Welcoming and inclusive schools that provide honest, accurate information to our children give them the freedom to pursue their dreams and prepare them to fully participate in a diverse society. In the summer of 2022, in response to increased attacks aimed at LGBTQ+ students and Black and Brown students, a backlash against inclusive policies, and an exponential rise in book bans, ELC launched our Inclusive Schools and Honest Education initiative.
We believe that every child deserves an education that prepares them for success, provides a safe and affirming place for learning, and honors their history and experiences.
Today, there are organized national and local efforts threatening to undermine public schools, dividing parents and communities. These groups are banning books, banning the teaching of accurate history, threatening teachers with lawsuits, and trying to silence LGBTQ+ people and people of color. These actions are happening at school boards and in the state legislature.
When schools fail to welcome and address the needs of all students, they deprive students of the freedom to be who they are and to learn what they need to meet the challenges they will encounter as adults. This harms all our students and communities.
Parents, students, faith leaders, business leaders, and community members can work together to protect our schools, support student learning, and fight against these actions.
Individuals and organizations that share these concerns and goals for Pennsylvania schools can join our coalition, Pennsylvanians for Welcoming and Inclusive Schools (PA-WINS), that seeks to unite people working at the state and local level, to create effective strategies to challenge extremists’ use of school board power and legislative policies, and to support efforts to create equitable and inclusive schools that foster belonging and success for all students.
Learn more about each of our focus areas:
- Defending the Right to Learn and the Freedom to Read
- Supporting & Affirming LGBTQ+ and Nonbinary Students
- Fighting Classroom Censorship and Defending Inclusive Curriculum
Are you facing any of these challenges in your school district and looking for guidance on next steps? ELC provides materials for parents, students, and community members to use as resources and samples in their advocacy efforts. Access our resources below for information about school board processes and how to file complaints:
- The School Board: Its Power and How to Advocate
- Transparency in Public Schools: The Sunshine Act and Right to Know Law
- Challenging Sex or Gender-Based Harassment at School – Student Rights & Complaint Options
- How to File a Complaint With the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
- Promising Practices to Build Antiracist and Affirming Schools
- We Need Supportive Spaces That Celebrate Us: Black Girls Speak Out About Public Schools
Watch our recent trainings and presentations:
- Hot Topics for School Boards: Learn the Law & Best Practices for LGBTQ+ Students, Book Bans & Inclusive Curriculum. You can watch the webinar here and download the slides here.
- We hosted a “Know Your Rights” webinar on race and sex-based discrimination in public schools. You can watch the webinar here and download the slides here.
- Check out this recording on 2024 Title IX Controversy: Continued Sex Based Discrimination Protections Under the PHRA to learn more about the 2024 Title IX rule, and download the slides here.
- We partnered with Education Voters PA and Campaign for Our Shared Future to host a “Know Your Rights” session about school board policies for people interested in supporting welcoming and inclusive schools and fighting back against a wave of proposed discriminatory (and illegal) policies recently advanced by extremist groups in Pennsylvania school districts — Can They Really Do That? Know Your Rights About School Board Policies for Inclusive Schools and Honest Education. This session offered strategies for challenging book bans and censorship of curriculum and classroom discussion and explained the strong legal protections against discrimination and exclusion of LGBTQ+ students. Watch the webinar here.
Contact us if you have any other specific training needs.
Contact Us:
ELC provides information, referrals, legal advice, training, and advocacy for families, youth, caseworkers, attorneys, judges, community members, etc. statewide. Contact ELC through our Helpline. We provide information and representation free of charge and request honoraria for most trainings.
- Online – To request legal help, please provide the requested information here.
- By phone – You will be asked to leave a message identifying your question or issue and a phone number where you can be reached.
- Eastern and Central PA — 215-238-6970
- Western PA — 412-258-2120
- By email – [email protected]
Someone will respond to the message within 2-3 days to gather additional information.
Media inquiries: Contact Paul Socolar – [email protected].
Get Involved:
- Sign up here to receive our monthly newsletter to stay informed on these issues.
- Connect with others advocating for welcoming and inclusive schools across the state by engaging with the PA-WInS coalition – Pennsylvanians for Welcoming and Inclusive Schools.
- To make a financial contribution, donate here.