Support Public Schools Week: February 24-28, 2020
You can make a difference by joining BJC and other organizations in celebrating Public Schools Week 2020. It serves as a reminder of the important role our nation’s public schools play in our society and an opportunity to talk about how religious liberty is protected for all students.
Public schools educate 90 percent of American schoolchildren — children of all faiths and none. On the back of this page, you’ll see a one-page document listing five concrete ways public schools ensure all students have the right to engage — or not — in religious practices.
Join BJC in supporting Public Schools Week at the local, state and federal levels. Here are five suggestions for engagement:
1) Take the Pledge for Public Schools
You can show your support for public education by signing a pledge. Visit PublicSchoolsWeek2020.com and take a moment to read and sign the Pledge for Public Schools, which honors the religious liberty of all:
Today, I pledge my support for public education. America’s public schools educate nine out of 10 students in the United States — more than 50 million — regardless of ability, race, wealth, language, religion or country of origin, to prepare them for future endeavors. By pledging to support our nation’s public schools, I also am pledging to strengthen the future of our country.
A list of signers will be shared with members of Congress and state legislators during Public Schools Week 2020, so sign now to be on that list!
2) Share why you are #PublicSchoolProud
Public Schools Week is an ideal time to share on social media why you support public schools. You can tell your story of attending or supporting public schools, post a photo from your school days or make a short video. Encourage your friends to share their own stories, too, to create a groundswell of support. When you post, use the hashtags #PublicSchoolProud and #BJCAdvocacy.
3) Host an event to honor public schools
Consider working with fellow church members or another community group to host an event celebrating your local public schools and educators, including teachers, principals and support staff. Past events have included book drives, speeches at civic meetings or pizza parties for teachers and students. Be creative, have fun and find ways to honor those who are daily investing in the lives of our nation’s children.
4) Contact your members of Congress
Take a moment to call or email the offices of your U.S. representative and both U.S. senators, asking them to co-sponsor the Public Schools Week 2020 resolution and share in a floor speech or on social media why they are #PublicSchoolProud. Your voice as a constituent is powerful, and this is a great way to reach out to your lawmakers. The full text of the resolution can be found at PublicSchoolsWeek2020.com.
5) Engage with your local and state leaders
City, county and state legislative bodies often pass resolutions or proclamations to highlight issues important to the community. Ask your school board, city council, county government or state legislators to introduce and support a resolution similar to the one that will be introduced in Congress, which affirms the important role public schools play in our society.
For additional ideas, visit the website of Pastors for Children, a national network of clergy and faith leaders who serve, pray for and advocate for public schools as a key provision of God’s common good, at pastorsforchildren.com/publicschoolsweek.
We want to hear from you!
If you participate in Public Schools Week — or if you want more information — let us know! Contact Christine Browder at [email protected] to share your story or receive additional resources. Access a printable copy of our resource on religious liberty in public schools online.
Jennifer Hawks is associate general counsel of BJC.
This column appeared in the fall 2019 edition of Report from the Capital. You can read the entire magazine as a PDF or a digital flip-through edition.
