"Spiritual freedom is the root of political liberty . . . . As the union between spiritual freedom and political liberty seems nearly inseparable, it is our duty to defend both."
Thomas Paine
 

AACS Hosts National Legislative Conference
Last week, AACS state leaders, school administrators, and pastors from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the annual AACS National Legislative Conference, designed to provide a time of spiritual encouragement, legislative updates, and congressional visits. During two special services, Richard Callahan challenged attendees not only to stand firm for the cause of righteousness and freedom but also to bow in humility before the Lord for wisdom and strength. The conference included a briefing presented by the Heritage Foundation which provided updates on the issues facing education, including the problems with gender ideology and Critical Race Theory, the Biden administration’s attempt to forgive student loans, and the importance of school choice. Speakers included Heritage president Dr. Kevin Roberts, Dr. Jay Richards, Dr. Lindsey Burke, and Mike Gonzalez. A congressional briefing in the historic Kennedy Caucus room featured comments from Senators Marsha Blackburn (TN), James Lankford (OK), and Tommy Tuberville (AL), and Representatives Burgess Owens (UT) and Bob Good (VA), all of whom spoke of their efforts and commitment to protect religious liberty and promote school choice. A special part of the congressional briefing was the opportunity to pray for each of these leaders as we are instructed in 1 Timothy 2. During a special banquet on Tuesday evening, AACS honored Kristen Waggoner, the president of Alliance Defending Freedom, with the AACS American Freedom Award for her tireless work to protect religious freedom in the courts. The West Virginia Christian Education Association also presented her with a commemorative vase as a token of gratitude for the help of ADF in protecting the HOPE Scholarship Program, which offers school choice for West Virginia families. Following the banquet, several attendees had the opportunity to enjoy an after-hours tour of the U.S. Capitol hosted by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA).
 
An important part of the conference was the legislative briefing, presented by AACS Government Relations Director Jamison Coppola to provide AACS members with information regarding legislation affecting member ministries so they can effectively communicate to their representatives. This year, the focus was on supporting strong school choice legislation and protecting children from the harmful practices of gender ideology. Regarding school choice, two bills were highlighted which would offer school choice, protect federalism, and protect the autonomy and mission of private schools. The Educational Choice for Children Act would create a federal tax credit scholarship program, and the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act would provide school choice for military personnel. Regarding the protection of children, the legislative briefing highlighted three bills, all of which prohibit harmful medical procedures which claim to alter a person’s gender: the Protecting Children from Experimentation Act, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, and the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. The final day of the conference provided time for the attendees to visit the offices of their representatives and senators and advocate on behalf of the families in their ministries on these issues. The AACS is grateful for the many AACS members who participated in the conference, and we praise the Lord for his blessings on the conference and on Christian education.