ACLU of Florida’s Post

How can you make a difference? Facilitating a environment that is inclusive, diverse, equitable, and overall kind environment with zero tolerance and consequences for anything that goes against any form of human life. That is how you change this statistic.

U.S. schools should teach about issues related to race, most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders believe. They also oppose efforts to restrict what subjects can be discussed in the classroom, according to a new poll. In the survey from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 71% of AAPI adults favor teaching about the history of slavery, racism and segregation in K-12 public schools. The same share also said they support teaching about the history of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States, while about half support teaching about issues related to sex and sexuality. AAPI Democrats are more supportive of these topics being taught in classrooms than AAPI Republicans. Still, only 17% of AAPI adults think school boards should be able to limit what subjects students and teachers talk about in the classroom, and about one-quarter of AAPI Republicans are in favor of these restrictions. The results indicate that efforts to politicize education through culture war issues have not gained strong inroads in Asian American communities, said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a public policy professor at the University of California, Riverside, and founder of AAPI Data.

Empathy is the first step, but we need systemic action. Black girls are too often harshly judged in schools due to implicit bias. Let’s use equity-focused design to create environments where all students are supported and uplifted. We need solutions that recognize and dismantle systemic barriers.  Read more the full article from Education Week: https://lnkd.in/g-9PrQfz #EquitableSchools #InclusiveDesign #AntiRacistEducation

As a staunch advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in education, I wholeheartedly support the continued representation of marginalized groups in school curricula. It's disheartening to see the stark divide in education policies across different states, where the content of lessons on race, sex, and gender varies widely based on political leanings. Ensuring that students have access to accurate and comprehensive education on these important topics is crucial for fostering understanding, and empathy. It's encouraging to see efforts in some states to expand education on underrepresented groups and promote inclusive curricula. However, it's equally concerning to witness the proliferation of restrictive laws that limit or ban discussions on sensitive issues. Education should not be about indoctrination, as some argue, but about providing students with the knowledge and critical thinking skills to navigate complex social issues. We need to continue to create learning environments where all students feel valued, represented, and empowered to contribute to a more inclusive society. #DEI #Education #Inclusion #Representation #SocialJustice

Unlock the latest research in education in the #UnlockingEquity Spring 2024 issue! Bridge the gap between research findings and classroom practice with these six articles: 🔓 Improving Mental Health Among Transgender Adolescents 🔓 Today’s Civil Rights Fight: What’s Math Got to Do With It? 🔓 Elementary English Learner Classroom Composition and Academic Achievement 🔓 Affordances of Multilingual and Multimodal Literacy Engagements of Immigrant High School Students 🔓 Improving Relationships and Student Outcomes Through Restorative Practices 🔓 Racial Identity and Civil Rights Literature for Black Children Read now: https://ow.ly/SVn650R6MvS

🚨 CALL TO ACTION: A fringe group using extreme, hateful, and ugly rhetoric has riled up their base, and they’re already opposing Senate Bill 1583. We need you to take action today and express your support for SB 1583! SB 1583 is a commonsense, values-based bill that will protect students in our state from discriminatory book bans and censorship in our public schools. This bill prohibits discriminatory censorship based on race, national origin, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical or mental disability, military status, or marital or family status. We need you to defend representation in schools and submit testimony urging a YES vote on SB 1583. Tell the legislature to protect students’ rights to read, learn and share ideas — free from discriminatory censorship! 👉 Submit written testimony and sign up to give verbal testimony at Tuesday's hearing at: https://bit.ly/3SR7wz0

How can we support students in becoming justice-oriented democratic citizens who are prepared to tackle an increasingly complex and ever-changing world?

Laws that ban the open discussion of ideas in an educational setting exemplify the definition of "indoctrination" and undermines the fundamental mission of educational institutions. Utah’s Anti-DEI Law  HB 261 "bans diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in public colleges and universities... prohibits mandatory DEI trainings, or even using the term “diversity, equity, and inclusion” in an official capacity..." Florida Takes Stop WOKE to Teachers SB 1372 "prohibit a laundry list of concepts from being taught in teacher education programs at both public and private universities... Future elementary and high school teachers who cannot learn how to discuss race, gender, or related topics will be unable to teach future students how to do the same..." Florida Chills Political Speech on Campus SB 470 and HB 465 "discourage research inquiries, chill class discussions, and shrink the boundaries of artistic freedom out of fear that speech might be viewed as promoting opinions shared by terrorist groups.. What it means to “promote” a terrorist organization would become subject to ambiguous interpretation and enforcement that threatens constitutionally protected speech." Iowa’s War on ‘Terrorism’ HF 2077 "require public colleges and universities to deny recognition to any student group for its “endorsement or promotion” of either terrorism or a specific action of a foreign terrorist group...  would imperil the free speech rights of students even at private schools..." Oklahoma Opts Out of Race and Gender Discussions SB 1305 students "could not be required to take any class that teaches them anything about whiteness, gender identity, implicit bias, intersectionality, cultural competence, critical theory, systemic racism, allyship, race- or gender-based diversity, equity, or inclusion, microaggressions, or social justice. If a course is interpreted to include those concepts... then the course would not be eligible to be taken for general education credit... would effectively prohibit well-rounded general education offerings..." Read more: SIX DANGEROUS BILLS THAT WOULD CENSOR SPEECH ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY https://lnkd.in/ehsHEAz8 #education #highereducation #censorship #bannedbooks #socialjustice #socialjusticeeducation #USconstitution #firstamendment #freespeech

In the latest education developments for 2024, schools in California are implementing a policy to eliminate suspensions or expulsions for "willful defiance," focusing on alternative intervention methods for disruptive behavior among 6th to 12th-grade students. Additionally, a new law named the Safe and Supportive Schools Act mandates LGBTQ+ cultural competency training for teachers, with the California Department of Education required to establish an online training program by the 2025 school year, specifically targeting middle and high school educators. Furthermore, changes in the K-12 curriculum include potential additions of media literacy content and expanded instruction on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history.

The attacks on DEI have been coming fast and furious, and it can be hard to keep up. Even so, it's important for us to look beyond our individual sectors and engage with what is happening broadly. For those of us who work on inclusive economies, this may mean tracking what is happening in science or education. Stacey Abrams and Randi Weingarten do a great job of explaining the frightening attacks on education and the stakes for all of us who value diversity, equity and inclusion. 20 states have passed bills banning the discussion of race and gender in the classroom; what will that mean, for example, for the workforce of the future? https://lnkd.in/e5fQW2Dc