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2015 School Board Survey
Candidates:
Copy and paste the survey questions below into your word processor, type your
answers and send to
vote4life@lifepac.org. If
you prefer, you can
freely compose your own statement for posting using some of the survey's themes. Responses will be authenticated
before use.
AN ETHIC OF LIFE IN PUBLIC
SCHOOL EDUCATION
1.
The purpose of teaching a consistent ethic of life (see
here,
here and
here) in public school education is to defend human dignity.
Violations of this dignity include before all else the direct attacks against human life
found in abortion, fetal plundering and euthanasia. Beyond these are the
threats of persistent poverty,
unjust war, capital punishment, the use of nuclear arms,
violence, racism and exploitation. As a
school board member, will you do all within your power and
authority to promote student policy and class curricula that teach students a consistent
ethic of life?
SEX EDUCATION
2. The Washington State Legislature passed
ESSB
5297 in 2007 requiring school districts to teach scientifically accurate
comprehensive sex education, if
they teach sex ed at all. A
2012 Congressional report promoting the Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) model
states that "[Comprehensive Sex Education] has failed to lower rates of teenage
pregnancy because it assumes that preteens and teens are fully capable of making
decisions without adequate guidance. By contrast, a clear understanding of
teenage behavior is why public health campaigns against teenage drinking,
smoking, and reckless driving have been relatively successful. They are not
value neutral when it comes to teenage choices, especially those with public
health ramifications. These programs set realistic and age appropriate
expectations for the teens and then show them how to avoid the risky behaviors."
As a school board member,
will you do all within your power and authority to promote life-respecting sex education curricula?
SCHOOL CLINICS
3. Should school board policy allow the on-site dispensing
of birth control drugs or devices, give abortion counseling, or provide referrals to off-site
abortion clinics? See the
2010 incident that received widespread news coverage
involving a Seattle
area in-school clinic that set up an abortion for a 15-year-old high school
student with neither her parents’ knowledge nor consent.
SCHOOL CHOICE
4. The Supreme Court in
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris
(2002), held that Ohio's school voucher law did not violate the First
Amendment's establishment clause. It states "the Ohio program is entirely
neutral with respect to religion. It provides benefits directly to a wide
spectrum of individuals, defined only by financial need and residence in a
particular school district. It permits such individuals to exercise genuine
choice among options public and private, secular and religious. The program is
therefore a program of true private choice" and "the program does not offend the
Establishment Clause." In addition, State Rep. Liz Pike of the 18th
District has introduced
HB 2063 this year to allow
scholarship tax credits. HB 2063 would allow lower income
families to send their children to an approved private school of their choice.
Twelve other states currently have similar laws enacted. Regarding
Washington State's Blaine
Amendment prohibiting state funds from going to religious institutions, see
here,
here, and
here. What is your position regarding the use of school
vouchers, tax credits or other methods of increasing school choice in Washington State?
ABORTION
5.
Even
dedicated
proponents of abortion acknowledge that life begins at conception.
What do you believe? Does a unique human life begins at conception?
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If not, when? ___ 3 mths ___ 6
mths ___ 9 mths ___ 1 yr ___ 18 yrs? |
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6. The 14th Amendment states "nor shall any state deprive any person of
life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The Supreme
Court in
Roe v. Wade, 1973, stated
that "if this suggestion of personhood is established, the
appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life
would then be guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment."
The Court regrettably concluded though that "we need not resolve the
difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the
respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are
unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in
the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to
speculate as to the answer." Do
you believe that the right to life of the unborn child is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment?
7.
Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion
ever permissible? Check all that apply:
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_____ No, it's never permissible
_____ Yes, to save mother's life
_____ Yes, in cases of rape or incest
_____ Yes,
for economic hardship _____ Yes, for physical
deformity
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_____ Yes, for genetic
predispositions
_____ Yes, for gender
_____ Yes, for race _____ Yes, to punish
spouse _____ Yes, it's always permissible
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8. Do you support
parental notification and/or consent before a minor (under 18 years of
age) could have an abortion? A judicial bypass of parents would be allowed
when necessary.
A 2013 poll commissioned by Human Life WA, found Washington
State voters are widely supportive of laws requiring "parental involvement"
in abortion decisions for girls under the age of 18 (62-29% with just under
10% undecided).
Read a summary of the results here. Do you support:
Notification?
Consent?
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
9.
The nation's biggest abortion
provider, Planned Parenthood,
in the 2013-2014 fiscal year received $528
million in government funding and aborted 327,653 babies. Planned Parenthood is active in Oregon school districts, where
their representatives have been allowed to regularly address students in
both Portland and
Salem.
Opposition has been firm and articulate (segment begins at 12:44).
Should Planned Parenthood be allowed to make
presentations to students or provide literature, birth control chemicals or
devises, or abortion services?
QUALIFICATIONS
10. Please state your professional experience, community involvement, education
and other qualifications for a school board position.
POLICY POSITIONS
11. You may state here any policy positions you
have in relation to the office you are seeking:
12. May Life PAC post your returned survey on our website? Your
response is only posted with your permission.
Please give your campaign web address
if you have one: |
