Educators- Day Day of Resistance - Covid-19

Overview

What is the National Day of Resistance, #EquityorElse?

Thousands of parents, students, educators  and school staff that have been on the frontlines fighting for racial justice in the US public school system are joining forces on August 3^rd to demand equity and safe conditions before schools are reopened. As the fight against systemic racism and state sanctioned violence has reached historic heights, on the heels of the disparate impact of COVID-19 on Black, Brown and Indigenous families, organizers and union leaders are coalescing around a comprehensive set of demands to ensure that the safety of students and school staff is guaranteed before school doors are opened.  

For more information:

●      August 3rd National Day of Resistance Flyer

●      August 3rd National Day of Resistance One-Pager

●      August 3rd National Day of Resistance Website & Landing Page

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Take ACTION Now:

●      Sign and share this petition demanding that schools are opened safely and equitably!

●      Watch & Share: National Day of Resistance Aug 3: Demand Safe, Healthy and Equitable Schoolsdemanding safe schools!

●      Join our network of activated parents, students & teachers via Facebook!

Talking Points & Messaging

Who We Are

In this movement moment, our organizations have come together to unite students, educators, parents and community to advance a racial justice agenda in public education, in particular by organizing for police-free schools. We’re working to galvanize a strong and growing student/educator/parent/community voice; a voice that says the government must go much further to provide the resources to ensure a safe and equitable school reopening and must provide for our communities and working families through transformational Common Good demands. Leading organizations include:

●      Alliance for Educational Justice 

●      Center for Popular Democracy

●      Chicago Teachers Union

●      Journey for Justice Alliance

●      United Teachers Los Angeles

This Moment

We are in a unique moment in our history characterized by:

●      The greatest public health crisis in a century

●      The biggest and most diverse mass uprising for racial justice

●      A severe economic crisis

●      Calls for bold action by organized communities and workers

Our Message

●      We demand a safe, scientific, racially just and fully funded approach to reopening schools.

●      Nationally: “Equity Or Else” and “Police-Free Schools” in the context of re-opening. In particular, we will not reopen without appropriate resources, adherence to science and racial justice for our school communities. 

●      Locally: The above as foundations, with more built on to reflect local needs

Participating Cities:

Chicago, Oakland, Little Rock, Denver, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Baton Rouge, Camden, Newark, NYC, Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, North Carolina, Dallas, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Orlando, West Virginia, St. Paul and Minneapolis

Demands, Target & Tactics

Demands:

1. No reopening until the scientific data supports it 
2. Police-free schools
3. All schools must be supported to function as community schools with adequate numbers of counselors and nurses and community/parent outreach workers 
4. Safe conditions including lower class sizes, PPE, cleaning, testing, and other key protocols 
5. Equitable access to online learning 
6. Support for our communities and families, including moratorium on evictions/foreclosures, cancel rent and mortgages, providing direct cash assistance to those not able to work or who are unemployed, and other critical social needs 
7. Moratorium on new charter or voucher programs and standardized testing 
8. Massive infusion of federal money to support the reopening funded by taxing the billionaires and Wall Street 

Tactics and Targets

1. Sign-on national letter to Trump, Biden and Congressional leaders outlining our demands as outlined above for re-opening 
2. Local actions on August 3rd in as many cities/areas as possible, all focused on re-opening conditions/ demands, with local discretion on political and corporate/revenue targets, 
3. Work with Journey for Justice and other groups to organize escalating actions in cities ready to escalate their tactics, i.e. occupy city hall, take over city property for homeless students, bank occupations

Activities & Action Ideas for August 3rd

●      Check out this guide for in person and virtual action ideas

●      Editable flyer for your local actions

●      Activities include:

○      Rallies

○      Live, online convenings

○      Protests

○      Teach ins

○      Social Media tactics

Social Media

Check out our robust social media toolkit that includes:

●      Hashtags

●      Sample posts

●      National Targets

●      Social media handles

●      Press Release & Op-ed materials

●      And more!