Educators and allies to host National Teach Truth Day of Action press call
More than 160 local actions confirmed to date and more are joining the growing chorus of voices to #TeachTruth
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Zinn Education Project, in conjunction with more than 65 prominent racial and social justice organizations, will hold a national press call on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, to discuss the growing chorus of diverse voices speaking out against politicians and their far-right supporters’ attempts to attack students’ freedom to learn and educators’ freedom to teach.
For the past three summers, educators, students, parents, and allies have joined across the country to speak out against politicians attempting to restrict the freedoms of educators and students. This year, from Seattle, Washington, to Miami, Florida, and many towns and cities in between, organizers will host more than 160 events on Saturday, June 8 and beyond. The goal is to raise awareness about how anti-history education laws and book bans — and their chilling effect — threaten any chance of an informed and engaged democracy. View a list of locations and activities.
There were over 4,000 instances of book bans in the first half of this school year, according to PEN America’s April 2024 report, Banned in the USA: Narrating the Crisis. Eleven individuals are driving the overwhelming majority of book challenges according to a Washington Post analysis. The majority of targeted books are by authors of color, Indigenous, or LGBTQ+.
What: Day of Action to Teach the Truth National Press Call, June 4 (The Day of Action is on June 8.)
Welcome and MC: Jesse Hagopian, Rethinking Schools editor and Zinn Education Project leadership team
Speakers:
Rocio Inclan, senior director, National Education Association Center for Racial and Social Justice
Michael Rady, senior education programs manager, GLSEN
Courtland Cox, board chair, SNCC Legacy Project
Julie Womack, head of organizing, Red, Wine, & Blue
Jocelyn Walker, vice president of communications, African American Policy Forum
Terry Anne Scott, executive director, Institute for Common Power
Gregory Wickenkamp, educator and Iowa City event host
Megan Madison, author of children’s books, including Our Skin
Nikki Grimes, award-winning author of many children’s/YA books, including Ordinary Hazards
When: Tuesday, June 4, 2024, 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm EST
Where: Via Zoom.
Why: To draw attention to the chilling effects the restrictive laws introduced or passed in at least 44 states that restrict, ban, or censor what educators can teach and what their students can learn about history, LGBTQ+ rights, race, and gender, among other topics.
Follow the conversation on Twitter: #TeachTruth
Contacts
Miguel Gonzalez, NEA Communications cell: 202-491-9532, mgonzalez@nea.org
Deborah Menkart, Zinn Education Project cell: 202-294-2703, dmenkart@teachingforchange.org
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