Thread by @BruceLesley

There is a REAL children’s agenda that parents are far more concerned about than ban books or a need to scream, harass, and intimidate school board members (the same behavior they would condemn and demand disciplinary action in children).

Here is a list of examples… 🧵(1)

https://twitter.com/ngaudiano/status/1471945749432872967

First, parents want the best for their kids. They do not accept that the U.S. ranks 36th out of 38 wealthy nations in indicators of child well-being.

Banning books and screaming and harassing school boards over public health measures does not address this. (2)

Most parents want children to be challenged in school and for their kids to get a first-class education in which the truth is taught in science and history, literature and books are encouraged and not censored, and all children are valued and respected. (3)

Parents support fully funded schools that have great teachers, challenging and engaging curriculum, smaller class sizes, expanded extra-curricular activity options, community schools, pre-kindergarten, and interventions for struggling learners (so yes, equity and inclusion). (4)

Most parents and students do not support book bans and censorship, the whitewashing of history, an anti-science curriculum, education gag orders, and efforts to discriminate against kids due to their race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability status, or sexual orientation. (5)

https://twitter.com/consciouskidlib/status/1440844142116958222

Most parents want their kids to return to school safely, which means getting their kids vaccinated and for schools to use public health measures to protect their children. They desperately want to avoid school closures, quarantines, and having their children get COVID-19. (6)

There is a children’s mental health crisis in this country that demands our full attention and not denial, inaction, or distraction. (7)

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1471564299336396805

Parents expect children to behave, be respectful, inclusive, courteous, compassionate, and kind. Parents see teachers and other educators as partners in teaching children about how to behave with civility, respect, and self-control.

Not this.👇 (8)

https://twitter.com/natalie_allison/status/1425449438202548224?s=21

Parents and children desperately want something done to eliminate school shootings. Sandy Hook, Parkland, Columbine, Santa Fe, Oxford, etc. are tragedies that must end.

This is uniquely an American problem that is killing our children. (9)

https://twitter.com/shannonrwatts/status/1472029368092221447

Parents support reducing child and infant mortality, ensuring that all children have health coverage, getting children vaccinated and protected from disease, addressing the growing crisis of children’s mental health, and ensuring science and research are increased. (10)

Parents believe no child should go hungry.

However, an estimated 15 million children may experience food insecurity in 2021, according to Feeding America.

Food insecurity negatively impacts the health and education of children. (11)

Parents want child care centers that are well-staffed, high-qualify, safe, and loving places that help ensure the development of their children and allow them to return to work.

U.S. parents receive far less support than parents in any other wealthy nation in the world. (12)

Parents understand the science and importance of early childhood programs that help stimulate brain development, language, emotional well-being, attachment, etc.

They understand they need support and high-quality early childhood programs. (13)

The American people do not believe that children should be subjected to a life in poverty, as it negatively impacts all aspects of the lives of kids. (14)

The American people, but particularly parents, understand the dire challenges that face parents of newborns, children who are sick and must stay home from school or kids who have longer-term illness or disability. They are demanding paid family medical leave in this country. (15)

Parents want to ensure the nation’s children are safe and support prevention that help ensure all parents have the tools they need to protect children from harm, neglect, and abuse and that institutions prevent and no longer cover up abuse. (16)

Homelessness is an unfortunate reality for millions of children in this country. An estimated 1.3 million children under the age of 6 are homeless and another 1.4 million school-age children are homeless in the U.S.

All children deserve a place they can call home. (17)

By an 81–13% margin, both parents and childless adults want policy that impacts children to be governed by a “best interests of the child” standard.

Again, book bans and harassing and intimidating school boards is NOT that agenda. (18)

Our children are NOT alright.

Parents, young adults, and children are watching and waiting with growing exhaustion and impatience.

Policymakers who figure this out and move a pro-child and family agenda forward will be rewarded. So will our nation and our future. (19)