Attacks on public education have led to many restrictions that harm
children's well-being and right to learn...

friend,  

Over recent months, attacks on public education have led to many
restrictions that harm childrens' well-being and right to learn.
In Florida, the attacks are rampant. Our award-winning education
program Learning for Justice
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 is fighting back against these hateful measures designed to fail
students. Our work is important, and we must do what we can to erase
the damage done by Governor DeSantis' administration.

This year, Florida passed a slew of bills that harm teachers and
students and make it difficult for education to be inclusive and
accurate. In 2022, the legislature passed HB 1557, also known as
"Don't Say Gay

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," which bans discussions and materials on sexual orientation
and gender identity for students from kindergarten through third
grade.

Earlier this year, the law was expanded to include all students. Other
provisions in the bill include the ability for parents to sue the
school district if they believe there is a violation, having parents
sign off on their child's nickname and implementing a parental
notification policy for students to receive health or support services
which parents or legal guardians can deny. This may force students to
be "outed" by faculty, creating a potentially unsafe
environment for the student.

The attacks don't stop there.

The Florida Board of Education adopted new standards

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last month for how Black history should be taught, requiring that
some lessons such as the 1920 Ocoee Massacre should include
"acts of violence perpetuated against and by African
Americans." The DeSantis administration also banned the Advanced
Placement African American Studies curriculum stating that "it
lacks educational value," further limiting and jeopardizing
Black history.

Books bans are also on the rise. Materials that teach us about the
importance of social justice movements, address racism and uplift
LGBTQ+ stories are being pulled from libraries, further limiting
students' access to inclusive education. While the state of
Florida continues to fail its students, we are pushing back against
these hateful practices.

Learning for Justice is committed to supporting honest and inclusive
curricula in partnership with teachers and communities to dismantle
white supremacy, teaching tough topics while remaining truthful about
our country's history. We provide articles, guides, lessons,
films, webinars, frameworks and other important materials that foster
inclusivity and diversity and build collective power - all free
of charge.

Thank you for your unwavering support. Please consider making a
donation today to help us continue the fight against hate and
censorship.

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Donate Now

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Sincerely,

Your friends at the Southern Poverty Law Center



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