Foothills Sentry - October 2023

Page 7 Foothills Sentry October 2023 We’re excited to welcome you to Sunrise of Orange, conveniently located in the heart of Orange County next to Old Towne Orange. Come tour our model suites and community amenities, meet our team, and learn more about the truly exceptional living experience we tailor to you. We can’t wait to meet you. Call 714-409-9363 to schedule your personal tour. Extraordinary Senior Living Has Arrived NOW OPEN IN ORANGE • Elegant studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites • Beautifully landscaped outdoor spaces, patios, and a walking path with benches • Seasonal menus with daily specials crafted by our talented culinary team ORANGE Visit SunriseOrangeCA.com/Sentry to view our floor plans and photo gallery. Assisted Living | Memory Care 1301 E. Lincoln Avenue, Orange, CA 92865 © 2023 Sunrise Senior Living though his name was on it, in- sisted that it simply offered clari- fication. “We should consider this notice this evening,” he said. “It would be more irresponsible in terms of keeping students safe and even more irresponsible to the parents. Bonta has bigger fish to fry, in terms of the crime rate in California, than politicizing at the school board level.” All ears The board voted 4-3 to carry on and battened down to hear com- ments from 122 speakers. The prevailing theme of the speakers advocating for the pol- icy was that school districts are not “raising” children, parents are, and teachers have a duty to disclose everything that happens to their child during the school day. A subtheme was the fear that teachers are encouraging students to be gay, lesbian or trans, giving kids hormone replacement drugs and encouraging sex-change op- erations. “Leave our kids alone,” was an oft-repeated mantra. Another subset was that gen- der confusion is a mental illness that should be caught early and treated. “Protect our kids,” was a sentiment shared by several board members as well. Commenters opposed to the notification policy noted that “outing” trans kids before they are ready could be harmful. In a worst-case scenario, it could even lead to suicide. Others pointed out that not all families would welcome a transgender child, and that students need to feel safe at school. Several observed the iro- ny of parents insisting that teach- "OUSD Board" continued from page 1 ers have no role in child-rearing, yet demanding that they assess the psychological roots of a stu- dent’s behavior, determine that child’s mental state and report it. The meeting disruption and board member exit occurred dur- ing the public comment period. The four remaining board mem- bers summarized the issue before voting to approve it. Miner noted that not informing parents of a child’s gender incongruity taught those students to lie and that par- ents' rights were protected by the 14th Amendment. She added that many gender dysphoric kids com- mitted suicide, and she “doesn’t want blood on her hands.” Might makes right Rumsey also referred to the rights afforded to parents by the Constitution, and stated that she would fight for the right of par- ents to be informed. “No law pro- hibits this policy,” she said. Ortega, the only majority board member with children in OUSD, affirmed that his goal is to provide a safe environment for students so they may succeed. He noted that parents must give permission for a child to get counseling, go to a wellness center or get Band- aids. He thanked the audience for coming and supporting the board members and the policy. Ledesma also thanked the largely out-of-town audience for its support. He indicated his concern regarding children keep- ing secrets about something that would “change their lives for- ever” and worried that students would “dismember their bodies at 12 years old due to ideas shared by the state and school system.” He thanked Trustee Miner for “bringing it home.” Kiwanis Club of Orange is giving away money for college As they do every year, the Ki- wanis Club of Orange is giving away scholarships to students who attend El Modena, Villa Park, Or- ange, Orange Lutheran, or Rich- land High Schools, to help pay for the costs associated with going to college or vocational school. The money is paid directly to the student and can be used for whatever they need -- from tu- ition, to books, or supplies. This year, the Kiwanis Club plans to award $15,000 in schol- arships to deserving students. The scholarships are awarded at the end of the school year each val- ued at approximately $1,000 to $2,000. Qualifying students are those who can demonstrate that they have contributed numerous hours to community service. Commu- nity service means volunteering time to a worthwhile cause or or- ganization, not the least of which would be participation in the Key Club at their high school. Many Key Club members also assist the Kiwanis Club with its activities. Students can apply for consid- eration by going to the Kiwanis Club of Orange website at ki- wanisoforange.org and follow the link to the application. Complete and email before the March 21 deadline. Standing, left to right, Kiwanis members Steve Hunt, Teddi Smith, Em- ily Alvarez, Greg Lewin, Mike Alvarez; front, 2022 Scholarship recipi- ents Evan Bui, Jolyn Le, Claire Hughes and Kiwanians Debbie Booth and Randy Garell. OPAWL begins new program year Orange Park Acres Women’s League has announced that Tani Stein is the newly elected presi- dent of OPAWL. The board and members look forward to her leadership and direction in ex- ecuting the vision and mission of the Women's League. Stein has a background in art, business consulting and interna- tional relations, and provides peer interaction-infused environments and academic consulting for on- line school students. She sends a heartfelt invitation to women of all ages to join OPAWL. OPAWL offers a variety of activities, including bridge, Hot Trotters for equestrians, pickle- ball, Entertaining in Pearls, bun- co, Pack Walkers for dog walk- ers and talkers, book club, and Homestead & Gardening. See OPAwomen.org. Woman’s Club heralds holidays The Woman's Club of Orange will host its annual Holiday Bou- tique & Craft Show on Saturday, Oct. 14 at the clubhouse. There will be vendors offering unique gifts and holiday items, a sweet shop, and a meal deal of hot dog, chili, chips and drink that will be sold on the patio. Doors open at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. The clubhouse is located at 121 S. Center Street. Admission is free, and the bou- tique is open to the public. Visit womanscluboforange.org .