By Terrence Wilson, J.D.• Knowledge is Power • March 17, 2022 •
Over the last two years, policymakers across the South have rushed to limit the information that students can learn via classroom censorship bills. Students have met these proposals by showing up and speaking out to let these leaders know that more knowledge and access to diverse curricula is what they want. The Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, one of IDRA’s SEEN partners, has been a leader of these efforts in Georgia and we would like to highlight some of their recent writings, quotes, and articles written about them below.
- Georgia Student: Kemp, legislators seek to silence diverse voices, by Aminah Muhammad, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 4, 2022
- For Diversity in School Boards: Georgia Students Lead the Fight, by Esther Schrader, Southern Poverty Law Center, February 25, 2022
- Georgia Student: GOP bills tell me “You’re just not American enough,” by Adunni Noibi, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 9, 2022
- Georgia students are affecting change at the state Capitol, by Martha Dalton, WABE, March 10, 2022
- Students Protest Book Bans Over Content on LGBTQ Issues, Race, by Mary Retta, Teen Vogue, March 8, 2022
We encourage all advocates to connect with students and support their leadership in the effort to beat back classroom censorship.
Rally for Students’ Rights & Black History
Wednesday, students led a march and rally at the Georgia Capitol to stand up for their rights and the teaching of accurate Black history. Students and partners from the Georgia Coalition Against Classroom Censorship attended to support the march. The demonstration was led by the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, the People’s Uprising, Atlanta Student Movement, and many others. Students and teachers spoke out against the latest classroom censorship laws, anti-trans legislation, and voting rights.
March for Education on the Texas Capitol
On Saturday, students working through Voters of Tomorrow held a rally about their concerns over book bans, censorship laws and learning our true history. Students also distributed free “banned” books. IDRA’s Michelle Castillo, Ed.M., spoke at the rally on the capitol steps. See the video and text of her speech online or scroll below. See one of the news stories about the march by Jamal Andress of Newsy.
[©2022, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the March 17, 2022, edition of Knowledge is Power by the Intercultural Development Research Association. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]
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