voucher debate continues

California will again have a voucher initiative on the ballot in November after last year's proposal failed to pass. The new plan would give parents vouchers of $4,000 per student, to be used at private schools of their choice. The money would go to any child, rich or poor, but $4,000 is unlikely to be sufficient to enable a child from a low-income family to attend a private school. The best California private schools cost about $12,000 a year.

As Congress gets ready for vacation and campaign politicking, less legislation is being discussed, so representatives and senators may be more accessible and more willing to listen to voters.

WHAT YOUR CHAPTER CAN DO

- Find out whether vouchers are being considered in your state or county. Discuss WAO's position opposing vouchers (stated in our Public Policy Resolutions available in print from the National Office ) and ask Chapter members to speak to their representatives. Look up the PTA's position at www.pta.org and that of Americans United for Separation of Church and State at www.au.org.

- Encourage your members to vote in the November elections. Voter registration is still possible in many states. Discuss with WAO members who should be encouraged to register to vote, as well as how to encourage them to register. Young people and seniors usually need encouragement to register and vote.

- To become more knowledgeable about the issues and the candidates, check out www.vote-smart.org, www.moveon.com and www.grassroots.com which includes information on education, family and children, and women. You can download voter registration forms at www.smartvoter.org, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of California, and at the Democracy Network, www.dnet.org. For links to state and local government sites, see www.piperinfo.com.

- While WAO cannot state a preference for candidates, we, as members, can and should discuss the issues. Two interactive Web sites are www.speakout.com, which promotes activism, allowing you to sign a petition, take a survey, send a message and join a debate, and www.voxcap.com, billed as The Home of Online Activism, which offers articles on education.

education 2000

Public education has the attention of the entire country. We face issues that are difficult and often frustrating. Safety has become of paramount concern, linked to issues of gun control and the rights of minors. Congress and state legislative bodies are beginning to institute harsh sentencing laws that punish law breakers but seem to offer little hope or chance for rehabilitation.

WHAT YOUR CHAPTER CAN DO

- As members of WAO, our experiences in support of a global educational program give us an understanding of the kinds of resources and long-range planning needed to help children succeed in school. We know there are no easy answers, but we continue to act in support of legislation that will benefit children.

- Volunteer to tutor children in reading. Ask if any of your members are former or current teachers who would like to discuss reading theories at a Chapter program. Understanding how children learn to read will make our members more eager to volunteer as tutors. Information on how children learn to read can be found at www.nationalreadingpanel.org. To discover how the youngest children enjoy books, see www.zerotothree.org.

- Donate books through our "Adopt-A-Shelf" campaign.

- Discuss current education news, from learning theories to the "digital divide" (the growing gap between those who have access to computers and technology and those who don't) as part of a Chapter program. Look up the latest topics in psychology and current research at www.brains.org (practical application of brain research learning in the classroom) and find out how student-centered classrooms help children achieve superior results.

- Request a speaker from the public library for your next meeting or have a meeting at the library and research the needs of the library. It should be obvious with just a casual look if there are shortages of books, computers and comfortable, fun places for children. Look up the "Library Bill of Rights" at the American Library Association's site, www.ala.org, and ask if your library supports it. If your library is equipped for research on the Internet, use your meeting as an opportunity for members to learn more about using the Internet or take their first steps into cyberspace.

the age gap is bridged

With an estimated net worth of $6 trillion, people who are over 55 represent an attractive market. Financial analysts have said that whoever can capture the online 50-plus market will reap a bonanza.

In the spring issue of quORTerly briefing, we discussed the "digital divide." There has also been a divide in the age groups that Web sites have been targeting. Other than the American Association for Retired People's Web site, www.aarp.org, there have been a limited number of sites targeting men and women over 50 - until recently. Now the Internet has a host of sites appealing to 50-plus women and men: www.inourprime.com, www.generationa.com, www.seniors.com (an online senior community), www.womansage.com (for women over 50) and www.thirdage.com. All offer a variety of articles and information on health, beauty, travel, as well as book reviews and message boards.

The sites mentioned above are geared to the active 50-plus market. There are also sites that provide information for caregivers of the elderly or disabled such as www.caregiverzone.com and www.carethere.com.

WHAT YOUR CHAPTER CAN DO

- Younger Chapters may have members who are presently acting as caregivers. Speakers from Jewish homes for the aged, Jewish centers and welfare organizations can provide vital information and keep members informed of what the local Jewish community is doing for the young and old. Most Web sites can be found using the name Jewish Federation + the local area.

- Articles found on the Web may spark an idea for a Chapter program or seminar and be distributed at the event.

- Chapters may want to hold programs on health and medicine and invite speakers from the local medical community or on financial planning for women and include a presentation on WAO's planned giving options.

20 years later and still arguing

The House International Relations Committee held a hearing in May on whether to endorse the 20-year-old U.N. Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The Treaty, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in December 1979, requires that women have equal rights in work, pay, benefits and safe working conditions and prohibits discrimination against women in political activities.

WAO has always favored this treaty and urged members to support its passage in Congress. Unfortunately, Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has refused to schedule hearings or submit the treaty to the full Senate for a vote.

WHAT YOUR CHAPTER CAN DO

- For more information on the treaty, see www.un.org.

- Discuss the treaty and why we support it (including its proposal to abolish female sexual mutilation) and write to the House Chair of International Relations Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y., at 2449 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Also contact the treaty's most outspoken opponent, Rep. Christopher H. Smith, R-N.J., at 2107 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.

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