On Tuesday, June 4, 2019, I met with Superintendent Wayne Gent regarding our concerns about CAST opening classrooms directly across the street from A Woman's World Abortion Clinic. (Click the link to read up on that if you missed the original post.) Here are the bullet points on the meeting:
*Mr. Gent treated myself and Pastor Longworth with respect and professionalism, much different than the former superintendent and board members Hilson and Hensley who have responded to some of us with nasty emails, claiming we were threatening them. (If you receive a response like that, please forward it to me.)
*Mr. Gent said they will continue with the expansion but he is considering the following safety precautions:
1) To build a security fence with a mesh around the building that would provide security and limit the view of the clinic.
2) To landscape in front of the school building in a way that would limit visibility of the clinic.
3) To establish procedures in the school that would train teachers to close the blinds during certain times so the children would not be witnessing emergency vehicles, protests, etc.
He has not given a date or assurance that these things will in fact happen, just the fact that he is looking into doing these things. And of course fences and hedges can't protect a child's emotional well-being or the fact that the school is normalizing abortion to the children by not being concerned that the clinic is there.
So what next:
*After speaking with some people and praying about it, going to the school board meeting on June 11th would probably not accomplish much. Since school is over, this particular meeting is not well attended, so we'd only be speaking to the same people we have been emailing. Plus, we would need a big crowd to make any impact and only 15 people indicated to me that they emailed the superintendent and board. Also, it takes more time to attend this meeting, so I doubt we would have enough people to make an impact.
*If you haven't yet, email the superintendent and board (information and example letter below). It only takes a few minutes and it makes an impact. We know because we have received responses, and the Superintendent ignored me until he received these emails.
*Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper. The letters to the editor section is the most read part of the newspaper. People don't know what's going on, and we have to get the word out. For your convenience, I've listed area papers with contact information below.
*Forward this post on Facebook, some other social media platform, or in your email to get more people involved.
*Contact me with any ideas.
We may not get them to stop this expansion, but we can bring light to this travesty and let the public know what these board members stand for.
Thanks and keep me posted on anything you do.
God Bless,
Jim
*Mr. Gent treated myself and Pastor Longworth with respect and professionalism, much different than the former superintendent and board members Hilson and Hensley who have responded to some of us with nasty emails, claiming we were threatening them. (If you receive a response like that, please forward it to me.)
*Mr. Gent said they will continue with the expansion but he is considering the following safety precautions:
1) To build a security fence with a mesh around the building that would provide security and limit the view of the clinic.
2) To landscape in front of the school building in a way that would limit visibility of the clinic.
3) To establish procedures in the school that would train teachers to close the blinds during certain times so the children would not be witnessing emergency vehicles, protests, etc.
He has not given a date or assurance that these things will in fact happen, just the fact that he is looking into doing these things. And of course fences and hedges can't protect a child's emotional well-being or the fact that the school is normalizing abortion to the children by not being concerned that the clinic is there.
So what next:
*After speaking with some people and praying about it, going to the school board meeting on June 11th would probably not accomplish much. Since school is over, this particular meeting is not well attended, so we'd only be speaking to the same people we have been emailing. Plus, we would need a big crowd to make any impact and only 15 people indicated to me that they emailed the superintendent and board. Also, it takes more time to attend this meeting, so I doubt we would have enough people to make an impact.
*If you haven't yet, email the superintendent and board (information and example letter below). It only takes a few minutes and it makes an impact. We know because we have received responses, and the Superintendent ignored me until he received these emails.
*Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper. The letters to the editor section is the most read part of the newspaper. People don't know what's going on, and we have to get the word out. For your convenience, I've listed area papers with contact information below.
*Forward this post on Facebook, some other social media platform, or in your email to get more people involved.
*Contact me with any ideas.
We may not get them to stop this expansion, but we can bring light to this travesty and let the public know what these board members stand for.
Thanks and keep me posted on anything you do.
God Bless,
Jim
PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay @noyadesigns
| Dear Superintendent Gent and St. Lucie County School Board Members, I think expanding the school "Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie," or CAST, to include using a building directly across the street from "A Woman's World Medical Center" (an active surgical abortion clinic with a lot of police activity and criminal owners) is dangerous and detrimental to the very young children who attend CAST. Please do not do this. I also know School Board Members Kathryn Hensley and Carol Hilson are up for re-election and will vote accordingly. Sincerely, | SUPERINTENDENT'S and BOARD MEMBERS' ADDRESSES Wayne.Gent@stlucieschools.org Deborah.Hawley@stlucieschools.org Donna.Mills@stlucieschools.org Troy.Ingersoll@stlucieschools.org Carol.Hilson@stlucieschools.org Katherine.Hensley@stlucieschools.org |
PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay (detail)
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-Submit an email or hard copy letter to Jean Gonzalez https://thefloridacatholic.org/about-us/
Treasure Coast Newspapers
-Submit a hard copy letter here: 1939 SE Federal Hwy, Stuart, FL 34994 and 760 NW Enterprise Dr, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
- Submit your digital letter here: https://www.tcpalm.com/opinion/
Palm Beach Post
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Orange Peel Gazette
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-Submit your electronic letter here:
http://orangepeelgazette.com/contact-us/
Inquirer Newspapers, Inc.
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-Website with email: http://www.vb32963online.com/
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