Elections matter--and so does activism
So this is what scares right-wing extremists?
"Kids these days"...are actually pretty cool.
Our younger generations collectively exhibit much more acceptance of differences than did generations of old. That's not to say that old-fashioned bullying has disappeared--far from it.
The explicit and purposeful teaching of social and emotional skills is one reason why our younger generations as a whole have adopted an attitude of acceptance. A large and growing body of evidence indicates that students who receive Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) education have higher test scores, increased social and emotional skills, and fewer discipline problems.
Across our nation, Republican lawmakers are trying to ban the teaching of SEL. Many school boards that have been taken over by right-wing partisans demand the cessation of the program.
Depriving students of the opportunity to develop SEL skills could happen here in Klickitat County, too. This sad possibility leads us to our theme for this email alert. The electons taking place this year in Klickitat County matter very much. County-wide from Bickleton to White Salmon, twenty-nine school board positions are up for election. So are many other offices, ranging from city council seats to positions on fire district, cemetery, and hospital boards.
If 151 additional voters had cast a ballot for Garique Clifford in 2022, Bob Songer would not have been able to hire Loren Culp, because Songer would not be the Klickitat County sheriff. It would be a shame to have to write a similar sentence after this November, lamenting a right-wing takeover of our schools. Because elections matter, we need to grow in numbers, diversity, and strength. We need activists.
Two Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., quotes apply to our situtation:
1. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
2. "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
Please consider helping us strengthen as a party. There are many different ways, some simple and others requiring a bit more commitment. Take our volunteer survey by clicking on this link.