Schools should empower all students and enable them to learn in environments where they feel safe, valued, and respected—regardless of who they are, what they look like, where they come from, or who they love. Educators should be free to teach and collaborate with students and families to build healthy environments rich with opportunity, creativity, and belonging.
But extremist politicians across the country are creating a hostile learning environment and strive to:
- Ban books
- Prevent schools from teaching the important, honest history of race and gender
- Undo anti-harassment policies
- Oust educators through politically motivated attacks
- Exclude, police, shame, and endanger students of color and LGBTQIA+ students.
Radical, conservative politicians have weaponized—and continue to weaponize—schools to exert control over our children. They are pushing unpopular policies that exploit people’s emotions, generate and stoke fear and division, and restrict our freedoms so they can hold on to power and money.
We demand that every elected official commits to keeping our children and schools safe and healthy for all students. Politicians and lawmakers should prioritize protecting every student against discrimination and harassment and ensure schools have the support they need to help students grow and thrive.