Organizing for the Green New Deal for Public Schools

All students deserve an education that protects, nurtures, inspires, and empowers them to build a better world. Yet, it’s no secret that the US K-12 public education system is under heightened attack from those seeking to defund and privatize public institutions that are central to a healthy democracy – and have been under-resourced and unequally funded from the start. Schools are dealing with critical educator shortages, young people face a mental health crisis, and culture wars are targeting Black, brown and LGBTQ+ communities, and climate chaos is decimating school infrastructure that cannot keep people safe. Union teachers, students, and communities are on the frontlines of the struggle to heal and strengthen classrooms and schoolyards.

Join this webinar to hear about the successes and challenges faced by union teachers and community activists across the country who have been organizing for climate justice– and the federal government’s responsibility to invest in a just, climate-safe education system for students and their communities.

The Green New Deal for K-12 Public Schools lays out a plan for the federal government to make historic — and overdue — investments in a just, climate-safe education system. A public education system that reduces historic inequities among students and transforms school buildings into healthy, safe places to learn, work, and play—paired with strong labor supports—would bring countless benefits to students and staff, from increased physical wellbeing to better educational outcomes.