Our planning started two months ago and this topic quickly rose to the top and we actually maxed out our Zoom space.
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** Your update from
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** It’s all about … our kids!
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As we started our planning two months ago, the number one gap was with the Board of Education races for 2023. What was the need? Fighting EXTREMISM on school boards. And these races are nonpartisan but we’ve seen that national politics has trickled down to our local school boards. These local candidates haven’t gotten as many resources as they need.
For the first time in a long time, we maxed out our Zoom registrations. This tells me that there is a real need that’s not being met otherwise.
BOE past and present members!
Board of Ed members: help needed!
We need your perspective and experience to help inform and guide us as we help new candidates run for their Board of Education. Your answers are completely confidential and will only be used in the aggregate. Your answers will help shape our direction and what we offer moving forward for BOE candidates running in 2023. Please fill out this questionnaire here:
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** Here are the top issues.
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We did a polling of the attendees and 67 responded with their top concerns. As you can see here, the dark money funding the takeover of school boards to do away with public education is really serious. Bottom line, having a free public education is a cornerstone of our democracy. And there are those interested in doing away with that.
** How can you help us with BOE candidates?
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If there are grants that you know of for this work to recruit and train candidates, please reply to this email with a link. We must find a way to do this important work. In development are:
* Nonpartisan legal guidance for potential candidates to avoid lawsuits (yes, they have happened at the school board race level)
* Nonpartisan tips for running campaigns - Best Practices
* Voter list development for candidates
* Messaging to voters
If you have experience running BOE campaigns, simply reply and let me know.
If you have experience on messaging against the extremism language, please reply.
** Focus on teens who will vote!
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Meanwhile, our New Jersey Civics Handbook is close to be printed. We are so thrilled to offer this directly to teens here in New Jersey. We believe in nonpartisan civic education.
For a $2 donation*, we can print and mail this nonpartisan civics handbook to teens right here in New Jersey. YOU can make a difference that supports our teens being informed and involved. This would be a great gift to someone who has everything.
“For your Christmas present, I gifted civics handbooks to 50 teens on your behalf, because I know how important voting is to you!” ($100 tax deductible donation)
These will be printed and mailed to teens in January — and mailed first to underserved communities in NJ for teens who will be able to vote in their first election November 2023. We are raising to mail to as many as we can!
** Donate here: [link removed]
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*Donations are tax deductible. We are a charity: handbooks not for sale. We will not be sending out free copies. Under IRS requirements, we will be running a Gift with Donation for these handbooks only. Details to come soon!
With gratitude,
Winn Khuong
Executive Director
** Do or Donate 📌. Democracy requires all of us.
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