Monday, April 30, 2007

Save Civil Rights Protection in Head Start

HEAD START VOTE THIS WEEK:

OPPOSE CIVIL RIGHTS REPEAL!
In March, the Head Start reauthorization bill (H.R. 1429) passed the House Education and Labor Committee by a 42-1 vote. The committee-passed bill leaves in place a crucial civil rights provision, which has been a cornerstone protection in Head Start programs since 1972. That provision has, for decades, protected more than 213,000 Head Start teachers and staff, and more than 1,360,000 parent volunteers, from employment discrimination based on religion in federally-funded Head Start programs.

The bill is expected to be on the House floor this week and we anticipate an attempt to repeal these critical civil rights provisions through either a “Motion to Recommit,” which would send the bill back to committee with instructions to repeal the provision, or an “amendment” to the bill which would immediately repeal the anti-discrimination language before final passage.

URGE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO REAUTHORIZE HEAD START AND REJECT ANY ASSAULT ON CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS IN FEDERALLY-FUNDED PROGRAMS.
It is critical that this measure pass with no amendments. To send a message click here.

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