Citizen Engagement Series

Citizen Engagement Series

Jul 9, 2021 3 min read

It Starts in Your Community

“A Republic, Madam, If You Can Keep It!” Those were the words of Ben Franklin when he was asked what kind of government the delegates had created at the Constitutional Convention. It is up to us to keep it—and it starts at the local level in our cities and communities. In past decades, conservatives have surrendered some of our most important local institutions to the Left. Critical Race Theory, with its Marxist roots, has invaded our classrooms and city halls, while a new transgender ideology threatens our children’s physical and mental development. This summer, concerned Americans are standing up across our country and saying, “No more!” Join them by taking part in this nationwide grassroots movement for civic engagement and fight for America in your community.

July: National Attend Your School Board Meeting Month

From confusing our kids about gender, to teaching them to hate their country and each other because of their skin color, many American K-12 schools have become mouthpieces for destructive socialist and leftist ideologies. As a taxpayer and supporter of local schools, you don’t need to have kids or grandkids in the public schools to attend your local school board meeting. Community members have an interest in the kinds of citizens that students become as a result of the education they receive in public schools.

August: National Attend Your Local Government Meeting Month

Local city and town councils have also fallen prey to popular Marxist ideas and policies. Some public officials have voted in favor of resolutions supporting the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools in direct opposition to laws passed by their state legislatures. Racial sensitivity training—which preaches diversity, equity, and inclusion yet teaches that America is systematically racist and that all individuals are either oppressors or victims—is now publicly funded and required for public employees in some cities. Tell your local council what you think of Critical Race Theory and other racist indoctrination.

Steps to Take Before You Attend:

Before attending, please note that the exact names of the government entities will vary from place to place (i.e., it might be called “county council” or “county commission”). That’s part of your research: find out what your local government entities are called. Compile your research and make sure it’s easy to access when you need it.

Basic List of Local Government Entities to Research

  • School Board (even if you don’t have kids in the local school district, you pay taxes to support it and have a say)
  • City Council
  • County Council
  • Library Board
  • Board of Elections

Basic Questions to Research

  • When do they meet?
  • Can you attend a meeting in person or is it online?
  • Where do they meet if it’s in person? If it’s online, how can you register for the online meeting? Do you need to RSVP ahead of time?
  • How many members are there?
  • Who are the members?
  • What is their contact information?
  • Are they appointed or elected? If appointed, who appoints them and when? If elected, when is their next election?
  • Do they represent districts? If so, what are the districts and is there a map you can access?
  • Can you comment during a meeting? If so, what are the rules about commenting? How much time will you have? Do you have to sign up ahead of time?
  • Right now, do they require masks to attend the meetings?
  • What’s the process for submitting legislation/ordinances/rules to them?
  • Anything else you find that you think would be important to know ahead of time!

More steps you can take to make a local difference:

  • Urge your friends and family to attend their local government meetings.
  • Help them determine when their school board and local government meetings are, how to organize others to attend with them, and how to sign up to speak.
  • Share your experiences on social media with posts and videos, spreading the message and breaking through the mainstream media.

This initiative is in participation with the Tea Party Patriots’ National School Board Meeting Month and National Local Government Meeting Month.


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