Crisis in K-12 Education, Clark County Summit

Speakers

• Elpidia Saavedra Mayor of Toppenish
  Elpidia Saavedra

  Mayor of Toppenish

  Born and raised in the city of Toppenish by a single mom. My dad left when I was young. I have 9 siblings. 4 sisters and 5 brothers. All wonderful, productive people. We worked as farmworkers growing up, poor, on welfare, but happy. My mom, an immigrant from Mexico, loves the United States and instilled in her kids the values of loving God, family, and country. In the summer of 1998, I heard there were some council positions open in Toppenish. I felt led by God to apply, so I did and have served the City of Toppenish ever since. Then, in the Summer of 2022, a concerned parent and family member approached me with some documents about the Comprehensive Sexual Education curriculum plan to be taught to the kids in our school district. What I read and saw was deeply concerning. To me, it seemed like a blatant attack on the faith-based values of many parents, our Latino cultural values, our kid’s innocence, and mental well-being, in addition to the right of parents as a whole. I decided to get involved and help parents fight back to protect their kids and parental rights.

• Ernest J. Zarra Scholar, Author
  

  Ernest J. Zarra

  Scholar, Author

  Ernest J. Zarra, III, Ph.D., is a Bible college graduate and holds five earned degrees, including the Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, as well as graduate degrees in biblical studies and apologetics. Ernie has been a Christian for five decades, taught over 40 years at all levels, written fifteen books, and is author of more than a dozen journal articles and several Op-Eds. His writings have appeared in RealClear Education, The National Association of Scholars, of which he is a member, and peer-reviewed professional journals of education.

  He is married to his college sweetheart, Suzi, and is the father of two adult children and energetic grandchildren.

• Jan Brown Private School Representative
  

  Jan Brown

  Private School Representative

  I am a homegrown Washingtonian. I share with many this love of our State as well as a deep love for children and for their future freedom. With three grown children, my husband and I are venturing into grandparenting with eight grandchildren and with one who is on his way at the time of this writing. These children matter like all children matter.
  “Do something or do nothing.” It is a simple, powerful phrase. It is one, too, in retrospect seems to describe my journey in education. Having graduated from WSU with a degree in Education and English, I entered the profession as an elementary classroom teacher later obtaining a Choral Music Endorsement, teaching K-9 choral music. A Masters in Educational Leadership and Principal Certification ensued allowing me to serve in various capacities from principal to district work to the development of a small business I entitled “Leading by Design.” Eventually, I moved to a position with Seattle Pacific University, School of Education, serving public and private schools throughout Washington. Currently, I serve on the State Board of Education having been elected by private and independent schools to represent them.
  In all, we all do something and the something we do matters. I look forward to the joy of meeting, hearing your stories and sharing mine for the sake of kids.

• Jennifer Heine-Withee Education Awareness, Project Consultant, Family Policy Institute of WA
  

  Jennifer Heine-Withee

  Education Awareness, Project Consultant, Family Policy Institute of WA

  Jennifer is the Education Awareness, Project Consultant with the Family Policy Institute of Washington. Previously she served as the Director of Washington Parents’ Rights in Education, the first state chapter outside the state of Oregon. Jennifer has worked in coalition with several Washington grass roots organizations fighting against the sexual indoctrination of children in public schools. Her mission is to empower parents and enlighten communities through education, activation, and motivation. She has been interviewed numerous times for radio and publications, and is excited to be working with FPIW.

  Jennifer has been married for 23 years and has 3 grown kids.

• Jim Walsh WA State Representative
  

  Jim Walsh

  WA State Representative

  Jim Walsh was elected in 2016 to the state House of Representatives and sworn into office on December 8 of that year. He represents the 19th District, which includes parts of Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties. Jim is only the third Republican to represent the district since the 1940s.

  Jim’s legislative priorities are creating family-wage jobs, adequately funding schools, and protecting taxpayers, property rights and gun rights. He wants to diversify the economies of his coastal communities and bring new opportunities to his constituents. Jim believes an effective local school system is vital to ensure a full economic recovery.

  Jim is committed to bipartisanship and finding common-sense solutions in the Legislature. He is the ranking member on the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee, assistant ranking member on both the Education and State Government and Tribal Relations committees, and serves as a member on the Transportation Committee.

  Jim graduated cum laude from Amherst College in 1986. He formed a small publishing company in 1998 that he continues to operate today. Jim has also written columns for the Aberdeen Daily World newspaper, coached boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, and held leadership roles with local and state Republican groups.

  Jim lives in Aberdeen and has five children.

• Mary Snitily Battle Ground School Board
  

  Mary Snitily

  Battle Ground School Board

  After 38 years in Richland, Washington, Mary Snitily and her husband, Richard, moved to the Battle Ground area to be near their children and grandchildren, four of whom attend Battle Ground schools. Mary spent 23 years in education as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and educational trainer in both public and private schools. She visited classrooms and worked with school staff across the Western United States. Mary has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Washington State Curriculum Advisory Committee, WSU GEAR UP Board and two private school boards. Mary values being a servant leader and success facilitator for all students, staff and parents.