The NPE Grassroots Education Network is a network of 175 grassroots organizations nationwide who have joined together to preserve, promote, improve, and strengthen our public schools. If you know of a group that would like to join this powerful network, please go here to sign on.
If you have any questions about the NPE Grassroots Education Network please contact Marla Kilfoyle, NPE Grassroots Education Network Liaison at ma***********@ne***********************.org
Notes from Marla
NPE Action/NPE Conference has been rescheduled for March 19-20. Thank you all for your patience with us as we struggle through the pandemic.
NPE Mourns the Passing of Mark B. Miller
We are sad to announce the passing of Mark B. Miller, one of the original Board members of NPE. Mark was a true friend of public schools who not only served on our Board but on his local school board for years. He will be sorely missed by family, friends, and public education advocates in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Giving Voice to Friends of Public Education: NPE Action’s New Project
The Network for Public Education is proud to announce a new project from NPE Action called Public Voices for Public Schools. Public Voices for Public Schools will give voice to former voucher and charter parents, educators, and community members who work tirelessly in their communities every day to improve our public schools, even as they fight well-funded efforts to privatize their schools. Public Voices for Public Schools will publish a story each Monday. Go here to subscribe to the website and get each story as it is launched. Please like them on Facebook and give them a follow on Twitter.
National Organizing
Defending the Early Years Advisory Board Member, Marcy Guddemi, will be talking about childhood trauma and the healing powers of play on October 23rd. For more information, go here. In their Cashing in on Kids series In the Public Interest shared that California’s online charter schools are performing poorly, even as enrollment soars. The Journey for Justice Alliance deployed an emergency response team to New Orleans to assist communities impacted by Hurricane Ida. Go here to listen to Jitu Brown, National Director of J4J, discuss their work. The Schott Foundation posted on their blog this month that the eviction crisis is also an education crisis. Be sure to keep up with the latest on testing by reading the Fairtest newsletter. Rethinking Schools staff and editors are saddened by the death of their friend Jim Loewen, whose work did so much to help students and teachers to rethink U.S. history. The Parent Coalition for Student Privacy posted a report with new information from the NYC Department of Education student data breach — with some critical unanswered questions, including lack of encryption and timely notification, both of which are required by NYS law. Parents for Public Schools published September’s Kindergarten Readiness Calendar, from their friends at Excel By 5, Inc. The calendar this month is all about community helpers. PPS also advocated for competitive pay for Mississippi teachers this month in a statement to the Mississippi Senate Education Committee: Parents Across America has a public Facebook page that is great for interacting with others from across the nation about public education issues. Go here to join in the conversation.
The Badass Teachers Association (BATs) Quality of Worklife Team will be holding a Twitter discussion in October on workplace bullying. Go here for more information. Trinational Coalition to Defend Public Education (USA) has a public Facebook group that features information from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. about how communities are navigating the worldwide COVID crisis. The Ontario (Canada) Secondary School Teachers Federation COVID-19 Pandemic Information Update and Covid Vaccination Issues FAQs, is available now. See how our Canadian counterparts are handling the pandemic. Wear Red for Ed has an active open Facebook page that tracks the Red for Ed movement nationwide. Uniting to Save Our Schools (USOS) works to create a public education system that is equitable, democratic, humane, and nurturing. Go to their website to see what they are working on this month. First Focus Campaign for Children marked the 25th anniversary of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program — which before the recent expansion of the CTC — was the only federal program that provides cash assistance to families with very low incomes. Kinderchat continues to host its popular Twitter chat every Monday at 9 PM EST. The chats are informative and provide great resources for teaching kindergartners. Check them out on Twitter at #Kinderchat. Kinderchat also has a fantastic website full of resources. Instituto Nueva Escuela are offering workshops this month for educators to maximize their reading spaces. Fairplay (formerly known as Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood) published Escaping the Sticky Web of Big Tech Through Nature this month. It is a great resource for getting kids off the screens and out in nature. Also this month after a six-month campaign led by FairPlay for Kids, Facebook announced that they are pausing their plans to create Instagram Youth! This is a big win for anyone who believes that children’s wellbeing must come before Big Tech’s profits. But, their work is not yet finished – they won’t stop pressuring Facebook until they make this pause permanent.
Congratulations to Equal Opportunity Schools for being awarded an NBA Foundation Grant. Go here for more information. When Public Schools Reopen conducted a teach the whole speech campaign on Twitter this month. Uniting for Children and Youth (Canada) are concerned citizens of Ottawa-Outaouais. Their mission is to build awareness of how we can make life better for children and youth. Head over to their open Facebook page to keep up with news, and events, from Canada. National Educators United hosted a “WE not ME: Equitable and Safe Return to School” Town Hall Part I this month. They also hosted a webinar that covered Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s Green New Deal for Public Schools.
State Organizing
Please use this clearinghouse of information to inform people in the various states about the NPE Grassroots Education Network organizations. Please encourage people to join them and support their work! Call on family, friends, and colleagues to join the fight to save public education. This section is also a place to get great ideas on organizing and actions.
Alabama
SOS (Support our Students) keeps Alabama up-to-date on what is happening with the corporate education reform movement. Go here to subscribe and to keep updated.
Arkansas
Grassroots Arkansas are providing the latest COVID vaccine information on their open Facebook page for the Little Rock community.
Arizona
Voices for Education shared an event that will feature Jonathan Kozol, who will give a presentation on 60 years of inequity. Be sure to visit Arizonans for Charter School Accountability website that offers resources that compare charter school and public school spending. Save Our Schools Arizona published An Unlevel Playing Field: Teaching Students in Poverty on their website this month. Arizona Educators United teamed up with the Arizona Council of Occupational Safety & Health (AZCOSH) this month to provide training and resources to help educators, and all workers, organize for safety and health in the workplace. They also put together a school ventilation toolkit. You can access it here. Friends of Public Schools-Scottsdale joined the network this month. We are so excited to begin working with them. To learn about them go here.
California
California Educators United is a rank and file-led network of educators and supporters of public education. They are part of the movement for racial equity and social justice, fully funded public education through progressive taxation, and pro-public education and anti-privatization. To follow their movements, go here. The Public Core program, Between Two Teachers, is informative. To view all their archived programs, go here. The Association of RAZA Educators is located in Los Angeles. If you live in the area and are interested in joining their monthly meetings go here. Bay Area Collective Keeping Privatizers Away from Community Schools (BACKPACS) is an organization dedicated to strengthening and protecting public education in the Bay Area. Go here to follow what they are working on. Educators for Democratic Schools-Oakland open Facebook page reports all that is happening in the Oakland Unified School District. Parents Supporting Teachers fully supports a vaccine mandate for all eligible LAUSD students. It is so important that in conjunction with this mandate, the district commits to educating and informing reluctant families about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Read their statement here.
Colorado
Pueblo Education Coalition’s goal is to represent educators, parents, community members, students, and all stakeholders towards positive change for Pueblo’s public education. To keep up with their movements, go here. Taxpayers for Public Education tweeted that Prop 119 is a misguided voucher scam! Go here to view that tweet and to get updates.
Connecticut
The members of Connecticut Public Schools Advocates Children are Connecticut families and educators advocating for safe, equitable, fully funded public schools. Please follow their activity here. Children Are More Than Test Scores founder Jesse Turner did a live reading of Shoes this month. Re: public Ed informs Connecticut residents about the state, local, and federal education policies that impact teaching and learning. New London Parent Advocates updates their open Facebook page weekly with all that is happening in the New London Public Schools.
Florida
Fund Education NOW continues to inform the public on the Governor and Department of Education policies surrounding masks. Florida BATs and Broward BATs post the latest updates on how the Florida COVID surge is impacting schools. Go here and here for updates. Pastors for Florida Children and Florida Council of Churches held a convening of Florida Clergy this month. Opt-Out Florida Network informed parents that if their children’s valuable elective was replaced by remedial reading or remedial math, based on test scores, they are telling parents to FIGHT IT. To learn more go here. Pinellas Parents Advocating for Public Schools organizes on a private Facebook page. If you know of anyone in the Pinellas area, have them join to connect. Protect Our Public Schools, Manasota believes that free, quality public education is a right for all children and is necessary for the optimal functioning of a democratic society. To keep up with their movements during the COVID-19 crisis, go here. Miami-Dade County Public School District Parents founder Amanda Prieto had an op-ed published in the Miami Herald which covered COVID protocols in schools. Go here to read that op-ed. UnitED for Florida Children shared an important webinar on their Facebook page about the delta variant and children. Go here for more information. Hillsborough Public School Advocates is not just Hillsborough County. They have invited people throughout the state into their closed Facebook group. Their most recent accomplishment this month was a town hall meeting with U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.. HPSA participated in the town hall. The purpose was to highlight Governor DeSantis and the FL DOE not releasing the rest of ESSER II and missing the deadline for the ESSER III application. DeSantis is also the only governor who did not accept federal funding for food assistance for the state of Florida. HPSA has been advocating on the federal, state, and local levels for release of the funding and also led an email and phone call ‘call to action’ with all Hillsborough County PTAs. They alerted FL Commissioner Corcoran, Speaker Sprowls, Senate President Simpson, and Governor DeSantis that they want the federal funding released to the state of FL immediately. They will have many upcoming ‘calls to action’ regarding FL federal funding. HPSA co-founder, Damaris Allen Bridges, helped advocate for the Florida Commissioner of Education to become an elected position again. On September 9, 2021, Senator Cruz filed a Senate bill, SB 192 (companion House bill 0077) for the upcoming 2022 session. Democratic Public Education Caucus of Florida released a statement concerning ESE students and the federal investigation into Florida’s ban on mask mandates.
Georgia
If you live in Georgia or know someone who does, make sure they connect with Public Education Matters Georgia. Moms and Dads Now Enduring Surrealistic Stupidity (MADNESS) has a vibrant public Facebook group that discusses how education in Georgia is going during the COVID crisis. If you are interested, here is the link to that public group. Opt-Out Georgia organized the opt-out movement in Georgia via a closed Facebook group of over 8,000 members. If you live in Georgia or know someone who does, encourage them to connect with this group. The Georgia Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) was founded in 1990 to bring together individuals from all academic levels and disciplines and from diverse educational institutions and other organizations, occupations, and communities who had an interest in multicultural education. NAME is committed to a philosophy of inclusion that embraces the basic tenets of democracy and cultural pluralism. To keep up with their movements, visit their website.
Hawaii
Parents for Public Schools Hawaii released this petition for a safe return to school.
Illinois
Illinois Raise Your Hand released guidance for remote learning this year. Go here to read their materials. Illinois Families for Public Schools announced that the Right to Play recess law (Public Act 102-0357) is now in effect!
Indiana
The Indiana Coalition for Public Education hosted a webinar this month that was centered around how vouchers hurt public education. Indiana Coalition for Public Schools – Monroe County announced that Hoosiers are invited to provide feedback on the maps released September 14 during 1 of 2 public meetings in the House Chamber of the Indiana Statehouse. The Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education posted a powerful blog by member Stu Bloom that covered quotes from life and education over the past year. Northwest Indiana Coalition for Public Education reported on the teacher shortage in their area. Washington Township Parent Council Network set up a booth at Homecoming this month. A great idea for organizing!
Iowa
Iowans for Public Education attended a Keep Iowa Schools Safe rally last month. Go here to view that video.
Kansas
Game on for Kansas Schools posted information about Kansas Can Success. They asked community members to get involved in the tour. Go here for more information. The Personnel Association of Lawrence- Communication Workers of America announced late last month that PAL-CWA’s former president and founding member, Denise Fish, passed away after her battle with cancer. Denise was a humble but relentless advocate for paraeducators and classified staff during her time with the organization.
Kentucky
Dear JCPS went live for the JCPS Board meeting this month. Kentucky SOS is a grassroots stakeholder advocacy group dedicated to raising awareness of impending actions and legislation that could impact Kentucky public schools. They are building a unified front to protect Kentucky public schools from attacks by privatizers and billionaires. Pastors for Kentucky Children asked the communities of Kentucky to make phone calls to support Kentucky educators this month. Go here to see that action.
Louisiana
Step Up Louisiana has been very busy helping communities clean up from Hurricane Ida. They also started a new chapter in Jefferson Parish this month. If you know anyone in that area connect them here.
Maryland
The Baltimore Algebra Project shared a powerful post late last month on resources for Black History Month. The collection is amazing!!
Massachusetts
Citizens for Public Schools asked the Massachusetts community to sign up this month to testify against the MCAS. The New Bedford Coalition to Save our Schools celebrated paraeducators this month.
Michigan
The Michigan Network for Equity in Education advocates for equitable, democratic public education in the state of Michigan by building coalitions and sharing information and research. To learn more about their work, go here. Be sure to check in with Save Michigan’s Public Schools for the latest in Michigan education news. Michigan Parents for Schools has an extensive website to help Michigan parents and educators. Be sure to check it out here. MI Ed Justice are educators, administrators, parents, students & community members who believe to save our public schools from privatization, we need to humanize our public schools. To learn more about their work go here. Trusted Voices ED advocates extensively for teacher pay on their social media platforms.
Minnesota
Parents for St. Paul Schools is a grassroots organization started by parents of public school students. They are in favor of an immediate moratorium on the expansion and creation of existing charter schools in St. Paul.. To keep up with their work, go here. Minnesota Collective for Educational Equity’s white paper, Pursuing Educational Equity in Minnesota Through a Statewide Multi-Tiered System of Support, is a must-read and share for anyone living, or teaching, in Michigan.
Mississippi
Parents for Public Schools – Moss Point supports their community with information about education, meals, vaccinations, and much more. Parents For Public Schools of Greenwood and Leflore County works on strengthening public schools by engaging, educating, and mobilizing parents in Greenwood and Leflore County. Parents For Public Schools of Philadelphia advocates for children and schools in the Philadelphia Public School District. Make sure you give them a follow on Facebook. Parents For Public Schools of Starkville is a local organization working to strengthen public schools in Starkville. They promote the great work being done in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.
Missouri
Keep up with the Missouri BATs by giving them a follow on Twitter. Columbia Parents for Public Schools promotes parent engagement to improve education and build public support for public schools in Columbia.
Nebraska
Stand for Schools visited several communities across Nebraska this month. They got to tour buildings – some new, some old, and some award-winning – and meet with policymakers, school administrators, educators, and volunteers doing incredible, innovative, inspiring, and impactful work. All of Nebraska Loves Public Schools films are free and available to stream online. Go here for more information.
Nevada
Educate Nevada NOW is asking Nevada citizens to sign the pledge to support full funding of their schools. Northern Nevada Parents and Teachers United was created in 2021 as a response to the growing frustration of parents and teachers about the state of Nevada’s schools. They believe that parents and teachers both want what is best for children, and our schools will only get better when those who work in them are valued and respected. To learn more about their work visit their website.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Leaders for Just Schools are NH public school educators dedicated to the mission of creating more equitable and just learning environments. Give them a follow on Twitter to keep up with what they are doing. Barrington Educators Association is the local chapter of the New Hampshire-NEA. You can view updated work here. To contact them about issues happening in NH, go here.
New Jersey
Save our Schools NJ executive director Julie Borst was quoted in a story in Politico about school boards. Go here to read that story. Check out The Newark Students Union events tab on their Facebook page. The posted events provide an excellent template for student organizing. The Delran Education Association hosted a free family movie night this month. If you are a resident of Elizabeth, ask to join the Elizabeth Parents and Students Care closed Facebook group to connect. Give Montclair Cares About Schools a follow on Facebook to find out what is happening in Montclair education. Give Our Children Our Schools a follow on Twitter to keep up with any future events. South Orange-Maplewood Cares About Schools organizes in its closed Facebook group. If you live in this area or know anyone who does, please join the group here. Paterson Education Fund celebrated the first day of school with a great picture collage on their Facebook page.
New York
Class Size Matters published their testimony regarding the NYC DOE school reopening plan. Follow New York Allies for Public Education on their website for the latest news on school openings in New York.. LI Opt-Out had a busy school year trying to help parents navigate the pandemic. To keep up with all they are doing to navigate the new school year be sure to visit their public Facebook page. NYC Opt Out has a vibrant public Facebook page that is keeping up with all the information on the NYC Mayor’s race. Go here to view that page. The Alliance for Quality Education will be hosting Champions of Education online October 7th at 6PM. Give Change the Stakes a follow on Facebook to keep up with what is happening in NYC education during the COVID crisis. NY BATs is the largest state chapter of the Badass Teachers Association, currently over 3,400 educators strong. Head over to their Facebook page to find out what they are working on. Give FUSE (New Rochelle Federation of United School Employees) a follow on Twitter to find out how they will navigate the upcoming school year. MORE-UFT School Librarians recommend “Yes, I’m Hot in This” by Huda Fahmy for reading this month. Go here to learn more about their diverse books program. Jackson Heights People for Public Schools has so much information on their discussion Facebook page that you need to head over to see what the community of Jackson Heights is up to. Check it out here. Parents for Public Schools- Syracuse shared Syracuse reopening plans here. Croton Advocates for Public Education (CAPE) advocates for fair assessments, enrichment opportunities, and funding for their schools. The Port Washington Advocates for Public Education closed Facebook group is a place to connect and organize if you live in Port Washington, NY. North Country Alliance For Public Education works to end the reliance on high-stakes testing and stop the privatization taking over their schools. If you live in the North Country of New York, consider joining their closed Facebook group to connect. Visit the Rochester Coalition for Public Education website for all that is happening with Rochester education, meeting schedules, and information.
North Carolina
Public Schools First NC and Wake County will be holding their upcoming conference: Impact of Privatizing Public Schools online October 9th. The educator rate is $20. Get your ticket here. Carolina Families for School Testing Reform are providing updates on testing from the State Board of Education. Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods conducted an important Organizers Circle this month centered on International Day of Peace and a search for solutions. Pastors for North Carolina Children had two great events this month. If you have a pastor in your area please have them connect with this group to join the Cooperative Baptists Fellowship of NC and the Monthly Leaders Gathering. Go here for more information. Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County asked Pitt County parents to send their questions about how to properly follow Covid protocols.
Ohio
Be sure to keep up with the Ohio BATs on their open Facebook page. It Takes A Village To Tackle HB70 and It Takes A Village asked their membership to speak up regarding education bills that are anti-teacher and anti-honesty. Northwest Ohio Friends of Public Education is a citizen-driven, non-partisan movement to inform and engage Northwest Ohioans, at the community level, to support and strengthen public schools. To keep up with the issues they are working on, go here. Parents For Public Schools of Greater Cincinnati post upcoming events on their open Facebook page. Northeast Ohio Friends of Public Education have a fantastic website full of information that is centered around public education in Ohio. Public Education Partners (PEP) shared a copy of a postcard being used by a private school in the Canton, Ohio area to recruit EdChoice voucher students.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee announced a new PLAC forming in Oklahoma City! Go here for more information. Pastors for Oklahoma Children shared an update on the Epic Charter School scandal. Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education/Oklahomans for Public Education have a private Facebook group of over 31,000 people. If you live in Oklahoma or know someone who does, share this link to connect. Oklahoma Teachers – The Time Is Now organizes in a private Facebook group of over 64,000 members. The purpose of the group is to unite all educators in Oklahoma to come together and educate, collaborate, and discuss what options they have moving forward to improve Public Education. If you know any Oklahoma educators, send them to this group to connect.
Oregon
Community Alliance for Public Education (CAPE) shared a new program from the CALC Justice and Equity Program to help parents of students of color navigate the school system. Community volunteers are needed. CAPE asked community members to please consider helping to build this wonderful and much needed program. Oregon Save Our Schools continues their work to end annual standardized testing. Oregon BATs organizes in a closed Facebook group. If you are an Oregon teacher or community member, ask to join and connect.
Pennsylvania
The Keystone State Education Coalition publishes a daily PA education policy roundup. Pennsylvania School Board Association shared the educational sessions that were part of the PA School Leadership Council Conference. The Pittsburgh Task Force on the Right to Education released their meeting dates for the 2021/2022 school year. Education Voters PA and Patrick Batuello from Horseracing Wrongs held a webinar this month about cruelty and death in PA’s horseracing industry and how PA citizens can join a growing movement to redirect $200 million in tax money annually away from the racing industry and into supporting higher education. Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools Lisa Haver published an op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer discussing how the Philadelphia School Board is silencing the voices of parents. Teacher Action Group Wilmington is a member of the Network of Teacher Activist Groups, a national coalition of grassroots teacher organizing groups. They work together to build an education movement for liberation, locally and nationally, through shared analysis, political education, mutual support and learning, and joint projects. If you know anyone in the Bethlehem Area School District, be sure to contact the BASD (Bethlehem Area School District) Parents. They are a committed group fighting for children and public schools in the area. Here they post information for parents about a webinar that will address education beyond COVID.
Rhode Island
The Providence Student Union was recognized this month by State Rep. David Morales for hosting an engaging and informative Open House. To keep up with what is happening in Rhode Island, give the Parents Across Rhode Island Facebook page a follow.
South Carolina
Quality Education Project’s held their general monthly virtual meeting on September 26th. If you live in South Carolina please check in with them here as they continue planning for their next public forum on addressing racial disparities in PK-12 education.
Tennessee
The Momma Bears have a fantastic blog that covers all issues surrounding Tennessee education. Give Tennesseans Reclaiming Educational Excellence (TREE) a follow on Twitter to keep up with all that is going on in Tennessee education. Be sure to visit the Pastors for Tennessee Children website. It is full of valuable information and resources. Tennessee Strong continues to share articles written in the Tennessee Education Report. The latest article highlights vigilante groups attempting to silence teachers. Tennessee BATs organize out of a closed group on Facebook with over one thousand members. If you are a Tennessee teacher or a supporter of public education in Tennessee, go here and ask to join their Facebook group to connect.
Texas
Pastors for Texas Children shared that the upcoming Fort Worth ISD bond will provide middle-school students the facilities they need to learn and grow— at NO tax rate increase! They asked Texas citizens to take a minute to watch how they are improving the lives of children. CFISD Community Leadership Committee are parents, business owners, and community members, partnering with the CFISD and area lawmakers to enable the success of all children in the CFSID community. Members of Texas Kids Can’t Wait are advocates for equitable and adequate funding for Texas public schools and for a sane assessment system. They strongly oppose the corporate takeover of public schools. To follow their advocacy go to their open Facebook page. Be sure to give RootEd a follow on Twitter. They are busy all over the San Antonio area working hard for public schools. If you know of anyone in the Houston community, please have them connect with Parents For Public Schools of Houston. They do fantastic work in Houston. Community Voices For Public Education shared an interview of San Antonio Alliance President Alejandra Lopez on CNN about teaching the truth in history. Our Schools San Antonio, as part of the San Antonio Alliance, conducted a Town Hall meeting this month on ESSER Stakeholder Committees for San Antonio parents and educators. The Coalition for Equity in Public Education works to uphold democratic community schools by evaluating education policy and communicating findings to the public. Founded in 2017, they have been determined to make an impact for the betterment of local ISDs. To keep up with their work go here. Give Texas AFT a follow on Twitter. They had so much going on this month and tons of events planned for the future.
Virginia
Virginia Educators United is a grassroots collection of pro-public school people who act to support Virginia Public Schools. They organize in a closed Facebook group. If you are a Virginia educator, please ask to join and connect. Virginia BATs also organize in a closed Facebook group. If you are a Virginia educator, parent, or community member, please ask to join and connect. Support Our Schools-Shenandoah County organizes to fight for public education in that region. You can connect here. Virginia Public Education Partners is dedicated to supporting and protecting public education. They work to end school privatization maneuvers that undermine democracy and diminish available resources for public schools. Follow their events and actions here.
Washington State
WA BATs organizes in a closed Facebook group. Go here to join and connect. Washington’s Paramount Duty is a non-partisan, grassroots group of parents and allies working to compel the state to amply fund basic education and swiftly fulfill its paramount duty. They envision a future where every child has equitable access to an amply funded basic education.
West Virginia
West Virginia United Caucus is a caucus of rank-and-file members dedicated to helping create a more democratic, member-run union, whose purpose is to help empower communities and workers around a common set of ideas. Visit their website to learn more about their work.
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Public Education Network has launched a PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNITE US effort, working overtime to send a positive message of support for local students, public schools and school boards as well-funded national efforts to undermine local control and divest from public education have been amped up statewide over the summer. On the positive side: a slate of regressive legislation supported by the privatization lobby and being rushed through the legislature is destined for the veto pen of Wisconsin’s governor, educator and former Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Evers. On the other hand: the political conflation of anti-mask and anti-equity politics is having an ugly impact at the local level, with school board members being bullied, meetings shouted down, and annual budgets hijacked by organized groups of saboteurs using annual meetings to attempt to vote down local tax levies (with a mix of failure and success). The Network has supported local grassroots teams organizing through these tensions with an Equity in Action workshop series, regular meetings and mentorships, and working with statewide partners to develop toolkits for responding to these attacks – including a campaign focused on identifying & preparing public education champions to run for office next spring, and a toolkit for addressing attacks on equity, which includes professional messaging guidance and other resources. Read the latest Schools and Communities United newsletter here. If you live in the Milwaukee community join Parents for Public Schools Milwaukee, students and allies to create a strong, diverse, districtwide network of parent advocates for children and their schools. Working with teachers, the superintendent, city and state officials, they are focused on finding and implementing solutions that will help children receive the high-quality public education they deserve.
NPE Grassroots Education Network – Resources and Graphics
Here is a link to our resources page. It will help you navigate resources covering a variety of topics. This is a live document and will be updated so check back for new resources.
Here is a link to our graphics page. It will provide powerful visuals for you to share on social media. This is a live document and will be updated so check back for new graphics.
