Thread by @CAPEarlyEd

THREAD—A timely reminder and non-exhaustive list on why we need racial #EquityInECE:

1. Pathologizing Blackness starts early— Black preschoolers make up only 18% of preschool enrollment yet account for 42% of suspensions. americanprogress.org/issues/early-c…

2. If a child is Black & disabled, challenges with care are likely compounded. Preschoolers with #disabilities are 14.5X more likely to be suspended or expelled than their typically developing peers. Racial justice & disability justice are linked. ampr.gs/2B64bAS

3. In general, Black, Latinx & indigenous families are more likely to face greater barriers to care like inaccessible costs and grapple with #ChildCareDeserts due to decades upon decades of occupational and residential segregation. #Movement4ChildCare

americanprogress.org/?p=486977

4. Black women have been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus unemployment crisis. If they're a Millennial mother, they could see their labor force participation set back by decades. #SaveChildCare #Movement4ChildCare americanprogress.org/?p=489178

5. Women working as child care providers are 2.5X more likely than the overall workforce to be either Black or Latina & their work is undervalued. During this pandemic, child care providers have seen a 20% drop in employment. #SaveChildCare #FundChildCare npr.org/sections/coron…

6. The child care industry is one where most of the workers are women who aren't paid a living wage due to a lack of federal investments. On average, Black early educators earn $4,440 less/year than their white counterparts. This is unacceptable. #SaveChildCare #FundChildCare

In short, our children deserve better. Our families deserve better. Our early educators deserve better.

To start undoing this racist, sexist history & present, we need to reckon with these realities to create #EquityInECE. The U.S. also needs to invest $50B to #SaveChildCare.