In March 1775, Patrick Henry of Virginia gave his impassioned “Give me liberty or give me death” speech to his fellow Virginians, urging them to reject the tyranny of King George III and prepare for war. A month later, the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts.

In keeping with that spirit of freedom and rejection of tyranny, there is a move afoot in Henry’s home state from parents and school boards who are standing up to the Virginia government’s imposition of gender identity policies that trample parental rights, privacy, religious freedom and common sense.

The Family Foundation of Virginia, a Focus on the Family ally, announced in an email to supporters this week that following the lead of the school board in Russell County, eight more school boards – in the counties of Augusta, Bedford, Campbell, Washington, Buchanan, Louisa, Prince Edward and Warren – have either rejected or refused to implement the state’s Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools (Model Policies).

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. And one organization is betting that showing the U.S. Supreme Court a 4D ultrasound picture of a preborn baby will help make a difference in an upcoming abortion case that could overturn Roe v. Wade.

This fall, the Supreme Court will consider a Mississippi law that prohibits abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The court will consider the following question:

“Whether all pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions are unconstitutional.”

To help the court answer that question, the Catholic Association Foundation has filed an amicus brief (or friend-of-the-court brief) in the case. These briefs are filed by interested parties who can help the justices think through sticky legal questions.

A 29-year-old Chicago police officer was shot and killed over the weekend during a traffic stop, and her partner is in critical condition after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. Officer Ella French, a three-year veteran of the force, had just returned to active duty after giving birth to her daughter two months ago, when she was shot, according to news reports.

French’s partner, whose identity has not yet been officially released, is said to be a 39-year-old man with a wife and young son. He joined the force in 2014.

The shooting occurred just after 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 7, when French and her partner pulled over a car containing three occupants. Someone inside the car started shooting, striking the two officers, and one of the car’s occupants was also struck when the officers returned fire. All three suspects – two men and a woman – were ultimately apprehended and placed in custody.