BlueTooth Reviews: 2020-01

Jan 22, 2020

Power2Parent Joins Amicus Brief Defending School Choice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
01/22/2020
Contact: charlie@power2parent.org

Power2Parent Co-signs Amicus Brief in Montana School Choice Supreme Court Case

Power2Parent has joined The Institute for Justice and 22 organizations from across the Unites States as co-signers on an Amicus Brief in support of school choice, Espanoza vs. Montana Department of Revenue, that will be heard in the US Supreme Court beginning tomorrow, January 22, 2020.

This is likely the most important school choice case in the nation. A case where the Montana Supreme Court ruled that the state can exclude religious options for parents who chose to participate in the generally available tax-credit scholarship program.

The Question this case hopes to answer is : "Does the state have the right to discriminate against parents who choose religious education for their children?"

The Institute for Justice has given us a brief history of this case:

"Nearly 30 states and the District of Columbia currently give parents a full range of educational choice—including religious options—through various school choice programs. In 2015, the Montana Legislature, likewise, enacted a scholarship program that provides a modest tax credit (up to $150 annually) to individuals and businesses who donate to private scholarship organizations. Those scholarship organizations could then use the donations to give scholarships to needy families who want to send their children to private schools, including religious schools.

Soon after the program's passage, however, the Montana Department of Revenue enacted an administrative rule that prohibited participants from using their scholarships at religious schools. The Department claimed that the "Blaine Amendment" of the Montana Constitution required the exclusion of religious options. In 2018, the Montana Supreme Court agreed with the Department's view but took it one step further: In a 5-2 ruling, the court invalidated the entire scholarship program simply because it afforded parents and students the choice of religious schools. Families who wish to use the scholarships at religious schools challenged the decision as a violation of their free exercise rights under the First Amendment."

We are grateful the Supreme Court has taken up this case and are looking forward to clarity of law that the ruling will allow parents and children of Nevada and across the country, the ability to fully choose the options best suited for their child.

The outcome of this case will potentially impact many low- income and moderate- income families, and will have far-reaching consequences for this program in the Montana case and other programs like it.

Stay tuned to Power2Parent for updates on this vital school choice case.

Power2Parent is a non-profit organization. As such, we rely on your generous donations to keep fighting for parental rights in Nevada. Thank you.

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Jan 21, 2020

President's Message

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Please enjoy a message from our President, Erin Phillips regarding our accomplishments in 2019.

Powerful Parents,

As President of Power2Parent I want to take the opportunity to personally thank each of you for an amazing 2019. Our ability to affect change in policy and legislation that protects parental rights depends on active and engaged parents, grandparents, and community members like you.

In this past year we have been able to do just that, and we have built more momentum than in any of our past six years as an organization.

It is because of your support that we were able to build coalitions and work with diverse organizations in defense of Nevada parents.

During the 2019 Nevada Legislative Session, we worked alongside other groups to lobby for protecting school choice programs like the Nevada Choice Scholarship. We advocated for charter schools and autonomy for private schools. We also stopped a radical sex education bill, aimed at keeping parents from being informed of what is being taught at school, from ever getting a hearing and rallied parents to help amend a bill that would strip parents and young women of their rights to make informed medical decisions.

I am also grateful for an incredible team who has worked tirelessly to promote parent engagement programs all over the valley in the Clark County School District. As parents we recognize that the number one indicator of success for kids in school is parent involvement. I'm so proud that we were able to partner with district schools for two Family Game Nights where we brought over 200 previously donated games and provided them to families who gathered in their child's school for some quality family time. Thank you to Trustee Linda Young who attended as well as other community influencers like Mrs. America Natalie Winslow to support our efforts.

We also made an incredible partnership with Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa who donated over 1500 decks of playing cards to Power2Parent so we could send a deck home with each student at the schools who held the game nights. We fashioned a sticker to each deck with our logo and link to our website where parents could find card games to play together as a family.

With your help, our goal for 2020 is to host one game night per month at a Nevada school and eventually expand this program across the state.

Thanks to your efforts we also began a monthly newsletter with rich content that encourages and informs parents on creative ways to engage our children. Each month we also highlight a teacher who is nominated by a community member. Our Power2Teach program recognizes the incredible contribution teachers make in the lives of our children and rewards them with $50 to Amazon. We are looking forward to announcing our teacher of the year, and awarding them a $500 prize.

As a mom of five children, I am hopeful that the best years for Nevada families are yet to come. I am dedicated to putting in the hard work it will take to secure a bright future for my children and yours and I am grateful beyond words for your investment.

Thank you for each one of you who gave to Power2Parent this past year. I am personally grateful. If you are looking for a place to invest in Nevada this upcoming year and want to support our new programs or legislative efforts, click here to make a donation.

I am looking forward to what we can accomplish together in the years to come.

Thank you,

Erin Phillips
President
www.Power2Parent.org