Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your friends and church families.
1. NEWS & OBSERVER: New NC sex-ed rules promote abstinence. But some say that message isn’t strong enough.
“North Carolina’s new school health standards don’t go far enough for some conservative groups in promoting the teaching of abstinence until marriage. The State Board of Education voted 7-1 on Thursday to adopt new healthful living standards for K-12 public schools that include multiple references to teaching about the benefits of abstinence. But conservative critics say the message is also mixed, with wording that could encourage students to have sex.
‘The State Board of Education has failed North Carolina’s children by adopting standards for teaching sex education in all of our public schools that promote the teaching of “safer sex” techniques while minimizing the risk of pregnancy and STDs, and that fail to teach abstinence from sexual activity as an expected standard of behavior for all school-aged children, as our sex education law requires,’ Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the N.C. Values Coalition, said in a statement Thursday.”
Read more: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article289069269.html
2. LIFE NEWS: North Carolina Judge Strikes Down Abortion Pill Protections, Women Could Die From Botched Abortions
“NC Values Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald made a statement today about the decision by U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles to strike down health protections surrounding abortion drug laws: ‘This decision lowers the standard of care for women, allowing dangerous DIY in-home abortions which statistically causes complications in one out of five women. Easily obtained chemical abortion drugs are also used by human traffickers and domestic abusers who force abortions on their victims which is happening all over the United States. The decision also strikes down reporting requirements for non-fatal complications from the drugs, which conceals dangerous complications and side effects of abortion drugs. This decision puts women’s health and safety at risk so the abortion industry can fast-track dangerous chemical abortions and maximize profits.'”
3. NORTH STATE JOURNAL: Opportunity Scholarship funding bill held up in House
“A bill adding additional funding to the Opportunity Scholarship Program to clear a waitlist of 54,800 applications that easily passed the Senate earlier this month has been stymied in the House. The Senate approved House Bill 823 on May 2, but the bill has remained in the House Rules, Operations and Calendar Committee. The bill contains $463.5 million over the next two years to clear the waitlist for the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) and creates an Education Reserve Fund.”
Read more: https://nsjonline.com/article/2024/05/opportunity-scholarship-funding-bill-held-up-in-house/
If you would like to contact your representative and ask them to vote to fund the Opportunity Scholarship, click here.
4. YOU’RE INVITED: Moms for Liberty day of action in Raleigh
On June 11-12, NC Moms for Liberty will be hosting Legislative Days in Raleigh. The event kicks off on Tuesday, June 11th with an evening program featuring dinner and speakers.
The doors will open at 5:30 PM. Kimberly Hermann from the Southeast Legal Foundation will address the audience, shedding light on the Title IX changes and the federal lawsuit filed against the Biden administration.
Additionally, Joni Bryant from the 917 Society, Pastor John Amanchakwu, and Tia Bess, their Director of National Engagement, will be joining them.
Then on Wednesday, June 12th, they will be at the NC General Assembly for a morning rally led by Mark Robinson, followed by tours and meetings with legislators to discuss their legislative agenda.
To learn more, visit: https://portal.momsforliberty.org/events/2528/
5. LIFE SITE NEWS: World’s largest children’s books publisher releases radical ‘LGBTQIA+’ guide targeting K-12 children
“Scholastic’s radical ‘pride’ guide calls on teachers push ‘LGBTQIA+’ ideology on children as early as kindergarten and indoctrinate them in sexual depravity and fabricated gender ‘identities’ that don’t actually exist.”
Weekly Prayer: Life
LORD, we recognize that you are Sovereign over all creation. We recognize you made man from the dust, and in your mercy, you crowned creation with man and woman made in your image. What a wonder it is that you would bestow upon us this blessing and responsibility!
LORD, may we not take this blessing for granted. We pray that this great responsibility and dignity may motivate us to love You, our neighbors, and our families more. LORD, may we as a culture truly see and believe that children are a blessing from the LORD—born or unborn; able or disabled. All children should have an opportunity to experience the liberty of life. LORD, make us your vehicle to change our culture into one that cherishes and protects life. Keep at the forefront of our minds our responsibilities to respect, cherish, and serve the youngest and oldest in our society.
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'” (Matthew 18:1-6)
Amen
NC Values
