Friend –

There's no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our daily life. In school, for instance, students across California struggle with remote learning that is impacting their academic performance and mental health.

Take action: tell Governor Gavin Newsom and state leaders to prioritize student health and arts education in the 2021 budget.

But even before the pandemic, our state leaders have consistently neglected to make student health a priority. California remains 48th in the nation when it comes to student access to school counselors. In fact, there are twice as many police as there are counselors in our schools.

The state has also underfunded arts education despite its proven benefit to academic performance and stress and anxiety relief. Four out of 10 California students are enrolled in arts courses, one of the lowest rates of enrollment in the nation.

Earlier this year, California youths led by the ACLU's Youth Liberty Squad sent a letter to the governor and other state officials asking them to provide holistic supports to help students recover from the pandemic and thrive by investing in school-based mental health, arts education, and other critical resources.

Before Governor Newsom submits the 2021 budget in January, sign the petition urging him to heed our students and support their mental health and success.

Thanks for taking action,

Abdi Soltani
Executive Director, ACLU of Northern California