Public Policy

The Los Gatos – Saratoga branch of the AAUW is active at both the national and local level in advocating for public policy change.  The sections below highlight National, California, and Local Public Policy issues.

  1. California School Board Project
  2. Women’s Reproductive Rights
  3. Title IX
  4. Equal Pay (paycheck fairness Act)
  5. National Public Policy
  6. Local Public Policy
  7. Previous Articles

_________________________

California School Board Project

The California School Board Project is important because AAUW has always (since its very inception) been a proponent of equal access to quality public education.  Thus, concerns about book banning and censorship have led the California AAUW to sponsor a webinar (September 21 at 7:00pm) to help us understand how we can combat these initiatives.

For an article about this important project, and information on how to join the webinar, please access this link.

_________________________

Women’s Reproductive Rights

Statement on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

January 22, Los Atos/Mountain View Pro Choice Event

  1. NARAL – National Abortion Rights Action League
  2. Planned Parenthood
  3. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (CA regional branch)
  4. Center for Reproductive Rights
  5. Women’s Health Protection Act
  6. California Future of Abortion Council Report
  7. San Francisco Foundation: 2021 Gift Guide: Reproductive Health and Rights
  8. Dangerous Pregnancies: Mothers, Disabilities, and Abortion in Modern America. Reagan, L. J. (2012). University of California Press. (Amazon)
  9. When Abortion Was a Crime: Reagan, L. J. (re-issue February 2022). University of California Press. (Pre-order 30% discount with promotional code – see attached flyer)

_________________________

Title IX

_________________________

Equal Pay

Incredible as it may seem, the Equal Rights Amendment was never fully ratified by the states — at least not in time to meet the required deadlines.  It remains not ratified.  This makes the Paycheck Fairness Act even more important to women.  The following links contain resources that may be useful in planning.

The following list contains potential actions for the branch and members (from the article listed above):

  • Write your representatives in Congress to encourage them to support the Paycheck Fairness Act.
  • Encourage your local city council or county board of supervisors to issue a proclamation in support of pay equity.
  • Wear Red to symbolize that women’s paychecks are “in the red” when compared to men.
  • Write a letter to the editor of your local paper or offer to submit an op-ed.
  • Share a timely post on social media to spread awareness.
  • Hold an event on your local campus and offer cookies to women that are proportionately smaller than the ones you offer to men. Also invite participants to become student affiliate members of AAUW.
  • Invite community members to an “unhappy hour.”

The  national AAUW has sponsored several reports concerning Gender Pay Gap.  Refer to the national AAUW website page:  AAUW Issues:  Gender Pay Gap.  The November 17 Grapevine contains an article Highlighting Gender Pay Gap that provides additional information and a call to action.

_________________________

AAUW National Public Policy

Refer to the national AAUW site for more information on AAUW public policy activities, including research reports and information on how you can impact public policy.  The top priorities for the AAUW during the 2017-2019 period are:

  1. To support a strong system of public education that promotes gender fairness, equity, and diversity.
  2. To achieve economic self-sufficiency for all women.
  3. To guarantee equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse society

To read about the AAUW public policy priorities for 2021 – 2023, please click here.

Student Debt Crises for Women

While student debt has recently become an issue that has reached the attention of the public, student debt among women has reached even larger proportions.  The national AAUW research study deeper-in-debt can be read here.

____________________________

Local Public Policy in Santa Clara County

Strong Start Program

The Santa Clara County Inter-Branch council and all of the Santa Clara County branches of AAUW support Strong Start.  This program was initiated by the Santa Clara County Office of Education.  Its mission is to ensure that all children in Santa Clara County, age 0 to 8, have access to high quality early care and education opportunities.

The following articles  from Claire Noonan (member of Interbranch Council and representative to the Strong Start program) describes recent activities of the Strong Start Program.

For more information, refer to the Strong Start website.
____________________________

Previous Articles