Thoughts on Bill to Remove Religious Exemption

My perception here comes from eagle & the lens of another reality - which is just my own eyeballs & experience. Please read with an open heart + mind. These are just my thoughts after holding space for the 17 hours I watched.

So I’ll share...

If this passes a lot of families have communicated in their allotted 3 minutes to speak about having to completely uproot by moving their family to another state or be expelled from school due to noncompliance - which would mean homeschooling. These are the options but everyone I’ve heard would choose to move.

So the first argument - moving to another state. I do not believe this will settle the fight. The reality of this reality is that they want most of society a certain way. All kids in school. All parents working 9-5 ECT which makes it challenging to choose another way & now they don’t want children to stray away from the vax schedule.

Some of us decide what we want to do in that reality or we make our own. Who is to say this bill won't be brought up in other states - it actually already has. New Yorkers moved here because of it being passed. I mean sure it makes a good argument to the reps who are listening - to see that basically every family will move out if this gets passed... I get it!

Second thought is choosing to homeschool. Now I understand the argument parents and their kids have had as they testified during this 24h. No one should be forced out of the school system for their beliefs. But what if it’s BECAUSE of our beliefs that we choose not to go? That is my reality and It would become a reality to so many if this gets passed.

A lot mention they wouldn’t be able to socialize, be able to have a career, have no friends & my personal favorite not being able to find their soulmate (LOL) if they can't go to school.

I get it - this shit if fu*ked up! No one should be taking freedoms away. But also I as a homeschooling mama do not agree with what I just listed - as it is not a reality of my children. It would be whatever you make it be. The decision to homeschool my kids eight years ago continues to be the BEST decision I have ever made.

We are not living a carefree life filled with unicorns or rainbows - I mean I like to think so but it’s stressful just like any other decision that one makes and takes responsibility for.

I get to keep my power & raise my children by allowing them to keep their own power and for us all to take responsibility with how we want to live.

Now of course I care for all children and the right to choose and what is happening is these parents want the choice to send their kids to school. But the truth is these schools have so much power. They decide what your kids learn. They decide when they eat and when they go to the bathroom. The power has already been given away.

We are fighting for a crumb of power which is to choose what enters our child's veins. A CRUMB in the grand scheme of things. Don't get me wrong - I am in this fight with you & will continue to support our freedoms.

I am not one to persuade anyone to choose a reality over another but I do wish to say that there are people out there who have completely exited out of this one. We are not weird. We are very socialized. Our kids decide what to learn & they are very smart.

I do stand with everyone who has skin in this part of the game because who is to say that they won't come after homeschoolers next? We shall cross that bridge when we get there.

I wanted to open a few minds and zoom out to these big thoughts. What if this was an opportunity to really take our power back? To instead take our fighting energy into creating a new reality? What would that look like?

Mine continues to be built. Through community & vision. Through a deep knowing & always sitting on the edge of my seat.

Thank you for reading with an open heart. I am not connected to any of these thoughts - I just needed to get them out. How did this land?

XOXO