On Tuesday, commissioners refused to send state funding to Girls Inc. of Tarrant County after dozens of residents raised concerns about its support for LGBTQ issues and abortion rights.
“County government should not fund, nor should it divert funds from other sources, organizations that are highly ideological and encourage the children they teach to advocate for social change.” Judge Tim said. Mr. O’Hare said.
Girls Inc. of Tarrant County provides school-based and community programs for girls ages 5 to 18. It was one of her five organizations to apply and be approved to receive a grant from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Tarrant County will manage application requests and select potential recipients.
Of the $675,000 in state funding, $115,334 was allocated to Tarrant County Girls Inc.’s “Girl Power!” The program is her two-part program that focuses on self-esteem, stress management, healthy relationships, and hygiene. Girls Inc. planned to offer its program to families in zip codes 76106, 76164, 76112 and 76119.
Commissioners O’Hare, Gary Fix, and Manny Ramirez, all Republicans, voted to deny these funds to Girls, Inc. of Tarrant County. Commissioners Roy Brooks and Alisa Simmons (both Democrats) voted against funding Girls Inc.
Residents who spoke out pointed to the organization’s acceptance of transgender girls into its programs, its sexual health programs, and its support for abortion rights by state institutions. Girls Inc. of Tarrant County is part of a large network of chapters across the United States and Canada.
“Girls, Inc. is an extremist political indoctrination machine that advocates divisive liberal politics,” said Lee Wambsgans, a Southlake resident who spoke out in opposition. Wambsganss is Chief Communications Officer at Patriot Mobile.
Janet Mattern, vice president of programs for the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County, said she supports Girls Inc.
“When I was younger, I had low self-esteem and needed leadership training,” she said. “I understand what it feels like to have low self-esteem. Every girl should know that she has self-esteem…We have to uplift young girls and young women, and we have to encourage young girls and young women and their situations and their lives. I have to focus on dealing with it.” It makes sense. ”
Brittany Christian, president of Tarrant County Girls, Inc., sought to draw a clear line between the national organization’s advocacy work and work at the local level. Local organizations are independent from national chapters and do not share all of their views, Christian said. They are re-evaluating their continued partnership with national chapters.
“Our mission is to inspire every girl in Tarrant County to be strong, smart and bold,” she said. “And we do that by providing services tailored to Tarrant County girls and their families, led by people who live and love Tarrant County.”
Jennifer Limas, CEO of Tarrant County Girls, is seconded by Christian. He also emphasized that the grant does not cover sex education, which some speakers questioned.
Girls Inc. has received state funding through Tarrant County since 2007. According to the organization’s website, 85% of the children it serves in Tarrant County come from low-income households and nearly 90% are non-white.
North Richland Hills resident Ellen Lopez, who opposed the contract, called attention to part of the contract language that prohibits the use of funds for partisan purposes. Lopez said Girls, Inc.’s support of various social causes is partisan and should be grounds for rejecting the contract.
Brooks pushed back on those feelings. Almost everyone who spoke out against the deal had their own political agenda, he said.
“Stop trying to destroy the organization for political reasons,” Brooks said. “And I’m in the business of building strong, smart, bold women who know who they are and who they are, and who just need a little support from a community that claims to love them. Let’s get it.”
Simmons said the work Tarrant County Girls, Inc. is doing is helping vulnerable populations learn important life skills.
“Learning these skills will help students and their families avoid overburdening public health and public safety systems,” Simmons said. “It’s preventive medicine.”
If the organization is serious about leaving the national chapter, it could change its name and come back next year, O’Hare said.
“The idea that this is somehow going to mean that there are disadvantaged girls who won’t be able to access any type of program unless we approve this is simply false,” O’Hare said. “There are other organizations in this community that can do exactly the same thing that we can fund.”