adolescents who received abstinence-only or no sex education.”
New York’s Senator Jen Metzger and Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan have sponsored proposed legislation S4884/A6512 respectively which would make age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education required teaching in NYS schools. The bill would require “comprehensive sexuality instruction for students in grades K-12 which addresses age and developmentally appropriate physical, mental, emotional and social dimensions of human sexuality and reflects the national sexuality education standards.” The bill was introduced to the New York State Senate in March of 2019 and since then has been moved to the Education Committee. It has yet to be passed by the Senate or the Assembly. The success of this legislation rests not only on its passage but also on adequate funding for implementation. Unfortunately, 2020 may not be the year that students in New York State receive quality and informative sex ed.
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You Did It! You came out and voted, bringing your friends and relatives to Early Voting and on General Election Day, November 5th! And on behalf of Choice Matters, WCLA PAC & pro-choice voters everywhere, thank you for that!
November 5th was a good day for Westchester County. After thousands of phone calls, distributing tens of thousands of our bight yellow ProChoice Voting Guide and door-knocking, we have elected 13 pro-choice County legislators. Our endorsed candidates won in all 6 contested County legislative races. We now have a pro-choice super majority on the Westchester County Board of Legislators. We also have a pro-choice majority on the New Castle Town Board!
Also, In The BIG News Column, Virginia elected a government that, with more hard work, should pass a Virginian Reproductive Health Act! And Kentucky elected a pro-choice governor!
PLEASE enjoy today and our successes because tomorrow we must work! 2020 is finally here. There will be no time to waste. The election will not only be about defeating Donald Trump. It will be about protecting the gains we made in 2018.
We must turn our attention to accessibility and reproductive inequities. ALL women must have access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare regardless of their economic abilities and geographic locations, because legal does not mean accessible.
• Hear from Senator Pete Harckham about the right-wing backlash against the Reproductive Health Act & what we can do about it. • Learn why electing pro-choice judges matters; And • Watch performance-artist Donna Barkman.
ALL ticket sales from the event go directly towards getting the Bright Yellow ProChoice Voting Guide into the hands of more than 70,000 voters all over Westchester. WCLA PAC need to raise $25,000, & is only 22% of the way there!
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Endorsements County Legislator Races There are six contested races. Two of them are open seats, with no incumbent running for re-election. Four of the six are considered “must win” seats. In addition, staunchly pro-choice candidates Covill and Maher are running for re-election for the first time and, therefore, are more vulnerable.
Targeted Races Kitley Covill (CLD 2) is one of the most able advocates for Choice. Covill, who is completing her first term as a County Legislator, has an impressive depth of knowledge derived from her broad range of professional experiences, including as Legal Advisor for the Domestic Violence Committee, representing women in Title IX proceedings, and as Inspector General for Yonkers. In contrast, her opponent is anti-choice and does not understand the complexity of issues facing Westchester’s women and families. Re-Elect Kitley Covill!
Catherine Borgia (CLD 9), first elected to the County Legislature in 2011, has served as an exemplary Chairperson of the Budget Committee for the past two years, carefully looking out for the best interests of the County’s residents. Borgia has proven herself to be a strong ally to women and families throughout her tenure as County Legislator. Her opponent is anti-choice and endorsed by the extremist group, Right to Life. WCLA PAC stands with Catherine Borgia!
Damon Maher (CLD 10) is an attorney, negotiator, volunteer, and, perhaps most importantly, an independent thinker. Maher is a strong voice for women and families and an ardent opponent of healthcare inequities. He is also a foster, adoptive and biological parent – and he is 100% pro-choice. In sharp contrast, his opponent is anti-choice and is dangerous for women and families! WCLA PAC proudly endorses Damon Maher!
Ruth Walter (CLD 15) is a former Bronxville Court Clerk and currently serves as a Bronxville Library Trustee. As a small business owner and a former investment analyst for a multinational firm, Walter understands first-hand the issues confronting residents of Westchester. Walter would add a pro-choice vote and voice to the County Legislature. Her opponent is staunchly anti-choice and endorsed by the extremist group, Right to Life. Vote for Ruth Walter!
Two Critical Open Seats Colin Smith (CLD 1) is a Peekskill Town Councilman, former Peekskill School Board member and attorney, with an impressive commitment to the Westchester community. Smith is 100% pro-choice. In contrast, his opponent is anti-reproductive rights and has aligned himself with anti-choice extremists promoting the Trump agenda. Vote for Colin Smith!
Vedat Gashi (CLB 4), an attorney, is 100% in support of comprehensive reproductive healthcare. He knows how important it is to women of all ages and is committed to safe and private access. In sharp contrast, Gashi’s opponent, Michael Grace, is rabidly anti-choice, and galvanized zealots to demand the Yorktown Town Board pass a resolution opposing the RHA, challenging it on behalf of “Baby Doe”. Grace is determined to bring Trump’s anti-woman agenda back to Westchester County government. This is a must-win seat! Vote Vedat Gashi for Choice!
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To Get Out the Pro-Choice Vote here in Westchester, WCLA PAC needs to put the BRIGHT YELLOW ProChoice Voting Guide into 70,000 voters’ mailboxes all over the County – and that costs $25,000. This event will help!
~We Invite You To Meet Our Pro-Choice Endorsed Judicial Candidates!
If nothing else, Donald Trump has made crystal clear how very important judges are! Trump has already appointed 2 Supreme Court Justices and 150+ other right-wing, ultra-conservative, anti-choice judges who will change the face of our legal system for decades to come. (Dozens of those nominees have refused to even answer whether they support the Supreme Court’s holding in Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 opinion that said racial segregation of public schools is unconstitutional.)
Here in New York, we are going to the polls to elect judges to serve on the Westchester Family and County Courts and to the Supreme Court – 9th Judicial District which includes Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Putnam and Westchester Counties.
Please come out and meet our pro-choice endorsed judicial candidates who, with your help, will make a positive difference right here in New York starting with their election in 2019.
~Join Our Special Guest, Senator Pete Harckham, and learn how a newly elected Pro-Choice NYS Senate has already made a difference in its first term in Albany!
Ticket sales from the event go directly towards getting the ProChoice Voting Guide into the hands of more than 70,000 voters in Westchester.
In an odd-year election cycle like this where there are no high-profile elected offices on the ballot, it all comes down to voter turn out – and the ProChoice Voting Guide is key to turning out our pro-choice voters!
IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND, PLEASE MAKE A DONATION!
Please support our endorsed candidates today and help us Get Out The ProChoice Vote.
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Did you know that Jeanine Pirro – presently the Fox News commentator, Trumper & star of Justice with Judge Jeanine- was endorsed by ALL the national and NY statewide pro-choice advocacy groups which helped her win 3 terms as Westchester County District Attorney???
And did you know it was WCLA – Choice Matters’ REQUIREMENT that ALL candidates – incumbents AND challengers – submit completed questionnaires in each election cycle that made it possible forWCLA – Choice Matters to expose Pirro’s change in position???
In 2001, Pirro’s 3rd race for Westchester DA, we rated her Anti-Choice for the first time as a direct result of the changes in her questionnaire. Unfortunately, other organizations did not reexamine her positions until 2005. The excitement over having the first woman serve as Westchester County DA had created a buzz that basically permitted many to give Pirro a pass as the incumbent, and allowed her to label herself “pro-choice” when, in fact, her position had changed.
Since our formation 47 years ago, WCLA – Choice Matters has made our policy perfectly clear to every candidate: submit a questionnaire or you will be rated “Anti-Choice”. No “if’s” “and’s” or “but’s”. The same is true for judicial candidate interviews. NO exceptions. We also go out of our way, often having to reach out numerous times to candidates, to remind them of the due date so that their questionnaires are submitted timely, and stating clearly that if one is not submitted, they will be rated as Anti-Choice. To reiterate, that is not a threat; it has always been our official policy.
Why are we so strict? Because candidates and issues change.
It stops anti-choice candidates from avoiding the issue;
It educates previously endorsed candidates on the many changes and challenges that have sprung up front-and-center since the last election, like the 20-week abortion ban, the RHA, and the “heartbeat” bills; and
It exposes those candidates who have changed their position on Choice but don’t want to tell you.
Our questionnaires are our contract with the candidate and we treat it exactly that way. It isn’t enough to say “I’m pro-choice”. Incumbents receive the same scrutiny as challengers by WCLA – Choice Matters.
We hold EVERY SINGLE candidate to the same standard, regardless of gender, party affiliation, or any other way one might identify. NO EXCEPTIONS.
And we will continue this practice, even when facing threats from candidates and/or elected officials, because it is the only way to protect CHOICE. Just remember Jeanine.
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In January 2019 , New York state lawmakers approved reforms intended to make it easier to vote, including giving voters 10 days of early access to the ballot box prior to Election Day. The November 2019 elections will be the first to offer early voting in New York State.
Early Voting Begins on Saturday, October 26, 2019, in Westchester County.
These two links provide a list the 2019 early voting locations in Westchester County as well as responses to frequently asked questions about this new effort.
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1. Alabama didn’t just happen, and it wasn’t just because of “25 white men.” Those are soundbites.
The Governor of Alabama who signed this horrific bill into law is a woman, and there are women in the Alabama Assembly who voted for this – As there are in the other states who vote for these awful unconstitutional laws.
Alabama’s law outlaws just about all abortion – a law that will send doctors who help women to jail for up to 99 years. Missouri is in the process of passing a bill that outlaws abortion at 8 weeks and 6 other states have passed bills with the same intent, of making access to abortion impossible. Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio have also passed “heartbeat” bills which basically ban abortion after 6 weeks, when women do not even know that they are pregnant -AND many other bills are targeting birth control like EC (emergency contraception) and IUD’s.
They are competing to see which state will make it to the US Supreme Court first to overturn Roe.
2. A major reason this happened is, because under Obama and Clinton, the Democrats* gave up control of State governments. People – perhaps you – stopped watching, stopping thinking there was and is an opposite side, a powerful alternative universe. The anti’s took control – anti-abortion/contraception/women, anti-sensible gun legislation, anti-recognition of gay rights of any/all kinds, anti-science/climate change awareness, etc. The hen house was unminded.
3. BUT Why NOT in New York? After all we had, until 2018, a Republican-controlled Senate.
The answer is simple. Because – unbeknownst to most of you – New York has the most powerful reproductive rights organization in the country – Choice Matters and WCLA PAC – actually, the most powerful political action group anywhere- with a record to prove it!
We are the personification of grassroots organizing and we determine New York State politics.
The women who founded Choice Matters in 1972 and its PACs were unbelievably smart. They knew that the right to an abortion would never be a “decided” issue, and that the only way to fight back was to make sure we are “voter strong.” So they built an election machine!
Choice Matters spends – since the early 1980s – a minimum of 4 days a week adding to a database chock full of pro-choice voters who are committed to only voting for candidates who are 100% pro-choice by Choice Matters’ standards, not a re-worked definition repackaged by candidates.
That is key in winning in New York and Pennsylvania and other states. Who controls the votes? We Must!
4. What You Need to Do: Support WCLA PAC and Choice Matters RIGHT NOW.
We are facing an all-out assault here in New York. Just like in 1972, when the anti’s failed to overturn NY’s abortion law and they formed the NY Right to Life Party, they are organizing.
Right now we have key elections in Westchester and towns and villages across New York State.
These are the launching points for people later running to be County and State elected officials. In April, the County of Putnam passed a resolution opposing the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) as did Carmel. After a lot of support and encouragement from WCLA PAC and Choice Matters supporters, Somers and Yorktown refused to take up a state issue. BUT SOMERS AND YORKTOWN HAVE ELECTIONS THIS YEAR.
WCLA PAC and Choice Matters are out there fighting for our reproductive rights every day! Please make a donation and support the fight. We cannot do it without you. ——- *By far, not all Democrats are pro-choice. Many are violently anti-choice. In Westchester, a Democratic County legislator from Yonkers is anti-choice because of his “religion”. (What about your religion??) The same is true for legislators in Towns, Cities, Counties and States across the country. The party designation does NOT tell the story. ———- The most powerful action you can take today to protect New York and stop these zealots regardless of party affiliation is to contribute to WCLA PAC today.
Please call 914.946.5363 with any questions.
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May 4th, some of us joined forces with NYC for Abortion Rights at Bryant Park and then with a march to Time Square. We stood up and said, “NO” to the homophobic anti-abortion hate group Focus on the Family. They are here to generate extremist reactions to the Reproductive Health Act, and we are here to say, “Not in our city, not in our State – NOT NOW, NOT EVER.”
Standing tall for ChoiceChoice Matters ActivistsHandmaid’s Tale reference
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On May 2nd, the Somers Town Board convened its work session. Some of us were there to thank the Town Board for refusing to entertain a resolution opposing the Reproductive Health Act that Carmel and the Putnam County Legislature had passed in April.
Thank you to the handmaids who came out, representing the chattel from the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
Speak Up – Speak Out! Women’s lives depend on it.
Thank you to the handmaids who came out, representing the chattel from the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
Speak Up – Speak Out! Women’s lives depend on it.
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