An integral part of all Clarity’s educational curriculum is to encourage students to have open and honest conversations with their trusted, go-to adults about important topics such as human sexuality.
Recently, Senate Bill 65 (SB65) was authored with the intention to ensure parents are aware when curriculum regarding human sexuality is being taught in schools. The hope was that parents would step up to the responsibility to be the primary voice in their children’s life on this critical topic.
Wonderful intentions spurred the writing of this bill. However, current Indiana law “requires a teacher to teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school age children” (see: Indiana Code: http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/2/e/6/6/2e661a52/TITLE20_AR30_ch5.pdf).
The original language of SB65 stated that parents/custodial adults must complete a permission slip before their child could receive any program/education on the topic of human sexuality. This would include Clarity’s I Decide for Me program which teaches holistic health and character and behavior skills to avoid sexual risk taking.
When we learned of this bill, we immediately thought of the many Hoosier students who do not have the advantage of a plugged in parent as well as how, in the hustle and bustle of family life, a permission slip may not get signed/returned to the school, even by a very engaged parent. What then? These students would be dismissed from the valuable life-saving information provided by Clarity’s I Decide for Me Sexual risk avoidance program.
Our concern was that students with parents who are the least engaged would miss the critical health message Clarity has to offer about the intrinsic value and worth of every human life. These students would be dismissed from our positive message simply because a form wasn’t returned. It seemed to us that this legislation actually discriminated against the already disadvantaged student.
A logical win-win was proposed by Rep. Tim Wesco who understood the unintended consequence of well-meaning authored bill. Rep. Wesco proposed a creative way to have parents interested in learning more about the curriculum being taught in their child’s school to be able to make well-informed choices regarding that curriculum while at the same time making sure that students get to hear positive messaging by default, should a form fail to be returned.
According to the amended SB65, schools will now be required to offer a 21 day opt-in only parent permission slip for instruction regarding human sexuality. If a parent permission slip is not returned, a second opt-out form will be sent giving parents 10 days to return a parental permission form to remove the child from the program. By default, should no form be returned after this 31 day procedure, the student will receive the curriculum.
The unintended consequences of the original bill’s language was averted thanks to Sen. Greg Walker, who alerted Clarity to this bill as it was being debated, and Rep. Tim Wesco, who worked thoughtfully and diligently to protect the disadvantaged student.
This new bill provides ample opportunity for concerned parents to investigate and consider the nature of the curriculum on human sexuality being taught to their children in all Indiana schools. Clarity is excited for the opportunity to share more information regarding our program with parents. What a wonderful opportunity to get to engage an audience we have been championing for so long.
Our 2018 Clarity fundraising banquets are just around the corner! We invite you to join us this year as we dig deeper into the educational ministry taking place through Clarity.
There are seven banquets this year, so you can choose the evening and location to suit you. Each evening runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and doors open at 6:30 p.m.
To register online, please select the date above on which you’d like to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Victoria at 866.510.5067 or by email. We hope to see you there!
Monday, July 31st, 2017 – we invite you to golf with a great purpose at this year’s Clarity Golf Challenge at Indiana’s #1 rated golf course – Otter Creek in Columbus, Indiana.
At the Golf Challenge, each swing brings a sense of great satisfaction that you’re helping Clarity affirm life and impact thousands of students, clients, volunteers and donors that make a difference together! (So a good golf shot will be a total bonus!)
For $150 you receive 18 holes of golf with a cart; a catered lunch; a t-shirt and team photo, free soft drinks, frozen candy bars, and hot dogs on the course; incredible raffle prizes with registration and great golf contests throughout the course! There are also prizes for most pledges raised and for the winning teams!
Your registration of $150 is raised through pledges from friends and family. You might have one $150 friend, or maybe you have 15 $10 friends. Either way, raising pledges helps others become more aware of the community impacting efforts of Clarity.
Clarity continues to affirm life through many community efforts, and the Clarity Golf Challenge is a great way to partner with us.
Join us as we swing for life together – hopefully straight down the fairway for a car-winning hole-in-one! Comment below or contact Victoria today at 866.510.5067 to register.
Clarity is honored to have two interns joining us this summer: Jade Burnett (pictured on the left) and Annalie Scheidler (right). Both will be rotating through each department at Clarity to get a thorough understanding of non-profit work and our organization as a whole. Please join us in welcoming them to our team for the summer!
Meet Jade Burnett
Hometown: Columbus, IN Family: Mom (Michelle), Dad (Rob), brother (Alec, 17), and sister (Kyra, 11) School: Franklin College Major(s): English and French Graduation Date: May 2018 Hobbies: Calligraphy, Volunteer work
What is your dream job?
Not sure if this counts as “dream job”, but I really want to open my own nonprofit organization someday. Still not sure what my focus would be, but I believe that’s what God is calling me to do.
What do you hope to gain from this internship?
I hope to continue to feel God’s presence and guidance during and after this internship. I’m just waiting for him to show me what my next steps in life are!
If you could hop on a plane today and fly anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would really love to go to a French speaking country, because I’ve spent 9 years learning French. I have also always wanted to go to Greece!
What’s one of the scariest things you’ve ever done?
I’m not a huge risk-taker because adrenaline makes me cry. Probably ride a huge roller coaster when I know it’s going to make me cry!
Be honest, what song or band is your guilty pleasure?
Okay, this isn’t one song or band, but I really love scream-o music
Meet Annalie “Annie” Scheidler
Hometown: Greensburg, IN Family: I have a large family and we all love spending time with each other. I have close to 40 cousins and that number just keeps getting bigger. School: I am going into my senior year at IUPUC. Major(s): Business with the concentration in Marketing Graduation Date: May 2018 Hobbies: I enjoy painting in my free time and I am currently trying to find enough time to begin a small business in selling some of my paintings. Every summer I also help my neighbor by taking care of any kittens he has.
What do you hope to gain from this internship?
I hope to gain the experience of knowing more of the behind the scenes details of an organization that I have not been able to experience yet. I also hope it will help me in the future to have more knowledge to help my major.
If you could eat one food for the rest of your life and not get sick of it, what would it be?
Mac and cheese
What’s your favorite TV show or movie?
I have such a long list! White Collar is what I’m watching right now.
What is one thing you are just absolutely no good at doing?
The majority of sports I just don’t do, except volleyball!
I’ve been married to my amazing wife, Pam, for nearly 32 years (she’s the administrative assistant to the principal at Brown Co. High School). We have two adult children, Hannah, who is a French teacher at Brown Co. High School and is married to Robert Newlin. Hannah and Robert have two children, Nola and Roan. Our youngest is Trent, who works in financial services in Evansville and is married to Adrienne.
2. Tell us a bit about your education and professional background.
I’m a graduate of Cincinnati Christian University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I’ve also taken graduate coursework at Emmanuel Seminary. I spent about 4 years in construction management and more than 18 years in pastoral work prior to joining Clarity’s staff.
3. What is your favorite thing about working at Clarity?
The chance to be involved in a really important work with a HUGE variety of different kinds of people who all come together to serve a purpose bigger than themselves.
4. What hobbies do you have outside of work?
I love spending time with my family, reading and walking/hiking (Brown Co. where I live is a great place for that!).
5. What is one thing you are just absolutely no good at doing?
I am the world’s worst at car maintenance and repair. My father-in-law is an airplane mechanic and can fix anything that goes wrong with any sort of engine. When I attempt to work on any motor it is guaranteed to never run again and I’m going to wind up with multiple scrapes, bruises and busted knuckles, a wounded ego and thrown tools. It’s just not pretty!
6. If you could eat one food for the rest of your life and not get sick of it, what would it be?
I could never get sick of White Castle hamburgers!
7. Be honest, what song or band is your guilty pleasure?
I feel no guilt about it, but Jimi Hendrix.
8. What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
A farmer at a rural church I served once told me “Don’t tear down fences until you know why they’re there.” That has been great advice in leadership. You shouldn’t make rash decisions to change something until you are completely sure you know why things are the way they currently are.
Sandy Hook Church is one of Clarity’s 2017 Signature Sponsors. With their partnership, Clarity is able to offer each of our services free of charge (with the exception of STI lab testing and treatment) to all of our clients. Thank you, Sandy Hook Church!
Sandy Hook United Methodist Church mission is BUILDING a community which INTRODUCES people to a relationship with Jesus and transforms them into His devoted FOLLOWERS
