By STEPHANIE BUNKER
Moapa Valley Progress
More than 120 concerned Moapa Valley citizens gathered at the Old Logandale School on Sunday evening May 6, looking for information on how they can help with the future of the rising generation. The meeting was hosted by the state-wide non-profit organization, Power2Parent, which advocates to protect the rights of parents in public education.
The group had come to Moapa Valley to inform parents here about their organization and show how Power2Parent can help. It was well received by attendees.
“I want to learn what Power2Parent is all about,” said local resident Tony Carson who was in attendance. “And I want to get the point across to the local government that it is our job to parent the kids.”
Erin Francom, a Moapa Valley resident and new P2P Board Member praised the efforts of parents in Moapa Valley. “We are a community of warriors with the power to care and show up,” she said. “We are people who care about what their children are being taught.”
In the last several years’ parents have been attending Clark County School District (CCSD) meetings pushing back against various education policies that they feel would curtail the rights and responsibilities of parents. These include issues like comprehensive changes to sex education or new gender diversity policies. The organizers of P2P have been involved in this discussion.
At the meeting on Sunday P2P President Erin Phillips explained that she had attended a CCSD Trustee meeting in 2014 where she was the only parent present. Suddenly, the board began discussing a new sex education curriculum. After being disgusted by the proposed curriculum, Phillips said she reached out to people in the community who knew more about it than she did. From that point Phillips said that she has been to the Nevada legislature and has become a citizen lobbyist.
In 2016 a 501c3 organization was formed and in 2017 the P2P organization filed as a 501c4 to be able to lobby in the Legislature.
They tasted success during the 2017 legislature when they pushed back against Planned Parenthood who tried to change Nevada’s “opt-in” sex ed policy to an “opt-out” policy. This agenda was thwarted by a veto from Governor Sandoval.
“There is so much power in a group of parents,” Phillips said. “You are here because you want to be advocates for our kids and that’s what we are here. My only special interest is my kids and I’m here to advocate for them.”
P2P board member Deborah Earl explained what legislation the group is currently fighting. The Nevada Department of Education will be discussing a state wide transgender regulation in a meeting this Friday May 11 in Las Vegas. Earl explained that this regulation would allow a male identifying as a female to enter the girl’s locker room, and share a hotel room on a school sanctioned field trip without the consent or knowledge of the parents.
“On May 11 they will discuss and possibly take action on that policy,” Earl said.
Earl said that she has studied the proposed regulation in detail and claimed that it is bad policy for parents. She expressed the importance of parents attending the meeting and being heard.
The next speaker, Charlie Melvin the P2P Publicity Manager talked about what the audience can do now to assist in pushing for parental rights. She suggested signing up for P2P emails so that parents can stay up to date with information and updates.
“We do not flood your inbox with spam mail!” Melvin said. “We only email you when an action item comes up and needs immediate attention.”
Emails usually urge parents to contact representatives about certain issues. They also give contact names, phone numbers, and email addresses of elected officials in their emails.
Melvin explained that it is powerful for P2P to get the information about the action items out fast. She added that talking to friends and family about the issues makes an impact.
Melvin also talked about the need for funding in order for P2P to continue this crucial work. “All of the funding has been on our own dime and we truly need to raise funds,” Melvin said.
Steven Conger, the political advisor for the P2P board, explained that there are two political efforts in which it is important for parents to engage. “The first, you see and participate in when you attend meetings and speak,” Conger said. “The other, which is almost more important, is behind the scenes.”
He explained that P2P gives credibility of being part of an organization to be able to play the behind the scenes game instead of a lone civilian. He also stressed that P2P helps people stay informed on the issues so they are clear about what is going on.
“Rest assured we have a strategy,” Conger said. “P2P is a long term organization; these issues can be national conversation so this organization can become a national one.”
Not only parents attended the meeting, but grandparents that are concerned for the future of their grandkids were also present.
“Moms now are more prepared to guide their children through obstacles that these children have to face,” said Joan Leatham a grandparent in attendance.
Local grandparents Don and Melanie Davis expressed the desire to know what was going on and they see the importance of being involved.
“I challenge other grandparents to get involved too,” Melanie said
Melanie said that an important area where grandparents could get involved is by donating funds to organizations such as Power2Parent. “Sometimes that’s what contribution grandparents can make,” she said. “This is an amazing group and I have so much respect for these people.”
More information about P2P is available at www.power2parent.org. The Nevada Department of Education meeting where P2P is asking for support in attending will be on May 11 at 9am at 9890 S. Maryland Pkwy, in Las Vegas.
