Addressing School Board Members and Local Health Departments
Learn Crucial Information, Beneficial Tools & the Potential Legal Recourse to be an Effective Advocate & Impact Much Needed Change
Children’s Health Defense Ohio was eager to present the highly informative online symposium, “Addressing School Board Members and Local Health Departments – Learn Crucial Information, Beneficial Tools and the Potential Legal Recourse to be an Effective Advocate and Impact Much Needed Change,” featuring guest speakers Dr. Elizabeth Laffay, Heather Boyer Younkin, Micah Ray Aills, Heather Chappell, Chanel Davis, Kathryn Huwig and attorney Warner Mendenhall on Monday, February 7, 2022.
Children are our most precious gift, greatest blessing, and most valuable contributors to the future of our society. Parents are and should remain at the forefront of decisions that influence and enrich the foundations by which children flourish and become fruitful contributors to society. Optimum health and education are fundamental in that respect and may be nurtured by a supportive community with parents who know what is best for their children. To further that necessity, it is imperative that parents effectively communicate with locally elected officials and those who influence policy, such as school board members, superintendents, and local health departments, to ensure their children’s overall well-being and rights, including but not limited to an enriching educational experience, are best met for the children’s sake and generations to come.
Being proactive in our children’s health and educational system has always been of utmost importance. However, the added urgency stemming from decisions that have been made over the past few years, which have unequivocally adversely impacted the overall well-being of Ohio’s children, has made it imperative for parents to take further action and become proactive in engaging their local officials.
All parents have the capability, heart, and passion to be proactive and effective in impacting much needed change by the mere fact that they know their children’s needs better than anyone else.
Whether you are experienced in these areas of advocacy or not, the experts and parents featured in this empowering online symposium shared highly beneficial information that may motivate parents to not only become proactive at the local level, but gain further knowledge and acquire beneficial tools that are key to understanding and effectively navigating these public arenas and engagements, in addition to the potential legal recourse that can be taken to impact change.
Here are the recordings from that discussion. Please do not hesitate to email oh.chd@childrenshealthdefense.org if you have any questions.
Part 1: Chanel Davis
Chanel addressed the importance of finding like mind individuals, growing :your tribe” and the power of numbers. She also stressed the importance of attending local meetings such as school board meetings, township trustee meetings, city council and health board meetings. She also covered other important, pertinent topics such as the Ohio Revised Codes, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSR) Funds and more.
Part 2: Heather Boyer-Younkin
Heather addressed Ohio Senate Bill 22, exclusion law and how it pertains to quarantine and schools. She also discussed Ohio House Bill 244 and the anti-discrimination provisions on the basis of a student’s vaccination status, as well as the necessity of educating local school boards regarding the law and the Emergency Use Authorization provisions concerning masks, culminating with the importance of distinguishing the definitions of direct versus close contact.
Part 3: Dr. Elizabeth Laffay
Dr. Laffay shared her perspective and insights as a school board member, in addition to the importance of keeping emotions in check, being prepared and respecting the process when attending and speaking at school board meetings.
Part 4: Heather Chappel
Heather shared valuable insights into getting involved with local schools, school boards and the community. She also emphasized the importance of having the moral courage to peaking out at school board meetings and not allowing potential backlash to discourage the much needed engagement.
Part 5: Micah Ray Aills
Micah shared his experience attending school board meetings and provided valuable insights as it relates to filing claims on school board members surety bonds, the limited scope of the Center for disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) powers regarding schools, as well as the health impact on children including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE).
Part 6 Kathryn Huwig
Kathryn shared the importance of accessing and disclosing the local data bu utilizing valuable sources such as the Ohio COVID-19 Dashboard. In addition to walking viewers through the step-by-step process of how to access data, she disclosed ways in which individuals may better understand the graphs and numbers on the website, as well as more advanced data sheets.
Part 7: Warner Mendenhall, Esq.
Attorney Warner discussed the current cases in Ohio pertaining to colleges, universities and student masking. He also answered important, relevant questions during the open forum question and answer portion. The online event Moderator, Nadera lopez-Garrity, also shared some inspiring words and a call to action towards the end of the discussion.
Nadera Lopez-Garrity
Moderator
Nadera Lopez-Garrity has a background in both Journalism and Political Science and has long been active in Ohio’s legislative process to ensure Ohioan’s constitutional rights and liberties are protected. She is the President of Children’s Health Defense Ohio and serves as the Executive Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors.
Nadera also confounded and served as the former Vice President of Health Freedom Ohio, a politically active nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about holistic pathways to health and wellness. Her efforts have formed part of a collective movement of citizens in Ohio that have influenced and prevented the passage of legislation that would have drastically limited Ohioan’s fundamental human rights and freedoms. Additionally, her continuous advocacy has helped put into motion legislation that aims to protect individuals right to choose what is right for them and their families when it comes to their health and overall well-being, free of coercion and discrimination, in addition to the protection and promotion of natural health modalities.
With over a decade of marketing and event planning experience, Nadera has also been instrumental in working with other national and local organizations, coordinating several monumental conferences and fundraising events; whereby, world renowned experts graciously share their expertise so individuals may be empowered to make the best, informed decisions for themselves and their family as it pertains to health and wellness. Drawing hundreds of attendees within the state and across the nation.
She speaks out in various interviews, including the upcoming Framing The World docuseries, “COVIDLAND,” produced by Paul Wittenberger, and often testifies at the Ohio Statehouse in support of parental rights, health freedom, informed consent and other legislation concerning the preservation of Ohioans Constitutional rights, Covid policies, accuracy and transparency and the preservation of Ohioans Constitutional rights, Covid policies, accuracy and transparency.
Nadera has also authored articles published in one of the most trusted news publications of our time, The Defender: Children’s Health Defense News and Views.
A native of Venezuela who has traveled and lived all over the world, Nadera has a passion for justice and a genuine desire to empower people, understanding that we are all intrinsically connected and what we do at a local level impacts humanity at large. Advocating to preserve individual’s God-given fundamental human rights and freedoms is an intrinsic part of her calling, born from an innate desire to leave this world a bit better for our children and generations to come.
Her greatest joy, drive and most cherished blessing are her family, whom she lives with in Ohio.