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I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO MATTER OF FACT. TODAY, AN EFFORT TO SAVE MAIN STREET AMERICA. EVERY SINGLE STRIP MALL LOOKS THE SAME WITH THE SAME STORES. WHERE IS, LIKE, THE SOUL OF EACH COMMUNITY GOING? THIS ENTREPRENEUR TURNED SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER IS USING HER PLATFORM TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO GET INTO BUSINESS FOR THEMSELVES. WE HAD A NATION OF OWNERS. NOW 6% OF AMERICANS OWN A BUSINESS. HOW SHE’S HELPING PEOPLE BUILD WEALTH THROUGH BLUE COLLAR BUSINESS OWNERSHIP. AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS MORE CUTS IT SAYS ARE AIMED AT REDUCING THE NATIONAL DEBT. THE WAY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED HAS ENDED UP MAKING IT EXTREMELY CHAOTIC. IS THERE ANOTHER WAY? PLUS LIFE, PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. WE’RE CONSIDERED NORMAL FAMILY. WE MEET THE HERRERAS HAPPILY LIVING IN A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE UNTIL HIS JOB WAS CUT. HE COULD HAVE EVERYTHING HE WANT. AND THEN ONE DAY, IT JUST DISAPPEARS. THE STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET IN AMERICA. THOSE STORIES RIGHT NOW ON MATTER OF FACT. FROM HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO OUR COFFEE SHOPS AND OUR GROCERY STORES. INVESTMENT FIRMS AND MAJOR CORPORATIONS OWN A LOT IN THIS COUNTRY. BUT SMALL BUSINESSES DEFINED AS INDEPENDENT, WITH FEWER THAN 500 EMPLOYEES, ARE CRUCIAL FOR THE ECONOMY. FROM 1995 TO 2021, NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF NEW JOBS WERE CREATED BY SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THEY EMPLOY ALMOST HALF OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR. ENTREPRENEUR AND SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER CODIE SANCHEZ IS ON A MISSION TO BUILD ON THAT OWNERSHIP. SHE’S THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING BOOK, MAIN STREET MILLIONAIRE. IT WALKS READERS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BUYING A SMALL BUSINESS. OUR CORRESPONDENT JESS GOMEZ TRAVELED TO CODY’S HOMETOWN OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, FOR A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE EFFORTS TO BUILD WEALTH THROUGH MAIN STREET. FIRST, WE’RE GOING TO START WITH HIRING AT 930 IN EAST AUSTIN, TEXAS. 38 YEAR OLD CODIE SANCHEZ AND HER TEAM. WE REALLY WANT THEM TO GO DEEP QUICKLY. PLANNING AN EDUCATIONAL EVENT THEY WOULD LATER HOST FOR PAYING MEMBERS OF HER FINANCE AND MEDIA COMPANY, CONTRARIAN, THINKING THE GOAL WITH THE COMPANY IS OVERALL IS REALLY ONE THING. I WANT TO CREATE AS MANY OWNERS AS POSSIBLE. SANCHEZ, WHO WORKED ON WALL STREET EARNING HER MBA AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, BECAME DISILLUSIONED WITH HER JOB. MY FOUR RULES FOR FINDING SMALL BUSINESSES. SO SHE STARTED BUYING SMALL BUSINESSES ON THE SIDE. I QUIT MY 500 K A YEAR JOB AND SHARING WHAT SHE LEARNED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. FIVE KEYS TO FINDING YOUR LOCATION. I REALIZED, MAN, THERE’S SO MUCH APPETITE FOR THIS BECAUSE I THINK THE WAY THAT WE WERE TAUGHT HOW TO MAKE MONEY IS SUPER FLAWED. WE WERE ACTUALLY NEVER TAUGHT HOW TO GET OWNERSHIP. SO INSTEAD, WHY DON’T I TRANSFER SOME KNOWLEDGE? HER CONTENT RESONATING. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE’VE GOT ALL THE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS SHE’S RACKED UP 10 MILLION FOLLOWERS SO FAR, WALKING THEM THROUGH HOW TO BUY WHAT SHE CALLS BORING BUSINESSES. AND YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY DOING IT. WHAT ARE BORING BUSINESSES? THEY’RE SORT OF THE TRADES THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY PUSHED TO THE SIDE. ROOFING COMPANIES, LANDSCAPING COMPANIES, CARPENTRY COMPANIES, COMPANIES. SANCHEZ SAYS THAT COMMUNITIES COULD SOON LOSE TO BIG INVESTMENT FIRMS. PRIVATE EQUITY COMPANIES. IN 2000 OWNED 4% OF OUR BUSINESSES IN THE US. FLASH FORWARD TO 2020. THAT’S 20%. THAT’S JUST CONTINUING TO GROW. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH PRIVATE EQUITY? SCOOPING UP ALL OF THESE TRADE COMPANIES, THESE SERVICES COMPANIES? AMERICANS, WHEN WE STARTED OUT IN THIS COUNTRY, 80% OF US OWNED THINGS. WE HAD A NATION OF OWNERS. NOW 6% OF AMERICANS OWN A BUSINESS. IT’S THAT THE FEW ARE OWNING EVERYTHING. WE HAVE A LOT OF PAINTERS, MANAGERS, WINDOW CLEANERS, STEPHEN MONTGOMERY, A FORMER PAINTER, IS THE FOUNDER OF AUSTIN BASED RESIBRANDS, WHICH SANCHEZ NOW CO-OWNS. IT’S THE PARENT COMPANY OF FIVE RESIDENTIAL HOME SERVICES FRANCHISES, WHICH COLLECTIVELY GROSS ABOUT $100 MILLION ANNUALLY. THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS ALREADY SEEING TRADES AND BLUE COLLAR WORK AS A LEGITIMATE OPTION AGAIN. I IS MORE QUICKLY GOING TO REPLACE MARKETING JOBS AND ADMINISTRATIVE JOBS THAN BLUE COLLAR JOBS. AND SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE SEEING IT AS A LEGITIMATE THING. WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS REALLY TACTICAL AND SPECIFIC. AMONG THE FRANCHISES, PINK’S WINDOW SERVICES. SANCHEZ HELPING CO-FOUNDERS BRANDON DOWNER AND CARTER SMITH. NATURALLY, YOU GUYS START A CLEANING COMPANY. FLIP THE SCRIPT ON BLUE COLLAR WORK. WE’VE HAD ALL THESE LEADS COME IN, PEOPLE SUPER INTERESTED IN THE TRADES, INTERESTED IN WINDOW CLEANING, INTERESTED IN PINKS AND BRINGING PINKS TO THEIR CITY. WHAT’S UP SANCHEZ THOUGH NOT WITHOUT HER CRITICS, WHO SAY HER BUSINESS, COMMUNITY AND COURSES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE AND SHE MINIMIZES THE COSTS AND RISKS OF BUYING A BUSINESS. DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH TRYING TO GIVE A REALISTIC VIEW TO PEOPLE, WHILE ALSO TRYING TO KIND OF REEL THEM IN TO YOUR COMMUNITY? THERE IS A NOTORIOUS HAND-OFF, AND ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE WRITERS AND THIS THIS BIGGER MEDIA COMPANY, I DON’T LIKE PEOPLE SAYING, THIS IS A FOUR HOUR WORK WEEK, BECAUSE I DON’T THINK THAT’S TRUE. WE SHOULD BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT’S NOT EASY. I’VE NEVER HAD ANOTHER JOB. I’VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING ELSE. ALEX RAMONE, A PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN ON TOUR, WENT TO ONE OF SANCHEZ’S CONFERENCES AND BOUGHT IN. SHE TOLD ME SOMETHING THAT WAS SO SMART. MAYBE. LOOK AT YOUR BANK STATEMENTS. SEE WHAT YOU’RE SPENDING THE MOST MONEY ON, AND THEN ACQUIRE SOMETHING WITHIN THAT REALM. YOU WERE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE SWAG. ABSOLUTELY. I WAS SPENDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR. SO LAST YEAR, RAMONE BOUGHT A SCREEN PRINTING AND EMBROIDERY BUSINESS IN HIS HOMETOWN, EARNING EXTRA INCOME AND REDUCING HIS MERCHANDISE COSTS. YES, THERE ARE HIGHS AND LOWS OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP, BUT THAT’S LIKE LIFE. THE FEELING YOU GET FROM BEING AN OWNER AND CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR COMMUNITY. THERE’S NOTHING BETTER THAN WE GOT THAT EVENT THIS WEEKEND. ARE YOU GOING TO COME? IT’S STORIES LIKE THOSE. SANCHEZ SAYS THAT KEEP HER AND HER HUSBAND, CHRIS, WHO RUNS ONE OF THEIR COMPANIES, FOCUSED ON THE PATH AHEAD. IT FEELS LIKE WE’RE ACTUALLY MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE. WE’RE NOT JUST ENTERTAINMENT FOR PEOPLE. IT FEELS LIKE, MAN, I ACTUALLY I HELPED YOU DO SOMETHING TO MATERIALLY AFFECT YOUR FUTURE. THAT’S INCREDIBLE. MAYBE IT WAS ALL WORTH IT. THEN. IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, FOR MATTER OF FACT, I’M JESSICA GOMEZ. IN ADDITION TO CONTRARIAN THINKING, SANCHEZ ALSO OWNS A HOLDING COMPANY OF DOZENS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM THAT INVESTS IN OTHERS. COMING UP ON MATTER OF FACT. THE SUPREME COURT TAKES UP A SLATE OF CASES ON K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION. WHAT COULD CHANGE AT YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL? PLUS, THIS CALIFORNIA FAMILY SUDDENLY FOUND THEMSELVES HOMELESS. IT WAS A LITTLE OVERWHELMING, TO SAY THE LEAST. THE MESSAGE THEY’RE SHARING ABOUT LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. BUT FIRST, WHY THE URGENCY OVER ADDRESSING THE LONG GROWING NATIONAL DEBT? WE CAN’T INVEST IN THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUTURE. WHAT A BIPARTISAN APPROACH TO DEBT REDUCTION COULD LOOK LIKE. YOU’RE WATCHING, MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS MAGAZINE. THE NATIONAL DEBT IS A MASSIVE $36 TRILLION AND GROWING. SINCE TAKING OFFICE, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE SWEEPING CUTS TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, WHICH IT SAYS ARE AN EFFORT TO REDUCE FEDERAL SPENDING. BUT MANY OF THOSE CUTS HAVE BEEN MET WITH LEGAL CHALLENGES AND ARE CAUSING CONFUSION. CAROLYN BOURDEAUX, FORMER DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN FROM GEORGIA, IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CONCORD COALITION. IT’S A NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION DEVOTED TO EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE NATIONAL DEBT AND ADVOCATING FOR GREATER FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. IT’S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU IN STUDIO. THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME. GOOD TO BE HERE. THERE’S A BIT OF A PHILOSOPHY THAT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WE’VE HAD DEBT FOREVER, SO IT’S NOT SO BAD. YOU DISAGREE? SO WHAT’S HAPPENING IS IT’S GETTING OUT OF CONTROL. HERE. WE HAVE ABOUT 7 TRILLION A YEAR IN SPENDING, AND WE BRING IN ABOUT 5 TRILLION IN REVENUES. AND SO THAT GAP, WHICH IS 30% OF OUR SPENDING, IS BASICALLY BEING FINANCED ON OUR NATIONAL CREDIT CARD. WE ARE NOW SPENDING MORE ON INTEREST, MORE ON FINANCING THIS DEBT THAN WE SPEND ON OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE. AND IT MEANS WE CAN’T INVEST IN THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUTURE. RIGHT. IT’S STARTING TO PUT PRESSURE ON OUR DOMESTIC PRIORITIES. AND IT ALSO SUCKS MONEY OUT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WHO ARE WE MAKING THE INTEREST PAYMENTS TO? SO EVERYBODY WE ALL HOLD THIS THESE SECURITIES, THESE OUR TREASURIES, THEY ARE WIDELY CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST SECURE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU CAN MAKE. OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD HOLDS OUR DEBT, ALLOWING US, THOUGH, TO SPEND FAR MORE THAN WE BRING IN. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, KIND OF LED BY ELON MUSK, HAS BEEN DOING ALL OF THESE DRAMATIC CUTS. I’M CURIOUS IF YOU THINK THAT STRATEGY IS A GOOD STRATEGY. SO I WENT INTO DOGE WITH SO MUCH HOPE THAT THIS WOULD BE A SERIOUS EFFORT TO REALLY TRY TO EVALUATE THE FEDERAL BUDGET, TO FIND PLACES WHERE THERE WAS FRAUD, ABUSE. PLACES WHERE WE COULD BE MORE EFFICIENT. RIGHT. BUT THE WAY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, WHICH HAS BEEN WITHOUT ANY CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT, WITHOUT ANY DELIBERATIVE PROCESS, HAS ENDED UP MAKING IT EXTREMELY CHAOTIC. BUT FURTHER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SAVINGS THAT THEY ARE CLAIMING, IT IS MINUSCULE RELATIVE TO THE OVERALL CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE AS A COUNTRY. AND IN FACT, WE MAY BE ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE CUTS THAT HE’S MADE. SO THEN WHAT’S THE ANSWER? WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SPENDING GROWTH, BUT THAT IS REALLY BECAUSE OUR POPULATION IS AGING AND BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN HEALTH CARE EXPENSES. IF YOU JUST TAKE SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, ADD IT TO THE THE INTEREST ON THE DEBT, YOU’RE WELL OVER 50% OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET RIGHT THERE. YOU KNOW THIS BECAUSE YOU’RE A POLITICIAN. YOU’RE GOING TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, MEDICAID. THAT IS A POLITICAL MINEFIELD. AND ALSO REALLY PROBABLY DERAIL A LOT OF HUMAN BEINGS AS WELL. RIGHT. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE TO REALIZE, RIGHT, IS THERE ARE SOLUTIONS TO MEDICARE, TO SOCIAL SECURITY THAT ARE NOT ABOUT GUTTING THE PROGRAMS, BUT ARE ABOUT MAKING REASONABLE CHANGES TO THEM TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE SOLVENCY OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SO THEN, IN YOUR MIND, WHAT DO THOSE CUTS LOOK LIKE? IF WE PERHAPS INCREASE SOME OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY REVENUES ON WEALTHIER PEOPLE? IF WE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE CHANGE BENEFITS FOR FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT NEED AS MUCH? SHOULD WE RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE, MAYBE BY A MONTH, MAYBE BY A COUPLE OF MONTHS. BUT IF WE DO A LOT OF THESE SMALL THINGS, WE CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. LOOK AROUND US. WE ARE A VERY WEALTHY COUNTRY. WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SOLVE IT, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE AN HONEST DISCUSSION FIRST. DO YOU THINK, REALISTICALLY, THAT THE CONCORD COALITION IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING ELECTED OFFICIALS TOGETHER WHO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN KEEPING THE PEOPLE WHO VOTE FOR THEM HAPPY AND ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE LOST FAITH THAT OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CAN ACTUALLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. I WAS DIRECTOR OF GEORGIA’S SENATE BUDGET AND EVALUATION OFFICE DURING THE GREAT RECESSION, AND DURING THAT PERIOD, GEORGIA HAD TO FILL A 20% HOLE IN THEIR BUDGET, AND THEY ENDED UP PASSING BUDGETS THAT MADE CUTS, THAT RAISED REVENUES, AND THEY PASSED BY BROAD AND BIPARTISAN MAJORITIES. PRETTY MUCH EVERY STATE IN THIS COUNTRY DOES THAT. EVERY SINGLE YEAR. IF THEY CAN DO THAT, OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO IT, TOO. CAROLYN BOURDEAUX IS WITH THE CONCORD COALITION. IT’S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU IN STUDIO. THANK YOU. GREAT TO BE HERE. NEXT ON MATTER OF FACT, AS THE HOMELESS POPULATION INCREASES, WHY SHELTERS ARE FINDING IT SO IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING HOUSING EVEN AFTER PEOPLE LAND NEW JOBS. PLUS, FROM THE FUTURE OF STUDENT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS TO STATE FUNDING FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS, SOLEDAD BREAKS DOWN THE K THROUGH 12 CASES NOW BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT. BETWEEN RISING HOUSING COSTS AND INFLATION, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE STRUGGLING TO COVER THE BASICS. ACCORDING TO A BANKRATE SURVEY, 69% OF PEOPLE ARE SOMEWHAT OR VERY WORRIED THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO COVER LIVING EXPENSES OVER THE NEXT MONTH IF THEY WERE TO LOSE THEIR MAIN INCOME TOMORROW. OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS INTRODUCES US TO A LOS ANGELES COUNTY FAMILY WHO DISCOVERED JUST HOW FINE THE LINE CAN BE BETWEEN A SEEMINGLY STABLE LIFE AND HOMELESSNESS. FOR ANDREW AND JACKIE HERRERA AND THEIR FIVE YOUNG CHILDREN, THIS FAMILY SHELTER IS A WORLD AWAY FROM THEIR BELOVED HOME IN BAKERSFIELD. HAD A FOUR BEDROOM HOME IN THE NICE AREA, A NICE BIG HOME, NICE YARD. I WAS A CLASS A TRUCK DRIVER THERE. EVENTUALLY THEY CUT MY HOURS BACK SO FAR DEEP WHERE THEY JUST DECIDED TO CUT MY ROUTE AND LAID ME OFF. WHAT FOLLOWED WERE A ROLLER COASTER. FEW MONTHS WITH A NEW JOB OFFER RECINDED THEY COULDN’T RENEW THEIR LEASE. ALL SEVEN EVENTUALLY MOVED INTO THE FAMILY VAN. HOMELESS FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE DESPERATION OF LIKE, OKAY, YOU GOT NO MONEY, NOWHERE TO STAY IN. WHAT WERE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH THE KIDS? THEY WERE JUST SAYING, LIKE, WHY ARE WE IN THE CAR? AND WE WOULD JUST TELL THEM, WE’RE JUST GOING TO BE HERE FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT. I TOLD THEM, WE’RE GOING TO TRY AND FIND A BETTER PLACE. THEY HAD TO DRIVE THEIR NEW HOME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, DROPPING OFF THE KIDS AND PRAYING FOR ANOTHER DOOR TO OPEN. WE WERE JUST PANICKING BECAUSE WE WEREN’T SURE WHAT TO DO. SO THAT’S WHEN ANDREW WENT TO THE PRINCIPAL AND SPOKE TO THE PRINCIPAL AND ASKED FOR RESOURCES. AT THAT POINT, WE WERE ALREADY THREE NIGHTS IN INTO BEING SLEEPING IN THE VAN AND NOT BEING ANYWHERE. WHEN WE GET THE CALL FROM ONE OF MY DAUGHTER’S TEACHERS AND SHE SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, THERE’S THERE’S A TEACHER HERE THAT SAYS THAT SHE COULD HELP OUT. HER HUSBAND WORKS FOR HOPE. THE M O R’S. IT’S THERE’S ONE MORE ROOM LEFT AVAILABLE. HOPE THE M O R’S CONVERTED A HOTEL INTO A FAMILY SHELTER WHERE THE HERRERAS HAVE FOUND STABILITY, ALONG WITH ABOUT 100 OTHER FAMILIES. NOW ANDREW HAS WORK AGAIN AND IS ABLE TO SAVE SOME MONEY FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE’RE WAITING FOR IS WHAT THEY CALL A NAVIGATOR TO COME IN AND HELP US LOOK FOR APARTMENTS WHERE? PERMANENT OFFER? YEAH, THEY OFFER PERMANENT HOUSING, AND YOU CAN STAY HERE FOR AS LONG AS YOU NEED TO. YES, YES. THAT’S THE THAT’S THAT’S ONE OF THE BEST PARTS HERE. THEY MAKE SURE YOU’RE READY TO GO AND YOU’RE READY. ON YOUR FEET. NOW, STANDING ON FIRMER GROUND, THE HERRERAS HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE HOMELESSNESS FROM A NEW ANGLE. IT’S NOT WHAT THEY THINK IT IS. WE’RE CONSIDERED A NORMAL FAMILY, AND, YOU KNOW, BUT WE’RE HOMELESS. DID IT CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE FROM WHAT YOU THOUGHT BEFORE VERSUS GOING THROUGH IT NOW? DEFINITELY. I WISH I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THIS WAKE UP CALL A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT AGAIN, WE’RE WE’RE HERE. WE’RE TOGETHER. WE’RE BLESSED. WE’VE HAD, YOU KNOW, A CHANCE TO REGROUP. AND IT’S DEFINITELY OPENED UP OUR EYES TO WHAT HOMELESSNESS IS AND HOW IT LOOKS LIKE. YEAH, LIKE YOU COULD HAVE EVERYTHING YOU WANT. AND THEN ONE DAY IT JUST DISAPPEARS FOR THE HERRERAS AND OTHER FAMILIES HERE, A GLIMMER OF HOPE HAS REAPPEARED IN WOODLAND HILLS, CALIFORNIA. I’M DINA DEMETRIUS, FOR MATTER OF FACT, AHEAD ON. MATTER OF FACT, SHOULD YOU BE ABLE TO REMOVE YOUR CHILD FROM A SCHOOL LESSON IF YOU FEEL IT INFRINGES ON YOUR BELIEFS? A LOOK AT THE CASE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT AND WHY THIS NATIONAL PARK WEEK IS MUSIC TO EVERYONE’S EARS. TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH, MATTER OF FACT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT MATTEROFFACTTV. THIS MONTH, SUPREME COURT JUSTICES ARE HEARING BACK TO BACK CASES THAT COULD IMPACT K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION. ON MONDAY, ARGUMENTS OVER DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS. A MINNESOTA FAMILY SUED THE STATE’S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR NOT OFFERING A LATER START TIME TO ACCOMMODATE A STUDENT’S EPILEPSY. THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT DENIED THE FAMILY ANY MONETARY DAMAGES BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T PROVE SCHOOL OFFICIALS ACTED IN BAD FAITH OR GROSS MISJUDGMENT. WELL, NOW THE FAMILY WANTS THE SUPREME COURT TO SET A NATIONAL STANDARD FOR WHAT CONSTITUTES A DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION CLAIM IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. THEN ON WEDNESDAY, A CASE THAT COULD LEAD TO THE NATION’S FIRST RELIGIOUS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL. THE SUPREME COURT WILL DECIDE IF A CATHOLIC VIRTUAL SCHOOL IS ENTITLED TO STATE FUNDING IN OKLAHOMA. AND EARLIER THIS WEEK, JUSTICES HEARD A CASE SURROUNDING MARYLAND’S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT. A GROUP OF CHRISTIAN AND MUSLIM PARENTS ARGUED THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION VIOLATED THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RELIGIOUS RIGHTS. THE PARENTS WANT TO BE ABLE TO OPT THEIR KIDS OUT OF ANY LESSONS THAT INCLUDE LGBTQ PLUS INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE. THE BOARD INITIALLY OFFERED THAT OPTION, BUT THEN REVERSED IT, SAYING SCHOOLS COULDN’T KEEP UP WITH ALL OF THE OPT OUT REQUESTS. DECISIONS FOR ALL CASES ARE EXPECTED TO BE ISSUED BY THE END OF JUNE. STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, IN 1991, PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH ESTABLISHED THE FIRST NATIONAL PARK WEEK. HOW IT’S BEING MARKED 34 YEARS AND FINALLY, HAPPY NATIONAL PARK WEEK. TO COMMEMORATE THE OCCASION, HERE ARE A FEW FUN FACTS ABOUT SOME OF OUR NATION’S MOST BEAUTIFUL AND IMPORTANT NATURAL AND HISTORIC SITES. THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM SPANS MORE THAN 85 MILLION ACRES, WITH LOCATIONS IN EVERY STATE WASHINGTON, D.C., AMERICAN SAMOA, GUAM, PUERTO RICO, AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. THE FIRST WAS YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, ESTABLISHED IN 1872. THE LARGEST IS WRANGELL-SAINT ELIAS NATIONAL PARK IN ALASKA, WITH MORE THAN 13 MILLION ACRES. THE SMALLEST, THADDEUS KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL MEMORIAL IN PENNSYLVANIA, WITH ONLY 0.02 ACRES. MORE THAN 300 MILLION PEOPLE VISIT OUR NATIONAL PARKS EACH YEAR. THE MOST POPULAR. THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, HOME TO MORE THAN 1500 TYPES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. THIS YEAR’S NATIONAL PARK WEEK THEME IS NATIONAL PARK PLAYLIST. THE PARK SERVICE IS ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO SHARE SOUNDS FROM NATURE AND SONGS THAT INSPIRE MEMORIES FROM NATIONAL PARKS WITH THE HASHTAG NATIONAL PARK PLAYLIST. SO HAPPY LISTENING AND HAPPY EXPLORING. THAT’S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF MATTER OF FACT, I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK. TO WATCH MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ANYTIME, HEAD TO MATTEROFFACTTV.