Linda Thorson: NDSU and Planned Parenthood Teaming up to Offer Classes to Students

This guest post was submitted by Linda Thorson, the North Dakota state director for Concerned Women for America.

Have you heard Planned Parenthood is offering classes for any teacher with students Kindergarten through 12th grade and that the workshop is offered for credit by North Dakota State University (NDSU)?

The teacher for the course is Katie Christensen, the North Dakota Education and Outreach Manager for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. It is a mistake for

NDSU to provide teachers credit for this type of outreach.

Three North Dakota Regional Education Associations (REA) in our state backed out of hosting safe spaces workshops just a few weeks ago after they were contacted by concerned citizens. NDSU

President Dean Bresciani was also asked to cancel the course for credit, but has failed to show any concern.

Planned Parenthood is the farthest thing from a reputable organization and does not represent North Dakota values. What benefit is it to NDSU to partner with an organization that is currently under criminal investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Our own North Dakota Department of Public Instruction does not partner with Planned Parenthood for any of their workshops, yet NDSU has chosen to provide professional development credits to any teacher taking the Safe Spaces workshop?

It is a grave mistake for NDSU to associate with Planned Parenthood, an organization with no integrity. Repeatedly they have been caught failing to comply with mandatory reporting laws of child abuse and neglect. Instead of calling authorities to protect a minor, they have chosen to send the child back to their abusers. In fact, Planned Parenthood has been found to cover up cases of rape with abortion and not report a suspected rape case to law enforcement, Planned Parenthood Caught Doing Abortions on 12-Year-Old Girls, Not Reporting Sexual Assault to Authorities.

North Dakotans need to ask President Dean Bresciani to justify the reasons he is not cancelling the course and is instead impugning the integrity of NDSU by associating with Planned Parenthood, an organization that puts children in unsafe spaces. Higher education that does not provide safe spaces for children is not a valuable service to anyone. Please express your disgust to President Bresciani’s Chief of staff, Christopher Wilson at (701) 231-6409 or at Christopher.S.Wilson@ndsu.edu. Do not hesitate to leave a message over the weekend