Just a quick update on the case of Ginger Strivelli, the Pagan mom who took on the Buncombe County School Board, after she challenged her son's school for passing out Bibles to students. You'll recall that Strivelli was told the school's policy allowed literature from any religion to be distributed, but when she showed up with a box of Pagan stuff, she was told that the policy was now "under review."

At any rate, a few nights ago Strivelli attended a school board meeting to share her input on the policy review procedure, and she was accompanied by the awesome Angela Pippinger of The Pagan Mom Blog. Angela live-Tweeted the whole thing, as well as blogging about it once she got home. Angela says, "I have often mentioned that I have not been subject to religious discrimination. Tonight I get to join the ranks of the many who have. And to be honest, I am glad I did. Sadistic? Yea. But I think that it's a learning lesson for me so that I can better help my community grow in interfaith. I have now experienced both sides."

Like Angela, and many of the readers here on this site, I've never experienced discrimination as a Pagan, even after ten years of living in the Bible Belt. And yet, reading Angela's account of that meeting, I could practically feel the hatred that must have been palpable in the room. I encourage all of you to read her narrative, to get an idea of what it was like for her, Ginger Strivelli, and Byron Ballard that night.

The Board of Education will meet again on March 1 to vote on the policy revisions.

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There's a great piece over at Patheos by Roy Speckhardt, focusing on the ever-increasing influence that the religious right has in pushing legislation that will impact America's public schools. Speckhardt cites an article from Religion News Service which reminds us that "a number of state legislators are now pushing some legislation that would introduce studying the Bible as a choice in their state's public schools, and other legislation that would teach creationism as valid."

What does this mean for those of us who are part of minority religions, or of no religious preference at all? Well, it means your kids and mine could find themselves at the center of a battle between those who support the Constitution as being definitive of the separation between church and state, and those who would claim that it is in fact the Bible and God's law which is the basis for American government.

Groups like the National Council on Bible Curriculum and the Bible Literacy Project say they just want to educate students, but their message is pretty clearly one of indoctrinating future generations into their belief system. Which, theoretically, would be fine if they were in a private school setting. However, these groups are actively promoting legislation which would require public schools to offer the option of teaching Bible studies in classrooms, as well as presenting creationism as a valid theory in contrast to evolution.

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Wondering what you might have missed this week at About Pagan/Wiccan? Well, there's all kinds of new content, a bunch of blog posts, updates to older articles, and tons of new reader submissions! Here's your round-up of everything from the past week in About Pagan/Wiccan:

New and Updated Articles and Features

Romani Magic and Folklore
All About Brighid

Blog Posts

Weekly Roundup Jan. 23 - 29
January 30: Happy Birthday, Z Budapest!
Pendle Witch Walk to Mark 400th Anniversary
FL Senate Passes School Prayer Bill
Quickening Moon Feb. 7

Imbolc Countdown: Up Helly Aa
Imbolc Countdown: Oil and Incense
Imbolc Countdown: Februalia
Imbolc Countdown: Groundhog Day
A Happy Imbolc to You!

Spirit of the Grain
Lammas Blessings to You!

New Reader Submissions

Energy and Prayer Requests

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Winter is still pounding away at many of us, and this month's full moon is known as the Quickening Moon. It's the time of year when new life may be beginning, but it still lies dormant. Pregnant animals, due in the spring, begin to feel the quickening of their unborn young. The earth itself is coming back to life as seeds beneath the soil begin their journey towards the sun. We know these things are coming -- and we know also that this is a good month to make plans for the future.

Correspondences for the Quickening Moon include crystals such as rose quartz, amethyst, and jasper, and the deities Brighid and Aphrodite. Magical workings this month should focus on personal achievements and advancement, new beginnings, and new relationships.

• Quickening Moon
• Drawing Down the Moon
• Winter Full Moon Ritual

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