NPE opposes all legislation that restricts the discussion of racism in schools

Joint Statement on Legislative Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism in American History

NPE proudly joins 135 organizations in stating “firm opposition” to any legislation that restricts the discussion of “divisive concepts” in public education.

A statement of opposition to such legislation, drafted by The American Association of University Professors, the American Historical Association, the Association of American Colleges & Universities, and PEN America, expresses in the clearest terms the dangers of all legislation designed to silence all discussion and teaching of racism.

From that statement:

“The clear goal of these efforts is to suppress teaching and learning about the role of racism in the history of the United States…,“These legislative efforts seek to substitute political mandates for the considered judgment of professional educators, hindering students’ ability to learn and engage in critical thinking across differences and disagreements. . . . Americans of all ages deserve nothing less than a free and open exchange about history and the forces that shape our world today.”

You can read the full statement co-signed by NPE here. 

NPE Leads Coalition Asking Secretary Cardona to Investigate North Carolina’s Charter Schools Program Grant

Part of the dark history of racism in the United States has been the use of “school choice” to create segregation academies. In some states and some cases, this attempt is now repeating itself in the charter sector. Through its investigations, the Network for Public Education has discovered how those efforts are being assisted by the federal government through its Charter Schools Program. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction used federal CSP money for awards to charter schools, some of which had been voucher schools, that are disproportionately white.

The Network for Public Education has issued a formal request for investigation to the U.S Department of Education.  We are pleased to announce that sixty-seven education and civil rights organizations joined us in requesting that Secretary Cardona exercise his obligation under ESSA to review, and if cause is found, terminate or reduce the grant provided to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction under the Charter Schools Program (CSP).

You can find our letter here.

We will continue to follow up on the letter to Cardona, examine other CSP grantees in other states, and issue complaints to the Department and to its Office of Inspector General when warranted.

Registration is Still Open for Our IN-PERSON 2021 Conference in Philadephia