(August 1, 2022) In statehouses across the country, opponents of public education seek to censor teacher speech, limit what students can say and learn about racism and current events, and whitewash history. But as IDRA’s new We All Belong – School Resource Hub shows, these forces will not prevail. Educators are committed to serving their students well by strengthening education, not watering it down or hiding from the truth.
IDRA’s new resource hub is designed for educators, families and policy advocates, particularly in the U.S. South, who want to make sure students receive a strong, truthful education in our public schools. It provides lesson plans for all grades, instructional best practices, historical resources, policy updates and data maps to support educators and advocates in promoting culturally-sustaining schools and fighting harmful censorship policies.
“Students need to learn truthful accounts about our nation’s history and current events, make connections between past and present, and be able to think critically so they can succeed in college and beyond,” said Celina Moreno, J.D., IDRA President and CEO.
Since the wave of states’ classroom censorship policies, IDRA has conducted surveys and focus groups with educators and students on these policies’ impact.
Over 89% of educators reported they received no guidance about complying with classroom censorship laws from their district or professional teacher groups, and 58% of educators reported negative impacts on restricted classroom discussions, curriculum and content selection. However, nearly two thirds said their students specifically request lessons on race, history, current events and forms of discrimination they experience.
IDRA’s new resource hub is designed to answer these needs by providing resources to ensure educators feel supported in their work and help students explore the historical and current impact of issues they and their communities face.
The over 70 resources to date include:
