CLAS Attacks

The recent attacks against our state’s CLAS examinations are a concerted effort orchestrated by national religious-right organizations such as the Eagle Forum, the Christian Coalition, the Rutherford Institute and Concerned Women for America. Although trying to disguise the attacks as local incidents, members of these organizations, with guidance from their national leaders, are waging a well-organized battle against every school district in the state of California. These are the same people who fight against sex education in high schools, work to censor reading material--which they consider immoral--from our children’s schools, and oppose school breakfast programs and after-school care because they somehow devalue the family.

These organizations are very well-financed and, unfortunately, are succeeding at intimidating school districts into conformity with their very narrow viewpoint of how the world should be run. Our public schools enroll children from every nationality, race, religion and sexual orientation. The needs of all of these students should be met, not just the needs and desires of an extremely vocal, cash-rich minority.

I urge all school districts, especially the Simi Valley Unified School District, to consider the wants and needs of my children and the many other children who are not aligned with these organizations when making decisions concerning their education and future. It’s time to start worrying about our children’s education, not about the next election.

LINDA JORDAN-O’CONNOR

Simi Valley