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Spotlight: New Resource for Education Justice Organizers
While the pandemic, budget cuts and new federal and state legislation has changed the terrain, the struggle for justice and equity in public education continues. This week, the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools (AROS) released a new education justice organizing toolkit for Fall 2021. AROS was founded with a mission to break down issue silos and bring together advocates from across the education justice movement. Schott is proud to be a founding partner and funder, and AROS’ current fiscal sponsor. As Executive Director Keron Blair writes, “The history of change in this country teaches us that we make and sustain change only when everyday people organize and take action to register their desires and discontent. That is exactly what those of us in the movement for education and racial justice must do.”
The toolkit highlights important initiatives from every corner of the education justice movement:
Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools
Full funding for Title I: Since becoming law, Title I and IDEA have never been fully funded. That lack of funding has left too many of our students and communities vulnerable and lacking. Congress has the power to fix that. AROS is leading a campaign that calls for the full funding of Title I.
Learn more and sign up to take action
Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools
Tell the Truth. The Whole Truth. Our students must be taught about the full history of this country. The business of public schools and public educators is dealing with, confronting and developing ways to build a more racially just society. Those who say and want to do differently are wrong. The “Tell the Truth” campaign is about honesty in curriculum and making sure that educators are equipped and have space to teach all of America’s history.
Get the critical race theory fightback toolkit here
The Schott Foundation for Public Education
The scale of the broad federal funding in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) presents an opportunity for transformative change – but only if funds are invested in addressing systemic racism and advancing equity. This requires sustained organizing to ensure accountability and community participation to direct investments – and ongoing, transparent structures to incorporate community input.
Get the ARP organizing toolkit here
AFT Back-to-School-for-All Campaign
The 1.7 million-member AFT has invested heavily in a nationwide push for family engagement and safe in-person learning this fall, affecting more than 1,800 locals. This means everything from door-to-door canvassing, support for vaccine clinics, town halls, book fairs and other grassroots efforts.
NEA Campaign for Safe, Just, and Equitable Schools
The three million-member NEA is embarking on a campaign for safe, just and equitable schools. By harnessing the energy of its members and the community they serve, NEA is working collectively to increase funding for proven programs such as services for low-income students under Title I and students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). Their campaign also includes prioritizing efforts to recruit, retain and support a more racially diverse educator core.
J5ourney for Justice Alliance
Equity or Else. The Journey for Justice Alliance is leading a large-scale effort to demand equity and lift up the need for a quality-of-life agenda that situates education justice alongside the other needs of our communities.
Alliance for Educational Justice
School Safety and Police. Young people around the country have long been raising the point that school safety and an affirming school climate must be untethered from police presence in our schools. Many of us have watched with horror as police, SROs and other law enforcement officers abuse young people in schools.
Read the We Came to Learn report
Youth Mandate For Education and Liberation (Center For Popular Democracy)
As millions of young people across the country prepare for an unprecedented “back to school” season amid a global pandemic, and following the national uprising against police violence in Black communities, we must center young people’s demands now more than ever. As the Youth Mandate for Education and Liberation states: “Our vision and mandate begins with police-free schools.”
