Winter is a busy time of year in schools and in the legislature. It can feel hard to keep up, but there's a lot worth paying attention to! If you haven't had a chance, one bill worth reading is H.794, a house bill proposing to develop and implement Vermont ethnic and social equity standards. This bill would make VT the second state in the nation to have equity standards and curriculum grounded in ethnic studies. Not only is it an incredible bill and highly aligned with VTLFF throughlines, but (not surprisingly) it was written by an amazing coalition of educators, activists, and community leaders of color.
Here is a recent interview with one of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Kiah Morris (D, Bennington): http://www.wcax.com/video?vid=473978643
The authors are calling on white allies in particular to voice their support for the bill - as written. Additionally, in order for this bill to be considered during this legislative session, it must "flip" to the senate before March 1st - giving citizens a short window to advocate for this important legislation.
The newly formed VTLFF Throughlines group has been following this bill and encourages partners in the network to take action to support this legislation. Click here to access a sample script and contact information to support his important bill.