Hardship Transfers Giving Hard Times

A little over four hours since “Hardship Transfers” have been able to be distributed and accepted by the Jefferson County Public School system, and there are already reports of frustration and distress coming from various citizens, (primarily mothers), attempting to get their children into the school of choice. Typically, their “school of choice” is the one closest to home.

  It makes sense in this economy to keep the children closer to their home so that they are easily accessible in case of an emergency, or even to keep them from riding a bus and accumulating expenses that the residents pay for in taxes. The Mayor Jerry Abramson has stated that there is a $20 million shortfall that could be accumulated in revenue this year, and has asked his city workers to figure out ways to bring about the goods that the city distributes in a way that is not as draining on the revenue that the city currently brings in. This applies to every department, but apparently not to the school system.

  Kathy McGinnis, the JCPS official in charge of handling the hardship transfers, has already upset some individuals who are finding that they must stick their children into the public school system after years of being in private schools. “I didn’t want to send my children to public school to begin with, and I told her that”, stated one upset mother. “Why they feel the need to send children miles away from home when schools that are closer to home have openings are beyond me.”

  After speaking with school representatives, it is the responsibility of the principals of each school to inform the JCPS officials if there are openings in the school, and in the grade level for which openings occur. “The problem is that the principal may not have an accurate assessment, but a general assumption”, stated one worker. “That is why many parents are getting frustrated that they have to spend more time and money filing the hardship transfers.”

  Even more troubling is the manner in which some of the parents are learning that their children are not going to be enlisted in their school of choice. “We have yet to receive the original letter stating that my children were to be sent downtown. I had to find out by calling the school that I thought that they were going to be at, and they looked it up in the system, which is exactly what the school district office stated that they could not do,” stated one mother from the PRP area.

  “Not only do I not want them to not attend public schools- I certainly do not want them to attend one in Jefferson County. If this is the best that the district can do in communicating the educational assignment of our children, then why should I believe that they have proper communication while educating them?” she asked.

  “You tell me why you are sending my children clear across town!” demanded one angry mother at the district offices this morning. “It does not make sense to send them twenty miles away!”

  Frustrated, dejected, and angered, the various parents are left to penning down their frustrations in the form of hardship transfers, with absolutely no assurance that their requests will be answered, or communication improved.

State and Local Taxes Pay for Abortion Counseling

Various conservative groups have for years made the accusation that Public Health facilities, funded by taxes, encourage and counsel women to get abortions. Local politicians have allowed funding to go to a women’s health organization, Planned Parenthood, provided that it does not pay for abortions, and only pays for the administration of such tests that women need, but cannot afford. A recent discovery however, shows that there is some problems with funding Planned Parenthood, but the problems do not end there, but extend into an actual government agency.

 

  For many years, local politicians have utilized the services of Planned Parenthood to assist in administering the various tests for women’s health, as well as supplying various medications and appointments for low-income women. The politicians justify their decisions by stating that none of taxpayer’s money goes to perform any sort of abortion, and technically that is true. There have not been any abortions performed at Planned Parenthood in Louisville, Kentucky. Idealistically, and realistically, taxpayer money goes to ensure that more abortions occur worldwide.

  Planned Parenthood is the largest facilitator and producer of abortions throughout the world. Though abortions cost much money, that money has come by Planned Parenthood allowing other services to be performed within it’s facilities, thus allowing revenue accrued to be spent on performing abortions elsewhere. The money that does come in from tax revenue, also frees up money to produce pamphlets that encourage the choice of abortion which are frequently distributed to women who utilize the services of Planned Parenthood in Louisville. The basic points that are made is that with every tax dollar that is spent providing the health care needs of women, Planned Parenthood is allowed to utilize that same amount of money promoting and producing abortions throughout other places in the United States and the world.

  This brings about the question if government tax dollars should be utilized to promote abortions via publications, verbal confirmation, and counseling. The problem is, when it comes to the mentioning of abortions as a possibility for mothers, especially without the inclusion of caring, and possibly unknowing fathers, Planned Parenthood is not the only entity that government utilizes. Tax dollars are spent “informing” mothers of the possibility of their right to an abortion. Often, mothers who have good, healthy, moral aptitude are recipients of this unwanted solicitation of their “Options for Pregnancy”.

 

  Late last year, a woman with three children discovered that she was pregnant with her fourth child. Though married, she did not have a job, and her husband did not bring in enough income to support the entire family. She contacted the government organization in charge of social welfare assistance such as food stamps and medicare. There, she was handed a sheet that was entitled “Options for Pregnancy”. After arriving at home, the expectant mother was horrified to read of her “three choices” that the government agency thought she had the right to know. Following is an exact quote from the publication that she received:

  “Having a positive pregnancy test means making some important decisions. If you are pregnant, you have three choices:

• You can choose to have a baby and raise the child.
• You can choose to have a baby and place the child up for adoption.
• You can choose to end the pregnancy.”

  After reading these lines, the mother was horrified that government felt the need to inform her of these “choices”, citing that they are already known in the community through various media outlets. “Why is the government paying to inform people that they have the right to choose of ending a pregnancy in the womb? Every woman knows that there are rights, beginning with the right to have sex, and the right to suffer the consequences for your actions.”

  Even more important was the question that was brought up regarding the choice of abortion. “If the (local) government is not wanting to provide money to have abortions performed here in Louisville, then why is it allowing it’s money to be spent towards agencies, even government agencies that proclaim this as a choice?

The baby is not choosing to die, the mother is choosing to allow someone to kill her baby, and the government is promoting materials stating that she has the right to do that.”

  This lady then brought up the fact that both, her husband of nine years and her were both leery of welcoming a new baby into the family. They were scared of the difficulties that it would bring in the financial and social realm. Despite this fear the only viable options to them would be the first two, and those are the only two that they felt the government should help people to choose.

  Last October, she wondered why the government felt the need to promote the choice for abortions as opposed to assisting women with their real emotional needs. Early that month, she had complications in her pregnancy, was rushed to the hospital for an ultrasound, where the heartbeat of the baby could not be located. After being sent home of Friday, it was not until Sunday that the baby passed through her body; it’s life ended before it began. “Why couldn’t the government have the number of a hotline or agency that could counsel mothers who have lost their baby through miscarriage? Where is the information alerting the mother that if something should happen during her pregnancy, here is a number you can call just to have assistance, advice, or some sort of counsel on how to deal with the grief?”

 

  Various council members have pointed out that Planned Parenthood is the only facility that would be able to perform regular exams on women and run tests that are needed, including the Pap Smear and Mammogram tests, as well as provide birth control. They are not a religious entity, or “faith based” program, and therefore, it is only logical that the government not endorse a religion or give money to an organization that is not adequate enough to handle the need for women in the area. Various activists for Planned Parenthood, including physicians and clientele of the organization assist in confirming and strengthening their case. That stated, some have confirmed that if evidence is brought forth showing that an organization is large enough to provide for the needs of lower income women in the family, without openly proselytizing patrons, then they would discuss changing their opinion and sending money to Planned Parenthood- but even that waivers between the two parties.

  Democrats heavily rely on the advice and counsel of Dr. Adewale Troutman, an intelligent doctor who currently oversees the health administration here in Jefferson County. “Dr. Troutman has stated that Planned Parenthood is the only organization large enough to support and maintain the needs of women who are poor in this community, “ one council member of the majority caucus informed therealville, “but if evidence could be brought forth showing that it is a competitor and able to provide the same healthcare that Planned Parenthood does, I would take it to Dr. Troutman and listen to his counsel on the issue.”

  Republicans seem to allow morality to be more of a guide, despite the fact that many in the minority caucus have been quick to sign the ordinances allowing the money to be sent to Planned Parenthood. Typically, Republicans vote for the conservation of money, and life.

 

  Right now, the Louisville Metro Council still sends money to Planned Parenthood to attend to the necessary healthcare of women, and that “necessary” healthcare does not include abortions at the present time, but they are providing money that is allowed to “inform” mothers-to-be that they have the choice to be mothers or not. This seems to send a message that may be received as an oxymoron.

  In 2006, Tom Owen (Dem- Dist. 8), Jim King (Dem- Dist. 10), Barbara Shanklin (Dem- Dist. 2), Mary Woolridge (Dem- Dist. 3), Tina Ward-Pugh (Dem-Dist 9), Rick Blackwell (Dem- Dist. 12), and Bob Henderson (Dem- Dist 14), all were sponsors on an ordinance appropriating money to the Blue Apple Players, Inc. to “fund performances in various Jefferson County Schools”. The interesting thing is that the Blue Apple Players is a “nonprofit theater company” that utilizes drama to reach children. According to it’s website, the Blue Apple Players “provides drama-based education programs focused on academic and social growth for youth at more than 70 different schools and community sites a year in the Metro Louisville area and Southern Indiana.” One of those programs includes a message, CONSEQUENCES,  about teen pregnancy. Blue Apple Players’ website provides a testimonial about that particular play that ignites some important questions.

  “The year following your performance of CONSEQUENCES, we had a significant drop in the number of young women that became pregnant.”
– Principal, Calloway Co.High School

 

  Why is it permissible for the same Democrats in council to utilize tax dollars for groups to teach children the consequences of their choice and actions, and yet utilizes those same funds to teach mothers that the have the choice of accepting their consequences for their actions? This message seems to be troubling for Republicans as well. If money is to be used to fund an agencies that alert mothers of their “choice” and children of their “consequences” should they not be the same message? Which one will the council choose to send in the future?