PR: Protections for female collegiate athletes gains steam after Senate approves House version of women’s sports bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
PROTECTIONS FOR FEMALE COLLEGIATE ATHLETES GAINS STEAM AFTER SENATE APPROVES HOUSE VERSION OF WOMEN’S SPORTS BILL
The North Carolina Senate Education Committee passed the House version of the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” which unlike the Senate version, includes protections for collegiate women athletes. The bill states biological males would not be allowed on women’s sports teams.
“We are encouraged by today’s vote which protects middle school, high school and female athletes from being forced to play against biological males, who without question have significant physical advantages,” said NC Values Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “It’s time for North Carolina to ensure all student female athletes have a level playing field, and their rights under Title IX are upheld.”
NC Values and NC Faith & Freedom Coalition commissioned a statewide poll in January 2023, and found over 70% of North Carolinians believe biological males should not be permitted on female sports teams. A new nationwide Gallup Poll revealed 69% of Americans also agree about protecting female athletes from being forced to compete against transgender competitors, showing a 7% leap since 2021.
Payton McNabb and Riley Gaines, female athletes both personally affected by transgender competitors submitted statements for today’s committee hearing. McNabb was a high school volleyball player in Cherokee, North Carolina injured when a trans volleyball player spiked a ball in her face causing her long-term neurological, mental, and other issues.
“I have suffered mentally and physically every day since the incident. My body suffers with the side effects of my head and neck injuries; the constant headaches, fatigue, partial paralysis on my right side, vision, problems, and my ability to retain, or comprehend, has been affected,” said McNabb in her statement. “The amount of anxiety of not knowing when or if I will ever completely heal, has taken its toll. I have had severe bouts with depression because of this. I never want anyone to have to go through what I’m going through.”
Riley Gaines, who was cheated out of a championship title by biological male Lia Thomas, also submitted a statement to the committee today. “Make no mistake about it, by allowing Thomas to displace female athletes – in the pool and on the podium — the NCAA and its member colleges intentionally discriminated on the basis of sex,” said Gaines. “I implore you to please pass House Bill 574, the ‘Fairness in Women’s Sports Act’ that preserves women’s athletic opportunities at all levels, including young women competing in college like me.”
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PR: Governor Cooper lashes out at school choice, hints at keeping sexually explicit material in schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
GOVERNOR COOPER LASHES OUT AT SCHOOL CHOICE, HINTS AT KEEPING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL IN SCHOOLS
Governor Cooper issued a state of emergency plea, opposing school choice and rejecting the idea parents should use their public education tax dollars to fund the school which fits their child.
“Democrats are nervous because their grip on public education, which has been weaponized to indoctrinate students, is slipping. They want to control parents’ decisions and deprive struggling families from giving their children more educational opportunities because it threatens their power,” said NC Values Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “Governor Cooper has called a state of emergency, but parents have already done that by demanding school choice and transparency hoping to rescue their children from failing government schools.”
A January 2023 statewide poll commissioned by NC Values and NC Faith & Freedom Coalition showed 69% of North Carolinians support opportunity scholarships, including 68.6% of African Americans and 80% of Hispanics. An astounding 81% of parents surveyed said they want more transparency in schools.
According to The Nation’s Report Card, “The percentage of students in North Carolina who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level was 35 percent in 2022,” and in reading just 32%. Eighth graders who performed at or above the proficient level for reading was 25%.
Governor Cooper also denounced “book bans” referring to the parental push sweeping North Carolina to stop age inappropriate, explicit sexual content from being provided in schools, and said the legislature wants to bring their “political culture wars into the classroom.”
“The governor has sent the message today that parents should accept keeping their children in schools with abysmal test scores, pornography, and politically charged curriculum. Governor Cooper doesn’t know what’s best for other people’s children, parents are the ones with the God-given rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children. I encourage the General Assembly to approve the “Choose Your School, Choose Your Future” legislation and allow children a chance to thrive at a school which fits their individual needs,” said Fitzgerald.
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PR: Governor Cooper’s veto meets demise with override, legislature makes pro-life bill law of the land
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
GOVERNOR COOPER’S VETO MEETS DEMISE WITH OVERRIDE, LEGISLATURE MAKES PRO-LIFE BILL LAW OF THE LAND
NC Values Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald responded today to the General Assembly’s veto override, upholding pro-life legislation. SB 20 rolls back abortion from 20 to 12 weeks, provides improved health provisions for women, millions in aid for women in crisis, and ends discriminatory and painful, late-term abortions.
“Today marks the beginning of North Carolina’s first real step towards becoming a pro-life state as the ‘Care for Women, Children and Families Act’ becomes law of the land. Pro-life North Carolinians have waited over 50 years to roll back the gestational age for sanctioned killing of pre-born children. Legislators have rejected Governor Cooper’s extreme, unreasonable position of abortion without restriction up to birth with this veto override. This pro-woman legislation has $160 million in funding to help pregnant mothers including $75 million for childcare, $59 million for foster care, kinship care and children’s homes, and $16 million to reduce infant and maternal mortality, and $3 million to help mothers complete college. We sincerely thank Senator Berger, Speaker Moore, and Republican legislators for standing strong and voting on behalf of the 62% of North Carolinians who reject abortion after 12 weeks. As we look forward to the 2024 election cycle, NC Values will continue to find and support candidates who support life, and who are not for sale to the billion-dollar abortion industry.”
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