1. NC VALUES: Thank you for attending our School Board Bootcamp

We had a fantastic time today partnering with FRC Action for our School Board Bootcamp events this week in Raleigh and Mooresville. The turnout was great, and the speakers fantastic. The event was open to school board candidates and concerned citizens alike, and focused on a wide range of school board election topics. Speakers shared their experiences serving on school boards; addressed challenges like CRT facing schools today; spoke about running an elections campaign; and more.

2. AP NEWS: N. Carolina Republicans cautious after redistricting order

"The majority’s order said a more detailed opinion would follow, but it’s unclear when that will be filed.

Republican legislative leaders were cautious Monday about what they’d do next. Pat Ryan, a spokesperson for Senate leader Phil Berger said in a text that Senate Republicans “do not have final plans at this time,” citing in part a lack of clarity in Friday’s order.

House Speaker Tim Moore told reporters, however, he anticipated that replacement maps would be voted on next week. He didn’t yet have a specific schedule.

“We’ve been consulting with our attorneys to find out exactly what it is that the courts are looking for,” Moore said. Judges would approve their own maps if the General Assembly doesn’t enact some, the Supreme Court order says."

3. N&O: Wake schools lost enrollment in pandemic. Planners don’t expect kids to return soon.

"The Wake County school system has shrunk by about 3,000 students during the COVID-19 pandemic and, according to planners, enrollment may not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2030. Since the 2019-20 school year, Wake County school enrollment has dropped at the same time it has increased in charter schools, private schools and home-schools. New long-range enrollment projections that were to be presented on Wednesday say it’s expected that those families will stay in those alternatives to traditional public schools."

4. FOX NEWS: 16 of Lia Thomas' teammates urge Penn, Ivy League not to fight new USA Swimming rules on transgender athletes

"Sixteen of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas' female teammates on the University of Pennsylvania team sent a letter to Penn and to the Ivy League, urging schools not to contest the new USA Swimming rules on competition for transgender athletes. . . .

'Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over competition in the women’s category, as evidenced by her rankings that have bounced from #462 as a male to #1 as a female,' they added. 'If she were to be eligible to compete against us, she could now break Penn, Ivy, and NCAA Women’s Swimming records; feats she could never have done as a male athlete.'"

 

5. FOX NEWS: Randi Weingarten suggests not getting rid of masks until zero transmission in schools

"American Federation for Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten suggested Tuesday on MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe' that in order to end masking for students and teachers, the spread of COVID-19 needs to be 'low enough' so that there’s no transmission in schools."

LORD, we cry out to you as Father. You are a model of the love, mercy, and authority of the perfect parent. We thank you for modeling for us what every parent should strive for, and for creating this wonderful institution called family. 

LORD, we thank you for creating us with a basic nature designed to not be alone. You made us to desire the intimacy of relationships, and it is here where we experience joys indescribable: the joys of marriage, the joys of having children; the joys of seeing our children have children. What a blessing and mercy you gave us in the family! In it we find our first teachers, our first guardians, and our first authorities. 

LORD, we recognize how deeply you love your children, and how deeply it pains you when they go astray. Alongside our adoration and thanksgiving, we pray in confession—as individuals and as members of larger communities—over any sins we may have committed that undermine your beloved institution. Forgive us when we endanger your institution through selfishness and arrogance. Forgive our communities and nation for attempting to redefine some of the most basic and deepest parts of being human—being made male and female, having lifelong marriage vows and responsibilities, and having parental rights over educating one's children. 

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:12-17)