Commentary: WASHINGTON ― On Thursday, January 19, the day before Donald Trump assumes the presidency, thousands of students, parents, educators and community members from across the nation will hold rallies in front of school buildings to inclusively stand up for all students. NEA educators will participate in these nationwide events. NEA president Lily Eskelsen García will join events in Los Angeles and Las Cruces, NM.
Thursday’s rallies are part of a coordinated national day of action organized by the Alliance to Reclaim our Schools (AROS). Similar events will occur at schools in nearly 200 cities across the nation, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Orlando, Minneapolis and New York. AROS is an unprecedented alliance of parent, youth, community and labor organizations that together represent over 7 million people nationwide.
The rhetoric and ideology of Trump and Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos are deeply troubling. Trump’s own words, and the stances his nominees have taken, suggest that his administration will target immigrants, people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, American Muslims, educators, working families, the labor movement, and others in ways that further divide America and fan resentment.