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“Because we know that attacks on knowledge are fueling threats to freedom, and that repression in one place fuels its spread elsewhere, we call for global resistance to all efforts to destroy the vital tools that help us to imagine and create more equitable and inclusive futures for us all.”  —African American Policy Forum

The well-being of children should concern us all. This crucial election week, we must unite in choosing a more inclusive and democratic society. Georgia educator Katie Rinderle, who was fired for reading a children’s book about acceptance, encourages us to advocate for all children, reminding us of the importance of our votes at all levels, including local school boards. And feature articles from our new fall magazine on food insecurity and the critical need to end the school-to-prison pipeline emphasize the critical need to live up to our nation’s democratic values.

Children should have the right to safe, affirming and inclusive schools. To uplift Banned Books Week and to honor LGBTQ+ History Month, support young people’s freedom to read, learn and build a just future.

School policies that include harsh punishments, automatic out-of-class time and police involvement for discipline contribute to pushing young people out of classrooms and into the criminal legal system. These punitive practices disproportionately affect Black and other children of color, students with disabilities, young people experiencing poverty and children from communities that have been historically marginalized. Urgent change is needed to end school pushout and dismantle this school-to-prison pipeline.