Tacoma parent Lisa Keating traveled to Olympia March 14 to testify in favor of two bills supported by the Washington State PTA: SB 5082 (social and emotional learning) and SB 5689 (anti-harassment, intimidation and bullying related to transgender students).
On SB 5082 Lisa shared her experience working with Tacoma youth to improve social emotional learning and stressed the need to continue the SEL workgroup, placing it in statute, and for OSPI to adopt the SEL framework, a component of the WSPTA priority.
Lisa was joined by her daughter Stella testifying in favor of SB 5689. Both shared personal stories with committee members and urged adoption of the legislation that would add a point of contact at each school for transgender students, require updated policies and procedures, and training on anti-harassment, intimidation and bullying.