Giving Talks in Schools.(how to get permission to discuss life issues)

"Your material was interesting, factual, and up-to-date. You really helped the students understand what is happening on life issues. The video was excellent and so current. Your presentation was a valuable experience for us."

High school teacher in Bloomington, Minnesota

George Allen, who was the coach of the highly successful Washington Redskins in the 1970s, once said, "The Future is Now." While Allen was talking about football, his observation is true for pro-lifers in two different senses.

We understand perfectly well that we are in this for the long haul, but we also know that refashioning public attitudes toward abortion and euthanasia is always a today job. Postponing and procrastination will never save the lives of the vulnerable.

Also, the "future" is in the hands of young people whom we can (and must) reach now! There's no better place to accomplish this than in schools.

Obviously no one can guarantee that every pro-life presentation you give in schools will be as well received as was the talk mentioned in the opening quotation, given by a member of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. But what you can be sure of is that getting invited to speak in public and private schools is one of the most important tasks - - short term and long term - - that your local group can ever undertake.

What follows offers some pointers about how to go about obtaining permission to discuss the life issues. Each school and every chapter is different, of course, so these are general observations.