Dear Friend,

The peaceful transfer of power, honoring the will of the people, is fundamental to democracy. Without it a country stops being free.

On Jan. 6, 2021, our country came as close as it ever has to losing our freedom and our democracy. We watched in horror as violent extremists, fueled by the “big lie,” stormed the U.S. Capitol, intent on stopping the certification of the 2020 presidential election and blocking the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

Our nation needs a full accounting of what happened on that day. That’s why tonight I’m going to be watching the first in a series of public hearings held by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. It’s vital that we all watch these hearings so we can have honest and informed discussions with our family, friends and neighbors about how to prevent another insurrection.

The hearings will be televised live on every major network except Fox News Channel and livestreamed here on the committee’s YouTube page.

In the months since the insurrection, the bipartisan House select committee has been working tirelessly to find out what happened. Its members investigated who planned, funded and launched the attacks that led to several deaths and caused millions of dollars of damage to our Capitol, logging countless hours of interviews and following up on leads. Their findings are pivotal for setting the historical record straight and achieving accountability moving forward.

Fighting for our democracy means paying attention and pushing back against misinformation. But we cannot counter misinformation unless we have the facts. Find a watch party near you.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President

P.S. Share My Lesson has free resources for parents, educators and school staff to help teach kids about democracy and why these hearings are so important.