Organizing

Parent Engagement Field Guide

Want to get engaged with other parents in your local schools? Here's what you need to do to get started.

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Which Type of Advocate Are You?

There are many ways to get involved in school & student advocacy. You don’t have to be the executive director of a large organization or group in order to make…

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Communication

Send an Effective Letter

You’ve seen plenty of open letters before – letters to the editor, groups of concerned citizens, coalitions of politicians or policymakers. Open letters are letters addressed to a specific person…

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Parental Consent Letter

America First Legal (AFL) released the “AFL Parental Rights Demand Letter Template” for parents across the country to arm themselves and protect their children against the insidious woke agenda of…

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File a Civil Rights Complaint in Your State

Below are links and email addresses for parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens to send civil rights complaints to their state. Parents Defending Education encourages complainants to…

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School Boards

It’s Time to Get Involved in Your School Board

As political activists are increasingly prevalent in our public schools, parents across the country are growing more frustrated with what their children are being taught, and what they can do…

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Running for School Board – A Starter Guide!

Over the past year, many parents and their fellow taxpayers across the country began to realize that their local schools seem to be less focused on academic rigor and excellence…

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Filing a FOIA

Public school parents have a vital weapon in their arsenal: the Freedom of Information Act or similar local public records laws. Exercise your right under your state’s Freedom of Information…

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3 Questions and 1 Suggestion for your School Board

On October 4, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice directed the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to investigate parents for “harassment, intimidation and threats of violence” against school board members…

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School Board Recalls

School board recalls are the process of removing a member or members of a school board from office through a petitioned election, instead of during a regularly scheduled election. Here are some…

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School Board Policies

Model School Board Policies

The ongoing discussions about public school education continues to be divisive and difficult. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) provides these model school board policies as an addition…

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Model Resolution for Freedom of Expression

Because [INSTITUTION] is committed to free and open inquiry in all matters, it guarantees all members of the [INSTITUTION] community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and…

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Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Get Involved With Your PTA

As parents find themselves increasingly at odds with their school boards and school administrators over critical race theory, curriculum, equity vs. equality and gender issues, it is now more imperative…

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Private Schools

Private School Playbook

If your kids go to private school, they may be experiencing more politics and extremism in the classroom than in public schools, and much of it may have appeared suddenly…

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Fundraising

U.S. Department of Education

For Your Student

Starting a High School Discourse Club

FIRE’s new Discourse Clubs kits (Club in a backpack!) are designed to make it easy for advisors to form supportive, enjoyable clubs in which K-12 students can polish their communication…

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For Teachers