FāVS Religion News Roundup: Feb. 23
Read about a new choir ensemble taking off in the community through Whitworth, a controversial curriculum that hasn’t event passed the state legislature already being opposed in a local school district and legal education forum for LGBTQ+ advocacy hosted by Gonzaga in this week’s FāVS News Roundup.
News Story by FāVS News Staff
Singing in Choirs Come Back in Fashion After COVID
This week the Spokesman-Review published an article about the new Whitworth Community Chorale, a choir ensemble started in September 2022 by Joshua Chism, the associate director of chorale activities at Whitworth University. The chorale brings together Whitworth students, faculty, staff and community members of all ages to rehearse and perform choral music together.
In just a few months, the ensemble has grown to 150 members, exceeding expectations. The group provides an opportunity for people who want to sing in a choir again after many churches scaled back choirs during the pandemic.
Members cite the energetic direction of Chism and the joy of making music together as reasons for joining. An example is Taisiia Kompaniiets, a 26-year-old Ukrainian piano teacher who fled war and joined the chorale just two days after arriving in Cheney.
The inclusive ensemble allows beginners to advanced singers to participate. The article highlights how the chorale brings the community together through the unifying power of music. The group plans to perform a concert in April, showcasing their collective talent.
Controversial Curriculum Opposed by Local School District
The Central Valley School District (CVSD) Board of Directors held a special meeting on Tuesday morning to formally oppose two pieces of legislation making their way through the Washington State legislature. One bill, SB 5462, would require schools to incorporate queer history into their curriculums by December. The other bill, HB 2331, would make it harder for school boards to exclude identity-based educational materials.
RANGE Media reported that the CVSD board objected to the laws because they saw them as state overreach into local control of curriculum. They also cited concerns about the potential financial burden of revising the curriculum. The resolution passed unanimously in the hastily called meeting.
No members of the public spoke for or against the resolution, which was sent to legislators just hours before a hearing on one of the bills.
Gonzaga Hosts LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Legal Education Summit
Gonzaga University School of Law announced this week that it will be hosting the With Pride: 2024 LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy in Legal Education Summit on April 19.
This event will bring together scholars, practitioners, students and advocates to discuss LGBTQ+ legal rights and advocacy efforts in legal education. The summit will feature three diverse panels of faculty from various law schools and a keynote address by Kellye Testy, the incoming executive director of the Association of American Law Schools.
Attendees will have the opportunity to earn 5.0 CLE credits and network with professionals working to advance LGBTQ+ rights.
Gonzaga has been a leader in LGBTQ+ advocacy through initiatives like its Lincoln LGBTQ+ Rights Clinic, one of few clinics nationwide focused entirely on serving LGBTQ+ clients.
The school aims to further LGBTQ+ rights and access to justice through events like With Pride. Interested parties are encouraged to visit the website to register.
