Public Dollars for Public Education
Public schools are the bedrock of our democracy and public dollars shouldn’t go to private schools or charter schools that have no democratic oversight or accountability.
Community schools
All of our schools should provide the resources that students and communities need to thrive: mental health workers, nurses, and resources and support for parents.
Democracy
School board members are the representatives of the communities that elected them. School board members should be accountable to our students, families and communities and ready to lift up student, parent, and staff voices.
Transparency
Full district budgets should be available to the public and school board members. The public and the board should have a right to the highest degree of scrutiny about financial decisions, particularly about third party contracts and consultant fees.
Classrooms as Community
We need student-centered, democratic classrooms where every student gets the support they need to thrive, particularly our students of color, indigenous students, our special education students, low-income students, and our LGBTQIA students.
Transformation
Public schools across the state are losing students, teachers, and staff. We need to transform our schools into spaces that nurture the fullness and complexity of every student and family. Students should be supported to do the activities that make them feel human: activities like art, music, physical education and academic subjects that they are particularly interested in. Parents should be welcomed and respected partners in students’ education.
Support for School Worker Unions and Living Wages for All Staff
All workers deserve the right to form a union to negotiate their wages and working conditions. We believe in democracy in our society and political system and in our economy. School workers are a powerful force in our society fighting for the rights of our students, parents and communities.
Racial Justice
We need schools where our students of color can thrive. Because of the historical and current structure of white supremacy in the United States, school staff and students must be actively anti-racist in school curriculum and culture.