Demand that all educational materials companies pick a side!

The text reads "Dear Corporate America, I will wear my crown my way." There is an image of four Black women with different Afro-textured hairstyles. The Color Of Change logo is in the corner.

John,

VICTORY: A College Board VP who advocated to restrict Black History was ousted amidst public pressure.1 When we learned Todd Huston, formerly College Board’s Senior Vice President, took action to restrict the teaching of accurate history, we reached out to the College Board immediately and demanded they fire him. Last month, in his role as the Speaker of Indiana’s House of Representatives, Todd Huston played a central role in advancing right-wing legislation HB 1134, which severely limits what teachers can say about race, history, and politics in Indiana’s classrooms. The bill even allows parents to sue schools that violate its provisions and teachers could potentially lose their licenses!2

Todd Huston’s resignation came quickly after we applied pressure, but the fight doesn’t stop here! We must make sure that all public school kids have access to the highest quality education, which includes learning the full and accurate history of our country’s past.

SIGN THE PETITION: Tell education materials companies to pick a side: make a public commitment to teaching accurate history!

We can’t allow public officials (or anyone for that matter) to dumb down public school curricula and attack our teachers simply because they are not comfortable with the truth of this country’s past. School boards in many states have sought to ban everything from books such as Ruby Bridges Goes to School to picture books about Rosa Parks.3,4 Now, we are asking all textbook and education materials companies: will they cave into the right-wing agenda or defend our teachers, our students, and Black history? Tell them to pick a side! 

ADD YOUR NAME HERE: Demand that education materials companies pick a side!

Attacks on our history during Black history month are no coincidence. We are in the midst of one of the most wide-scale attacks on Black history in recent times – conservatives across the country are actively passing laws to erase Black history from the classroom. Our teachers are on the frontlines and are under attack for teaching accurate history. And all children suffer as a result. This fight is personal to us and it should be personal to anyone who claims to stand for equity in education. No textbook publishers or education materials company can remain silent.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Until justice is real,

Jade and the Color Of Change Team

 References:

  1. Paul Basken, "College Board leader quits after criticism of race legislation", Times Higher Education, February 10, 2022, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/347292?t=8&akid=52889%2E4731121%2E31blG1
  2. Judd Legum, "Top College Board executive advocates limiting instruction of race and history in classrooms", Popular Information, February 7, 2022, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/346424?t=10&akid=52889%2E4731121%2E31blG1
  3. Anika Exum, "Here's what to know about the debate over 'Wit & Wisdom' curriculum in Williamson schools", Tennessean, June 11, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/346425?t=12&akid=52889%2E4731121%2E31blG1
  4. Toria Barnhart, "Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks Books Among Those Banned in Penn. School District", Newsweek, September 21, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/346427?t=14&akid=52889%2E4731121%2E31blG1