Reaffirming our Pledge to Inclusivity: TNP's Response to Moms for Liberty
In a recent interview, Moms for Liberty took to MSNBC and boldly implied that LGBTQ+ students should be educated in segregated classrooms. This was compared to children “with autism, Down syndrome — they have to be put in separate classrooms— for children that identify differently there should be a specialized something.”
The Nora Project condemns this position, this statement, and the prejudice it reflects.
Segregation based on identity is a violation of students’ civil rights. All students, including disabled, LGBTQ+, and disabled LGBTQ+ students, have the right to learn and thrive alongside their classmates, feel proud of who they are, and be included in their communities. As The Nora Project stated earlier this year, all children and educators have the inherent human right to show up at school as their authentic selves, to see themselves reflected in curriculum and the school environment, and to receive an education that allows them to cultivate a strong sense of identity-pride and belonging. The longstanding practice of segregating students harms all kids and the community as a whole.
Segregation cannot be the answer. Instead, we need robust teacher training, classroom curriculum that teaches empathy and the value of diversity, and schools intentionally designed to support the needs of all learners. The only way forward is together. Inclusion must mean everyone.
Help us push back against Moms for Liberty by empowering educators and engaging students to build communities of belonging. Here are four ways you can take action today:
Interrogate discriminatory systems of education in your community that are harming students and actively seek collaborations with individuals and organizations advocating for the rights of all students to learn and thrive.
Use your platform to amplify marginalized activist voices generally, and multiply-marginalized disabled activist voices in particular.
Commit to fostering a more equitable community, by engaging with The Nora Project curriculum in your school or through our at-home resources.
Donate to support the ongoing creation of materials and training that allows all students to see themselves reflected in the curriculum, advocate for schools to support and honor students as they are, and empower educators.
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