Confronting the Rise of School Board Disinformation Resource Kit

NOTE: IF YOU CAN HELP US translate this kit into Spanish, please contact SchoolBoardDisinformation@gmail.com

Do you have questions/tips to help us with this work? Please email: SchoolBoardDisinformation@gmail.com

https://bit.ly/take-action-honesty-in-edu

Confronting Disinformation at School Board Presentations: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Gg19AppVOhoQGvWeM_GZdCTKsk7I-UYz 

School board meetings should be pretty boring. In the last couple of years, they have become hotbeds of anger and misinformation. School board members have increasingly been intimidated and attacked for curriculum and COVID related decisions. As we saw in the 2021 Virginia governor's race, school board issues have also leaked into partisan politics and campaigns. Money is being poured in like never before. People are being pulled in over masks, vaccines and curriculums but make no mistake. The ultimate goal is to gain control over school curriculums and ultimately higher level government offices. Use this digital toolkit to understand the dangers posed by this misinformation and how to fight back. Check out the key guidance, talking points, sample social media posts, and creative content below to seize the narrative. 

Table of Contents

Key Guidance

  • LEAD with a shared value: We should all want an honest and accurate education for our children
  • HIGHLIGHT the dangers of lying about race in curriculums
  • CENTER voters and ensure that people understand the urgency in showing up to school board meetings and running for office
  • NAME on our concrete call to action: protect and encourage diversity, equity and inclusion programs and staffing. This includes people of color and LGBTQI+ populations
  • EMPHASIZE how important it is to have equity and representation.
  • AVOID the opposition frame (e.g. masks work and are already mandated).
  • DO NOT REPEAT accusations, even to refute. (e.g. do not say “Critical Race Theory..”) 
  • Prepare, Share, Be There



Background

What are the “Issues”?

  • Mask mandates for Covid
  • Covid Vaccine Mandates
  • Critical Race Theory (CRT)
  • Illinois SB818 – Health Education
  • LGBTQ
  • Social Distancing
  • Covid Quarantines
  • Protect the Children

Actually, these are “dog whistle” issues to get a base of parents involved.

What are the groups promoting disinformation and who is funding them

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yoJVkUPucYzCjD-viG1nH8O-7cALslvy/ 

Talking Points


"It's hard for me to think of something that proves white privilege more than white people making it illegal to teach content that makes them uncomfortable" - Advanced History Teacher, Vernon Hills High School

Schools have a responsibility to provide students with a thorough, truthful, and fact-based history education and help students learn that racism is wrong. - LearningfromHistory.org

Our kids deserve an honest, accurate education

Messaging

Full Version

  • Children deserve an honest education about race and racism in this country. Attempts to squash these conversations are attacks on a multiracial democracy, justice, and community. 
  • We cannot allow public officials to dumb down public school curricula because they are not comfortable with the truth of this country’s past and present 
  • The United States’ diversity is a strength. Learning about diverse histories, races, and cultures helps students build connections across differences, and gives students mirrors that reflect their own identity as well as windows into the world to connect with others.
  • No matter our color, background, or zip code, we want our children to have an education
    that imparts honesty about who we are, integrity in how we treat others, and courage to do what’s right.

Quick Hit

  • Critical Race Theory is NOT taught in lower education
  • Diversity is a strength that benefits us all
  • Thank you to our school boards and teachers for their work

Tool Kits/Resources

Words That Win Presentation on messaging

Tagline

#HonestyInEducation

Embrace and Replace

EMBRACE

REPLACE

BECAUSE

Attack

Diversity

CRT

We must keep promoting diversity, equity and inclusion programs. CRT is not taught in lower education.

Safe schools

Protect communities

Mask mandates

We want to make clear that keeping us all safe matters

Freedom

Honesty

We all deserve that our kids have the freedom to have a complete and honest education

Action Items

  • Attend school board meetings and get others to show up
  • Speak during Public Comments at Board meetings
  • Write Letters to the Editor; Email School Board
  • Run for School Board or find progressives who will run
  • Build coalitions of support

Visual Content

Video Content

Click the Screenshot to view each video.

Division through Deception: Dark Money’s Attempt to Influence Public Education

6 mins 56 seconds, from the IEANEA

Run for Office

Guide to Running for School Board

https://npeaction.org/grassroots-school-board-member-network/ 

How to Run a School Board Campaign

https://xqsuperschool.org/rethinktogether/how-to-run-a-school-board-campaign/

National News Articles

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1z6vB9rBoNA1Ry7KSpqda_9MlD-peHtnK?usp=sharing

Presentation on Disinformation at School Board Meetings:

https://www.indivisibleillinois.org/webinar-confronting-the-rise-of-school-board-disruptions/ 

Book Ban Toolkit: https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/UABB-Toolkit-4-19-2022.pdf 

Allies/Coalition Partners

https://www.wemakethefuture.us/resources-docs/freedom-to-learn-messaging-guide 

Support Our Schools - Tips for speaking up at School Board Meetings

https://www.supportourschools.com/become-an-advocate

  • Write your comments down
  • Practice speaking at home
  • Arrive early and bring support
  • Relax while waiting your turn with earplugs/music
  • Leave when it gets uncomfortable
  • Safety First - Ask for an escort or leave with allies if you are uncomfortable

https://learnfromhistory.org/ 

Red Wine and Blue Trouble Maker Training https://www.redwine.blue/ 

Diane Ravitch Blog - Excellent research on public schools

Words That Win - Excellent messaging. Sign up for a training session.

NEA EdJustice https://neaedjustice.org/honesty-in-education/ 

Organizing Partners

Indivisibile Illinois

NWSOFA

Illinois Families For Public Schools

Illinois Social Justice  Alliance

Organizing Against White Supremacy & Systemic Racial Injustice in Our "Nice" White Communities - A Primer

Guidelines for Organizing for Justice Using Civil Resistance

Organizing for justice (especially racial injustice) requires building resiliency into the process. Building inner resilience is cultivation of the ability to tolerate the emotional discomfort and retaliation from others. White allies challenging white supremacy should prepare for disruption tactics, retaliation, and relational aggression from those dedicated to the status quo.

Read the document prepared by Heather McMeekan, MS