Protecting children and childhood innocence is one of the top priorities for board members.
Here are two examples of how the Board is protecting children and families:
1. The Board passed the Resolution to Protect Childhood Innocence on June 27, 2023.
This happened after learning that staff members from Ottawa County were working at the Grand Haven Pride Festival, where children were giving money to drag queens wearing sexualized clothing. The resolution says:
“...no county staff or resources shall be allocated to activities, programs, events, content, or institutions which support, normalize, or encourage the sexualization of children and youth.”
https://www.miottawa.org/Departments/BOC/resolutions.htm
2. The Board rejected a grant when it discovered harmful strings attached.
The Health Department wanted to promote a website called Man Therapy. Most of the items on the website were fine. However, one section linked to the Trevor Project which encourages children to reach out to unlicensed counselors to discuss gender fluidity, confusion, and sexual identity. The Trevor Project promises to keep its “counseling” conversations secret from parents.
Instead of approving this grant, the conservative Board members voted to expand the Department of Veterans Affairs and hired a director for the first time. The new department is already positively impacting veterans and their families in the county.