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May 28, 2009
Dear Families and Friends,
This weekend, while families were out enjoying the Memorial Day holiday, Governor Pawlenty vetoed the Safe Schools for All Bill.
This bill was supported by the +40 member MN Safe Schools for All Coalition, teachers, principals, school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, parents, school boards associations and even significant numbers of the Governor s own political party.
Upon request of the Governor, the lead authors had worked with his office on a compromise version of the bill, which the Governor s staff confirmed on two separate occasions met every requirement and request the Governor had made. Yet Governor Pawlenty vetoed the bill. He prioritized his political ambition over the experienced judgment of teachers, principals and parents who agreed that the safety and education of tens of thousands of Minnesota students necessitated this bill.
Today we must turn our anger into action.
The Safe Schools for All bill would have made clear that all students are protected from bullying and harassment in Minnesota schools, including on the basis of commonly targeted characteristics, such as race, national origin, gender, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and gender identity. Research shows that this clarity is needed and schools support this improvement. We will not rest until this legislation becomes law.
Sign our pledge to make schools safer in Minnesota.
Join the MN Safe Schools for All Coalition in letting Governor Pawlenty know how many of us care about safe schools. Let him know that we'll be back to finally make this overdue legislation law.
Forward this pledge to everyone you know. Join the MN Safe Schools for All Facebook group to spread the word quickly.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Hazen
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Respond to the Veto
Sign the MN Safe Schools for All Coalition's petition so we can let Governor Pawlenty know how many of us care about safe schools.
Make it clear that we'll be back to finally make this overdue legislation law.
Join the MN Safe Schools for All Facebook group to stay in touch and help spread the word!
The MN Safe Schools for All
Coalition includes:
* The Advocates for Human Rights
* All God s Children Metropolitan Community Church
* aMaze
* The Arc of Minnesota
* Confederation of Somali Community
* Cornerstone Advocacy Services
* East Central Minnesota Men s Circle
* Education Minnesota
* Equality of University of Minnesota, Morris
* Family and Children s Service
* First Congregational United Church of Christ, Moorhead
* Full Circle: Center for Psychotherapy, Spiritual Direction and Bodywork, Duluth
* Gay and Lesbian Community Services of Southeastern Minnesota
* Gay and Lesbian Youth Services, Rochester
* Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Duluth
* Independent Lifestyles, Inc., St. Cloud
* Lake Area Diversity Council, Brainerd
* Metropolitan Center for Independent Living
* Mid-Minnesota Women s Center, Brainerd
* Minnesota AIDS Project
* Minnesota Chapter of the National Association for * Multicultural Education
* Minnesota Gender Advocates
* Minnesota Lavender Bar Association
* Minnesota PTA
* Minnesota School Counselors Association
* Minnesota School OUTreach Coalition
* Minnesota School Social Workers Association
* Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance
* NAMI of Minnesota
* OutFront Minnesota
* PACER Center
* PFLAG, Red Wing
* PFLAG of St. Cloud/Central Minnesota
* PFLAG, St. Paul/Minneapolis Chapter
* Rainbow Families, the Midwest Office of the Family Equality Council
* Rainbow Rumpus
* SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education)
* Saint Paul Teachers Federation, Local 28
* Search Institute
* School Nurse Organization of Minnesota
* SOHR, Detroit Lakes
* Temple Israel, Duluth
* Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth
To add your organization to this list, contact mnsafeschoolsforall@gmail.com.
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