Sunday, December 15, 2019

The 3 - December 15, 2019

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes a non-ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court allowing a pro-life Kentucky law to remain in place.  Also, a California school district has announced a new partnership with Planned Parenthood.  Plus, a charter school student in that same state was told she could not play a familiar Christmas carol in an off-site performance; an action later reversed.

U.S. Supreme Court allows KY pro-life law to stand

A Kentucky pro-life law that had been challenged, was allowed to stand by the U.S. Supreme Court, this past week, according to the Washington Free Beacon, which reported that the law "requires doctors to display and describe an ultrasound of the child to his or her mother before conducting an abortion...."

The appeals court had found that the law did not violate the First Amendment, as the plaintiffs had contended, and the high court declined to take up the case.

The article notes that the Supreme Court...
...is expected to hear one major abortion case, June Medical Services v. Gee, in the coming months. That case, which concerns a Louisiana state law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, may serve as an opportunity for the Court's conservatives to begin rolling back the "undue burden" standard imposed nearly three decades ago.
The Susan B. Anthony List had linked to the Free Beacon article in a press release, that included a statement from its President, Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said: “We are encouraged by today’s Supreme Court decision that lets Kentucky’s pro-life ultrasound law stand,” adding, “Modern ultrasound technology opens an unprecedented window into the womb, providing undisputable evidence of the humanity of the unborn child. The abortion industry has proven incapable of policing itself and will stop at nothing to keep vulnerable women in the dark for the sake of profit, which is why state laws protecting women’s right to informed consent are so important..."

California school district announces partnership with Planned Parenthood

The school district in Los Angeles County, California, has announced a new partnership with the nation's largest abortion provider, according to LifeSiteNews.com, which reported:
Planned Parenthood announced this week a new program in which so-called “Wellbeing Centers” will be placed within 50 Los Angeles public schools, the Washington Post reports. The program is funded for the next three years with Planned Parenthood putting up $6 million and Los Angeles County spending $10 million.
While the provider will not be performing abortions on-site, it will offer a range of "birth control options," and content of the appointments with the students will be kept secret from parents and school officials.

In the article, Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America, is quoted; she said: “Planned Parenthood has been targeting younger and younger girls, through their version of sex education, beginning as early as elementary school, which encourages people to make bad choices,” adding, “That’s how they make money as they profit from creating crisis through bad choices and then selling abortions to those same students.”

Rebecca Friedrichs of For Kids and Country, in a press release, is quoted as saying: “Our schools have NO business inviting Planned Parenthood to sell its perverted views on life and sex on school campuses — period." She added, "District officials are quick to point out these clinics won’t technically offer abortions on-premises, but no one is fooled that abortion won’t be heavily pushed on our daughters and sons by an organization that has made billions off the macabre practice.

School reverses course on Christmas carol

There is more controversy out of California, in this case, you have a student who wished to include the Christmas carol, Joy to the World, in a piano performance, according to the website for Pacific Justice Institute, which represented the family of the 13-year-old charter school student, Brooklyn Benzel, who had chosen to play the piece at a retirement home.

An education specialist, who, according to PJI, "oversees independent-study charter school students, said the classic carol was not acceptable because of its religious content. It was suggested that Jingle Bells should be performed instead because it is more secular."

An attorney for PJI reached out to an attorney for the school.  The press release about this set of circumstances, released by the Institute, said:
Shortly after McReynolds spoke to their attorney, the school abruptly reversed course, telling the Benzels they had changed their position after determining that “Joy to the World” is “non-sectarian.”

“We’re thrilled that Brooklyn will now be able to bring joy to this retirement home with a timeless carol,” McReynolds commented. “No student should be made to feel that their choice of a musical performance is unacceptable just because it has both religious and cultural significance.”

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