The Facts
Learn more about what people are talking about
Is transparency in schools a good thing?
Yes! Parents have a right to know what their children are learning - no really, they already have that right. Federal law already requires schools to provide easily understandable data about student, school, and district academic performance and well-being.
Legislation framed as a “need for transparency” is being pushed by radical politicians who want to drive a wedge between teachers and parents. They see this as an opportunity to insert their extremist agenda and culture wars into our classrooms.
What is social-emotional learning?
Social-emotional learning teaches students the essential communication, decision-making, and self-discipline skills to build their confidence and succeed in the real world. By creating a positive learning environment where students learn how to focus and be productive, schools provide kids with the social skills they need to thrive. This approach has proven to increase academic performance and improve classroom behavior.
Students need to learn the fundamentals like reading and math, but we don't need to choose between academics and essential social-emotional skills. In fact, independent studies have found that kids who learn social and emotional skills at school do better academically than students who don’t.
What is the role of civics?
The role of civics is to teach students about how the government functions and the important role they play in that process. Our constitutional democracy requires informed civic participants, but for decades we have failed to prepare young Americans.
We must ensure that all students learn the complete and accurate teaching of United States history. Teaching civics is important to the health of our democracy and the trust that citizens have in democratic institutions.