Which one are you?

• Porn shop operator,
• Supporter of promiscuous behavior,
• Someone that believes that, although you’re smart enough to teach your kids about abstinence, everyone else is too stupid to do it themselves, or
• An “intellectual”?

Because, according to Bill Wright (R-Holden), if you supported the veto of HB363 you most likely fit into one of these four categories.

Thank you Bill Wright, now I have proof that I am an intellectual.  Since I’m a teacher and not a porn store operator, I don’t think people should be sleeping with everyone in sight and I don’t have any children, that leaves only one thing: intellectual.

Of course he meant “Intellectual”, with the quotes and preferable said with a sneer.   Kind of like the way you would refer to a “liberal”, “leper” or “rabid dog.”  But to me, it just means smart.

Thank the Governor, so he knows you are still paying attention.

I got another email from the man who spearheaded the online petition for the repeal of HB363.  You can read the whole thing, but the main focus was thanking everyone and encouraging people to email the Governor thanking him for the veto.

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Congratulations Everyone!! Governor Herbert vetoed HB363!

Because of all of your efforts; signatures, comments, emails, phone calls and the rally, we truly made a difference.

It just goes to show, that all of us together can become a voice that cannot be ignored.

Last night after vetoing HB363 Governor Herbert Stated “After careful review of existing law and following extensive discussions with stakeholders on both sides of the issue,” Herbert said, “HB363 simply goes to far by constricting parental options.”

After hearing about the veto I sent Governor Herbert an email thanking him for doing the right thing for the people of Utah. Here is the link to email the Governor if you would like to do the same. http://governor.utah.gov/goca/form_comment.html

If you would like to know how your representative voted on HB363 here is the link:

http://le.utah.gov/DynaBill/svotes.jsp?voteid=551&house=H&sessionid=2012GS

If you are unhappy with how your representative voted let them know and remember this the next time they run for reelection.

There were many people involved in the defeat of HB363, I want to say thanks to the Utah PTA, Utah Education Association and special Thanks to Maryann Martindale with Alliance for a Better Utah for organizing the rally at the Capitol rotunda.

The Alliance for a Better UTAH is a year-round, multi-issue education and advocacy organization providing resources, commentary, and action on important public policy matters. To find out more, visit betterutah.org. To stay informed about important issues and to learn about opportunities to participate and make your voice heard, join the Alliance for a Better UTAH email list, here is a link.

http://betterutah.pnstate.org/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=15522

I am going to leave the petition up until the Governor’s decision is a done deal as there has been some talk of a veto override. However, I don’t think they have the votes for an override.

Thanks again everyone, well done!

Paul Krueger

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Since I think it is important that the Governor knows that we appreciate his gesture, and that we are keeping tabs on developments, I sent him this email:

Dear Governor Herbert,

Thank you for the veto of HB363 and protecting the rights of parents to have the option of a trained professional instructing their children on human sexuality.  I am truly glad to see that you did not cede to the pressure of special interest groups that feel they know better than the 97% of the parents that actively opt to have their children participate in these courses.

Thank you Gov. Herbert.

It’s “Happy Dance” time.

Today, the citizens of Utah proved me wrong.  Their voice can be louder in the state capitol than that of Gayle The Fail and the Wrinkles Forum.

Governor Herbert proved me wrong.  I honestly didn’t think he would defy the Teabagger Party folks and do what the majority of parents in Utah wanted him to do.

But we are louder and he did listen.  Top of page 1 of the Salt Lake Tribune this morning:

HB363 is dead.  For now at least, but the article did say that it passed with less than the two-thirds majority it would need to override the Gov’s veto, and even some of it’s supporters have backed off since the controversy.  Possible, but not likely.

“Sad day for the children of Utah” my ass, Ms. Ruzicka.  It’s a happy day for all the children whose parents care enough to get proper education on sexuality for them.  Especially for the parents that know they are either not up to date enough to supply it, or they are not the ones their children would feel comfortable asking the hard questions.

Thanks to all the people that called and/or emailed the Governor, good job!  We’ve shown that logical citizens can trump the dreaded Telephone Tree ‘O Terror.

Blockin’ up the scenery, breakin’ my mind…

I learned a few things at the rally today.  First was that not all Republicans voted for the idiocy that is HB363.  Second, according to a B.Y.U. survey, 58% of Utahns are either for or strongly for the veto of HB363.  Third, and most important to the discussion, is that only 3% of public school students do not get their permission slips signed and end up missing the Sex-Ed part of their health class.  That means 97% make the conscious choice to have their children educated on the subject of human sexuality.  Consider the part of that 3% of parents and students that never got around to it, lost it or simply forgot to get it signed, and you have a very, very, very small minority that agree with Gayle Ruzicka and her band of merry ostriches.

This is the guy that started the online petition that Governor Herbert calls bogus. (Click any picture to see larger version)

He is also the person that organized this not-so-bogus rally with several hundred real, live people there.

And here are a slew of the signs that I saw there.

And finally, I didn’t see this sign, but I like the box the cardboard came from.

Veto and ironic label placing.

For all of you that live in Utah and are interested:

Rally at the Utah State Capitol.
VETO HB363
5:00PM Tomorrow,
Wednesday March 14, 2012
In the Capitol Rotunda

Education not Ignorance!
VETO HB363
Health Education Amendments, or the "Ignorance Only" bill
Join with fellow Utahns--parents, teachers, students, concerned citizens--and tell Governor Herbert to VETO HB363!
The rally will be held at the Capitol rotunda in Salt Lake City at 5:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 14th.
About HB363:
With HB363, Parents will no longer be able to choose if their children receive this important health education. Before HB363 Parents could opt out, something fewer than 3% did, but now, that right is gone and legislature has made that choice for you.
It gives school districts a choice to “opt out” of sex ed altogether, or teach a strict abstinence only curriculum.
Thanks to everyone for all your support!! This petition, your phone calls and emails are a voice that that can not be ignored!!  
Paul Krueger

And now for the lighter side of things – a student of mine showed me this book she checked out of the school library.  I found out that there are rules and regulations on where the numbers and category of a book must be placed when added to the collection.

Sometimes exceptions need to be made.

HB363–Continued.

I got this email from the guy who set up the online petition and thought I would pass it on to everyone:

Thanks for taking the time to sign the petition to veto HB363. The Governor knows about the petition but has apparently decided that social media is irrelevant. This quote is from a Deseret News article "Herbert has said that he will not be swayed by mass email campaigns and would make a decision based on what is the best policy for the state of Utah." I am asking everyone who has signed the petition to contact Governor Herbert's office directly, either by email, or by phone (801-538-1000) and voice your opinion on this foolish bill.
http://governor.utah.gov/goca/form_comment.html
Thanks again
P.K.

Here is the message that I sent Utah Governor Gary Herbert:

Dear Governor Herbert,

As someone who fights against government intrusion into people's personal decisions, I urge you to veto HB363.

As things sit right now, parents have to sign permission for their children to receive sex education, by default if a parent does not sign schools have to excuse the student from the sex education curriculum and find an alternative place for them to be other than in the room where the subject is being covered.

By failing to veto HB363, you are taking away a parent's right to choose to have a professional educator inform their child on the subject of human sexuality, in essence you will be denying a choice for the 90% of parents that currently like that option.

I strongly urge you to veto HB363 not only because an informed person tends to make better choices, but also because you profess to believe it is better when the government does not make our decisions for us.

Thank you for your time.

S.R.

The 10% solution.

Current Utah state law requires parents to sign permission for their kids to be in sex education and currently 90% of parents chose to have their kids take these classes. HB363 would allow school districts to deny parents this option and would make any discussion of birth control (even when the student initiates the discussion) illegal for the districts that continue to offer sex education. Nobody elected Gayle Ruzicka and her Tea Bagger Eagle Forum to our legislature and they should not be allowed to undermine the wishes of 90% of the parents of this state.

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Subject: Gov. Herbert Veto HB363 (sex education)

Hi,

This bill would let schools skip teaching sex education and prohibit instruction in the use of contraception. It's critical that sex education is taught in the schools, as not every child has the opportunity to learn about these topics at home. This bill is nothing more than a attempt to dictate morality.

That's why I signed a petition to Governor Gary Herbert, which says:

"Governor Herbert, please veto HB363. Our children need to be given enough information about sex and contraception that they are able to make good decisions concerning sex."

Will you sign this petition? Click here:

http://signon.org/sign/gov-herbert-veto-hb363?source=s.em.cp&r_by=3143745

Thanks!

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