By Tony Dolz
The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment in the Bill of Rights protects our right to practice our faith and to express our beliefs. All U.S. laws are based on authority and restrictions imposed by the Constitution. Federal law supersedes state laws and this is known as the Supremacy Clause.
The Founders wrote the constitution in plain language, so everyone could read it, understand it and hold our elected representatives accountable. In our republic, legislators are prohibited by the Constitution from making laws, or regulations, that infringe on our fundamental protected rights.
Conejo Valley school board members and CVUSD employees take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution as a condition of employment and service.
The Christian faith and many other faiths have strongly held beliefs in regard to gender identity, and family life. Schools have no say in the matter.
The school board may soon vote to expand the curriculum’s politicization of gender identity and the sexualization of minors to K-6 children (kindergarten through sixth grade) over the objections of many parents of faith who feel violated and betrayed. There has been a long-standing opposition to the politicization of gender and sexual behavior of 7 to 12 grade children, expanding the policy to K to 6 grades would trigger a stronger reaction.
At times we’re torn between issues of political importance, but under our form of government, these must yield to constitutionally protected individual rights. CVUSD must stop infringing on constitutionally protected rights and parental rights.
At a minimum, parents deserve an easy and uncontroversial path to opting out of gender politics and sexualization of children that infringe on the practice of their faith.
CVUSD, we hear you: 26% of Conejo Valley school-age children have quit district schools in favor of private/religious options and/or home schooling.
Incredibly, the CVUSD expects parents to stand still as the board now reverses course and pushes gender-identity politics and the sexualization of curriculum to K-6 children.
Intentionally or not, CVUSD actions are driving the remaining people of faith out of district schools. The consequence is a growing loss of students, followed by a corresponding loss of state funding.
CVUSD is already facing a funding crisis. Isn’t it time to protect public education by reversing policies that are repugnant to the Constitution and intolerable to many parents?
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal.
Tony Dolz is a resident of Thousand Oaks and former Conejo Valley School Board Candidate
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It does not work that way. The have endless money.
The bigger the crisis the more funding received. Poorer test scores, more funding, more crime, more funding. Dumber students more funding. If you love your children they should not be in a system that wants to destroy them. Public school is the 10th plank of the communist manifesto, and also called covetousness by the scriptures. So which, part of evil don’t people understand? Rather than trying to fixing public “schools” we should be closing them.
To add to Mr. Dolz concerns, CVUSD should be concerned about ADA (Average Daily Attendance) funds that come from the State to fund local school districts. The possibility that neighborhood schools could be closed to lack of funds is an ever present danger they, not the parents, are causing could become reality. With schools closed, where will current public education teachers receive an income? The Teachers Union’s ought to be crapping in their pants at the thought that they won’t be able to sustain their sweet deal on the shoulders of the taxpayers with this possibility.