Access to public education is a right afforded to all children, regardless of a child’s or guardian’s citizenship, immigration status, or English language proficiency. These rights were upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in its landmark 1982 decision in Plyler v. Doe.
This new guide from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protecting Immigrant Students’ Rights to a Public Education: A Guide for Advocates, offers information and recommendations that educators, caregivers, and other trusted adults can use to ensure that their school or district is meeting its legal responsibility to ELLs and immigrant students and families.
Designed to share with families and available in multiple languages, an accompanying pamphlet offers overviews of this information, easy-to-use reference lists, and links to further resources. You can check out all of the new resources for educators and caregivers here.
Roots & Shoots was founded by Jane Goodall, DBE in 1991, with the goal of bringing together youth from preschool to university age to work on environmental, conservation, and humanitarian issues. Educators can join their Roots & Shoots global community, and get access to a variety of resources to nurture the next generation of compassionate change-makers and leaders with 21st-century learning skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, empathy, and collaboration. The Roots & Shoots model and curriculum guides students through the 4-Step Formula to identify projects, grow compassionate traits, and teach skills to cultivate a generation of change-makers. The program also offers From mini-grants and online courses for teachers.
The 2021 National School Climate Survey is GLSEN’s twelfth national survey of LGBTQ+ youth. It is a crucial tool in GLSEN’s mission for fighting anti-LGBTQ+ bias in K-12 schools across the nation. The information gathered from this survey will help GLSEN to inform education policymakers and the public about the right of all students to be treated with respect in their schools. Many students in the past have also used the survey information to advocate with their teachers and principals for safer schools for LGBTQ+ students.
Who can take the survey: If you attended high school or middle school sometime during the last school year (2020-2021), identify as LGBTQ+, and are at least 13 years old, tell us about your experiences in school! You are eligible to take this survey if you attended school online, or in person, or a combination of the two. You are also eligible even if you attended school for only part of the year. The survey is completely anonymous.
Nominate yourself or a colleague to join our Steering Committee. Our rules call for the election every summer of new Steering Committee members to replace retiring members. This year there are 2 open seats to be filled, and we invite all members to make nominations for their replacements. You may nominate anyone who fits the criteria for membership and can fulfill the responsibilities of Steering Committee members, including nominating yourself!
Brief biographies of current Steering Committee members can be viewed here. A ballot will be sent to all HRE USA members in July.
Elected Steering Committee members will serve a three-year term beginning in August 2021.
As part of HRW Student Task Force’s (STF) advocacy to transition high schools across Southern California to 100% renewable energy, commit to energy efficiency plans, and engage in climate justice education, the STF hosted over 150 students, teachers, administrators, and community members at the “Human Rights and the Climate Crisis” Virtual Town Hall on Earth Day 2021.
“The climate crisis is the defining issue of our generation and we are at a monumental moment,” said one STF representative. “We are protecting our human rights to life, liberty, and personal security, to survival and development, and our right to health, to clean water – and a future! We are demanding public officials take action to protect our human rights and fight climate change.”
Students representing 18 high schools shared their personal climate stories, illustrating how climate change is impacting their lives. Several had experienced fire-threat evacuations and pollution-induced asthma, which further motivates them to take action. STF leaders also described using HRW’s methodology “Investigate, Expose, Change” to frame their advocacy as they engage school administrators and public officials.
Featured speaker, Christos Chrysiliou, LAUSD’s Director of Architectural and Engineering Services for the Facilities Division, discussed LAUSD’s steps to increase its energy and water efficiency, improve sustainability, and engage students in the decision-making process. “We cannot achieve all the things that we’re doing without your [students’] help… We need you in the process,” Mr. Chrysiliou said, “because that’s the only way to fight climate change.” Afterward, attendees participated in a spirited Q&A session with Mr. Chrysiliou. (Listen at 47:43 on the recording.)
Closing STF student speaker, Nathalia Wyss, quoted Greta Thunberg: “Act like your house is on fire, because it is – continue to take action against climate change and inform others, and please, keep fighting to turn our schools green.”
More than 1,500 teachers have signed a pledge: “We, the undersigned educators, refuse to lie to young people about U.S. history and current events — regardless of the law.” Read more pledges and add your name today.
To raise public awareness about the danger of these state bills, teachers, educators, and allies are invited to take a public stand at historic sites on Saturday, June 12, 2021.
Nominate yourself or a colleague to join our Steering Committee. Our rules call for the election every summer of new Steering Committee members to replace retiring members. This year there are 2 open seats to be filled, and we invite all members to make nominations for their replacements. You may nominate anyone who fits the criteria for membership and can fulfill the responsibilities of Steering Committee members, including nominating yourself!
Brief biographies of current Steering Committee members can be viewed here. A ballot will be sent to all HRE USA members in July.
Elected Steering Committee members will serve a three-year term beginning in August 2021.
This is a plan book for school-based, home-based, and community-based educators who believe that young people can, will, and already do change the world. It is designed to help educators translate their vision of a just education into concrete activities.
This year’s calendar features all-new historical anniversaries and birthdays. The newest edition has all the things you would expect in a lesson plan book, plus:
Weekly planning pages packed with important social justice birthdays and historical events
References to online activities, resources, and lesson plans related to those dates
Tips from social justice educators across the country
Inspirational quotes to share with young people
Thought-provoking essential questions to spark discussion on critical issues
Reproducible social justice awards
and much more
Planning to Change the World is created by the Education for Liberation Network with the support of Rethinking Schools. All proceeds from the sale of the plan book support the work of these two organizations.
Going to school or returning home from an after-school job or visiting friends or going to a cookout or concert—or a playground—should not put students’ lives at risk. But sadly, in communities of color, this is the reality.
As the one-year mark of George Floyd’s murder approaches, we demand accountability and justice for all and to demand that our our elected leaders and those who swear an oath to protect us respect our rights, no matter our race, background or where we live. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 1280) takes initial steps toward that goal and will work to end police brutality, protect civil rights and liberties, and change the culture of law enforcement agencies.
Email your senators and ask them to support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
hreusa.org 