This week, take a look at some news and legislation that will affect children of color, in and out of the classroom!
Arizona
- Teacher Pay Cuts
- Why we’re watching: Phoenix Elementary School District teachers just learned that their paychecks will be $5,000 short next year, mostly due to a lack of appropriations from their state government. This is a clear signal that Arizona does not care about its teachers, which is a terrible shame, given their importance in childhood development.
- Curriculum Changes
- Why we’re watching: Amid the roaring debate about critical race theory and its supposed impact on white students, teachers in Arizona are looking to make American history engaging for their students. However, it’s unclear how many teachers are shying from approaching topics like slavery and Native American genocide while staying in compliance with their elected officials’ misguided erasure of Black and Brown history.
Federal
- College Admissions
- Why we’re watching: The Supreme Court is poised to undo decades of affirmative action in universities throughout the country. Under the pretext of “colorblindness,” would-be students at schools like Harvard are arguing unfair admissions standards, simply because such schools want to increase their plurality. We truly hope the Supreme Court doesn’t go down this road of enforcing the racial status quo at elite colleges.
Maryland
- SB 165
- Why we’re watching: Maryland, like many other states, has a history of trying children as adults for some crimes. Sen. Jill Carter seeks to change that, citing the impact of the criminal justice system on youth’s development and mental health. This legislation would fix inefficiencies in the judicial system and keep juveniles in the appropriate venue for trial.
New York
- End of Mask Mandate
- Why we’re watching: New York City public schools officially no longer require masks, an announcement made just before Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a similar statewide plan. Proponents of this policy cite mask fatigue as its primary rationale, with little mention nor care for the wellbeing of children that are legally required to attend classes in-person.
What do you think of the news in this week’s legislative roundup? Did we miss anything? Drop us a line on any of our social channels or hit us up through our contact us form. Let us know what’s happening in YOUR neighborhood!
