The administration and DCED have removed the nondiscrimination statement that included gender, gender identity and sexual expression language from the EITC and OSTC guidelines and applications. This is a significant blessing from God. If you are a scholarship organization, the forms are updated on the website and we can participate once again in these incredibly important programs to our families in good faith.
Consider and pray about several things that the DCED very pointed example makes clear:
1. This decision was uncovered because schools paid close attention and knew what to look for as a problem. Without a quick uncovering of this issue, we might have been pushed to other deadlines that would have made this outcome more unlikely. Vigilance is an important thing.
2. The work done in the past and currently by both our leadership at ACSIPA, ACSI National, and our individual schools played an important part of the puzzle. Not the central piece, but something that we can stand upright about in taking civil responsibility within a Godly perspective.
3. The remediation of this problem was a matter of public policy and public pressure made by a LARGE network of connections and groups.We have noticed several groups looking to take credit for the fix but in reality know that this was ONLY accomplished by us being connected with a larger group of like minded people both inside and outside of the beltways. The legislature, our friends in the administration, and the amount of outcry all brought what we believe to be darkness into the light.
4. Please understand that YOU and your school community MUST be a critical part of public policy. We are grateful to ACSI leadership, our ACSIPA leaders, and all of you for your work. Please don't let the enemy lull you into thinking that you are not important, or that you are too busy.
5. In regards to this particular issue please take a moment as a school on behalf of your parents to thank DCED and Jim O'Donnell for the change in policy (jaodonnell@pa.gov).