The last 24 hours....

from Dan Bartkowiak, Director of Communications
Pennsylvania Family Council


I hope you join me and everyone in the pro-life community in celebrating great news out of Reading, PA. Not only are teens better off this school year but Planned Parenthood is really mad.

Let me explain:

Planned Parenthood made a push this summer to gain direct access to thousands of high school students in Reading – and to have you pay for it. But, after this proposal was brought to our attention from residents, we were able to rally together with other groups such as Students for Life of America, Berks Republican Women and Pro-Life Berks to show the school board that this was not the right choice for Reading.

I’m happy to tell you that the Reading School Board, in a 5-4 decision, voted against the proposal and to keep Planned Parenthood OUT of Reading High School.

Looking back, here are a few highlights:

1) Shocking statements from newspaper editor.


Ahead of the meeting, I received an email in response to a media advisory about this upcoming board vote, which included the following:

“At Planned Parenthood women can get free mammograms…very little abortions are performed.”

You can watch a short clip on Facebook highlighting my response which points out; 1) Planned Parenthood isn’t even licensed to perform mammograms in PA, and 2) over half of all abortions in Pennsylvania are from Planned Parenthood.


2) Diversity of the residents speaking out against this proposal.


People from both sides of this issue gathered at the door of the administration building where the vote was to take place. The school board meets in a small room and an overflow crowd spread out into the hallway.


What was striking is the first four residents to speak out; were all against the proposal: a mom who works for a teen organization in Reading, a high-school teenager, a former pregnancy center employee and a pastor.


Many of their comments were helpful, from the teenager pointing out how Planned Parenthood Keystone in Allentown failed three straight inspections – including the gruesome practice of disposing aborted babies down the sink – as well as the pastor pointing out the big business of abortion for Planned Parenthood and that the school should “stick to the business of education.”


3) Overwhelming majority against the proposal.


When it was time for the board members to discuss the proposal, several concerns were mentioned. One board member stated he counted all the emails he had received on this issue, totaling 585. He said the overwhelming majority were against the proposal.

Board members had other concerns such as the fact that no other proposal was considered, that Planned Parenthood is been so close to the school (just two miles away) with no other school having such a program and that the board was never presented with evidence that showed Planned Parenthood's proposal would actually work.

With all of these concerns, the board narrowly voted down the proposal by a 5-4 decision.


Watch this clip on Facebook for more reaction after the board meeting’s vote.


4) Statement by Planned Parenthood Keystone after the vote.

It appears that Planned Parenthood is fuming. Just read part of the statement they gave to WFMZ after the vote:

“These protesters don’t care about our children…They’re out-of-town bullies who used this vote to pursue a narrow political agenda without any care in the world for the young lives their actions affect.”

I’m not sure if anyone from Planned Parenthood was at the meeting but I was there. I saw dozens of Reading residents holding signs outside against the proposal. The first four people to offer public comment were all from Reading and against this proposal.

There were also protesters yelling out in support of the proposal. Police were on the scene and the only time they had to yell to the crowd was when someone in support of the proposal was screaming at a pro-life supporter.

And if Planned Parenthood was there, they are the one’s proudly stating they are a political organization that gives millions of dollars to pro-abortion candidates.

But bottom line – thanks to this vote Planned Parenthood is not starting the school year in Reading High School being paid for by taxpayers.

With only a one vote difference I want to thank everyone that was a part of this effort.

I specifically want to thank Students for Life of America, Berks Republican Women and Pro-Life Berks for their role in educating and informing the Reading community to take action.

Thank you to everyone that contacted the board members. Our taxdollars should not be spent on a high school office for the largest abortion business in the state. And I know those emails helped make a difference.

Let me end with this story. Michele with Students for Life was talking with a woman who stood with Planned Parenthood. Michele brought up how Planned Parenthood Keystone has failed numerous state health inspections. She didn’t believe it. “Prove it,” she said.

After pulling up the PA Department of Health reports to show the laundry list of infractions, this Planned Parenthood supporter was stunned.

You can make a big difference in the minds of those in your community about Planned Parenthood:

• People do not know that Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business is Pennsylvania (and across the country). 

• People do not know Planned Parenthood offers no mammograms and no prenatal care in Pennsylvania. 

• People don’t know that abortion is allowed up to SIX MONTHS in pregnancy here in PA.

 

The Mission of the Pennsylvania Family Institute is to strengthen families by restoring to public life the traditional, foundational principles and values essential for the well-being of society. We are the only full-time, professionally staffed non-profit organization representing family values—your values—in the state capitol. We encourage responsible citizenship and involvement in civic affairs to promote respect for life, family, marriage and religious liberty.  For more information about this organization, please use this link.