Letter to the Editor,
To our anonymous Santa donor,
Prairie River Middle School was once again the recipient of a generous donation of gift cards at Christmas by an anonymous donor. This was the second year that we received gift cards which we were able to put a lot of smiles on so many of our students. Please know that whoever you are, the staff, students and families are so appreciative and sincerely thank you for your kind heart. It is people like you that put the spirit back in the holiday and make us all true believers. You have truly made a difference and have touched more lives than you will ever know.
From all of us to you, we thank you.
Staff at Prairie River Middle School
Dear Editor,
As parents of tenth grade students in MAPS, we have been taking an active roll in understanding the Health curriculum and the unit within that curriculum, Human Growth and Development (HGD). We would like to clarify some information going out to parents/guardians.
While Health is required by the state of Wisconsin, HGD is not, as the letters would suggest. Because the MAPS Board of Education voted 5-4 on Sept. 8, 2010, to opt into the Planned Parenthood Comprehensive Sex Education, out children will be taught this philosophy and ideology, regardless of who is teaching it. It is assumed that the parents/guardians want this taught to their child(ren) if they don’t take the initiative to opt them out.
The business Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and Family Planning Health Services (FPHS) are in, providing contraception and referring for and/or providing abortions, services that underage children can access without the knowledge or consent of the parents/guardians. PPFA’s first goal, in the Vision 2025, is the celebrate sex, which was a philosophy of the founder, Margaret Sanger, who believed sex with anyone, whether you are married or not, and with as many people as you want, is acceptable, just don’t have a baby. With the legalization of contraception in 1965, the use of contraceptive devices continue to increase, and with that, so too has the number of abortions and cases of STDs. The HGD curriculum is ultimately a marketing program for PPFA and FPHS, targeting our school aged children from grades k-12. The message taught casualizes sexual activity and then conveniently promotes and teaches how to use contraception, getting our children to chose using contraception “as naturally as breathing,” per Alan Guttmacher, who took over for Margaret Sanger. When the contraception failes, the abortion provider will assist. This is a multi billion dollar business we continue to feed as long as the HGD program is in place.
Because it was stated during the MAPS HGD committee meetings that portions of this education can be integrated into other areas of the Health class, we have decided to teach the Health class ourselves, through curriculum modification, with a curriculum already approved by the school, that is being utilized by many home schooling families and has no ties to PPFA or FPHS.
If you would like more information please contact us by emailing Concerned Parents and Citizens of the Merrill School District at [email protected]. You can also contact us by phone. The mission of CPAC is to educate and inform. We are an avenue for parents and citizens to express their concerns with any issues in the public and private schools in the Merrill district.
To get a better perspective on the philosophy and ideology being taught through the HGD curriculum, please join us for a viewing of the DVD, Stop Planned Parenthood on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. at the Cosmo Theater, Merrill.
Sincerely,
Mary Litschauer, Dorly Dahlke, Karen Cournaya
Merrill
Letter to the Editor;
Every year the words “Christmas Spirit” truly come alive in Merrill and Tomahawk when businesses, clubs, organizations and individuals generously and anonymously fulfill the wish of a child when they take a red tag from a tree. This year there was a 15% increase in the number of families who participated, there has been an increase of about 200 children (702 this year) who received gifts since 2008 when the Society of St. Vincent DePaul started coordinating.
My name is listed as the coordinator and contact person, along with Lisa Carlson, for Christmas Spirit, therefore we get the recognition, but without the support and help of the SVDP Conference, Merrill Fire Department, Church Mutual, St. Francis, St. John, Our Saviours, St. Stephens, Johnson Gift and Home Decor, Good Samaritan Health Center, Lincoln County United Way, First United Methodist Church of Irma, Dave’s County Market, Wal-Mart, Merrill Girls Basketball players and many individuals, clubs and organizations not mentioned here, this program could not succeed.
Again, thank you ALL for your help in making children smile on Christmas morning and for making 2010 Christmas Spirit Appeal a success.
Freida Swanson, Lisa Carlson
Conference Members
The Society of St. Vincent DePaul