Can children be required to recite the Pledge of Allegience?
State lawmakers worked hard this session to figure out ways to impose groupthink on students. Representative Fillmore from the far east valley and Pinal county introduced HB2060, requiring school children in grades 1-4 to recite the Pledge every morning. Under current law, they may if they like; under Fillmore’s bill — which thankfully died in committee — they would have been required to do so unless their parents wrote an excuse.
Massive tax cuts just passed by Governor Ducey are a scheme to circumvent the will of the voters who passed Prop. 208 — which was supposed to send hundreds of millions in desperately-needed funds to public schools.
Help get the issue on the ballot! Save Our Schools Arizona and Invest in AZ Now have set up petition stations across the state. Find one near you on their Facebook pages here orhere, or check out the web directoryhere. Pop by for 5 minutes to sign — or better yet carry some petitions yourself!
(Are you carrying petitions? Let us knowso we can promote your efforts.)
Do No Harm
Humanists from Arizona — including Tory Roberg from Secular AZ and Ron Russell from Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix —joined the American Humanist Association's 2021 Lobby Day efforts, meeting with staff for Senators Kelly and Sinema, urging them to sign onto the Do No Harm Act. They were joined by the Congressional Freethought Caucus.
The Do No Harm Act would refine the existing Religious Freedom Restoration Act, keeping it from being used to erode nondiscrimination laws, collective bargaining laws, child labor laws and more.
The bill has been introduced in the House. The Senate version was last introduced by then-Senator Kamala Harris and is still waiting for a new champion. We’re calling on Arizona’s two Senators to take up the mantle.
• Senator Sinema: (202) 224-4521 • Senator Kelly: (202) 224-2235
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