Washington Families for Freedom, a coalition of parents, teachers, businesses, LGBTQ and community groups, is standing up against attacks on students’ rights to freedom and privacy. The coalition includes the ACLU of Washington, Greater Seattle Business Association, Gender Justice League, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, Pro-Choice Washington, Washington Education Association, and UFCW 3000, among many others.
“After being the biggest loser of the 2024 election, a desperate mega-millionaire hedge fund manager from California is intent on throwing away more of his money. Make no mistake, Washingtonians will see through Heywood’s antics and vote down these initiatives, just as they did last time.” said Aaron Ostrom, Executive Director of Fuse Washington
“These divisive initiatives are designed to pit parents against schools, and communities against each other. These tactics are out of step with Washington’s values and distract from the real issues students face every day,” said Courtney Normand, WA State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. “We will not tolerate this. We will keep fighting for schools that are inclusive, safe, and center the well-being of every student.”
“This special interest ballot initiative is a major privacy issue for all students, families and educators and all Washingtonians should be interested in defeating it,” said Shannon McCann, a middle school special education teacher. “While we work together to defeat this latest threat, we all must work together to ensure Washington’s schools are safe, welcoming and well-funded to build a bright future for every student and family.”
Brian Heywood, who spent more than $10 million last year on four unsuccessful statewide ballot initiatives to rollback important education, environmental, and health care programs, recently announced that he is launching two new initiatives targeting Washington children through his group Let’s Go Washington. These initiatives will:
- Violate students’ privacy and dignity with forced invasive medical exams at the parent’s expense, currently not required by law
- Increase bullying, stigma, and division in schools
- Subject schools and districts to lawsuits, costing taxpayers millions of dollars
- Undo Washington’s successful sports inclusion policy that has worked since 2007
- Make it harder for students to see a school counselor and get mental health support
Washington Families for Freedom urges all Washingtonians to decline to sign these initiatives once they are circulated. Those who wish to join our campaign to protect students, families, and communities can visit: https://wafamiliesforfreedom.org/sign-up/