Congress Must Advance School Climate Bills for Child Well-Being 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Charmaine Riley, [email protected], 202.548.7166

WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with 90 civil rights and education organizations, today called on members of Congress to advance vital legislation to provide safe, healthy, and inclusive school climates. 

The groups urge Congress to support five bills including the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, the Keeping All Students Safe Act, the Protecting our Students in Schools Act, the Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2021, and the Ending PUSHOUT Act of 2021, all of which advance strategies known to promote positive school climate and help students thrive. 

“Congress has a responsibility to children and youth to end harmful policies and practices and, instead, invest in evidence-based policies and practices that keep children and staff safe, such as reserving federal funds for counselors, nurses, and those supportive adults who are specially trained to help build positive learning environments and support children’s success. Congress has an opportunity to advance the following federal policies that support practices and personnel that ensure students learn in safe, healthy, and inclusive environments,” the groups wrote. 

In 2019, The Leadership Conference Education Fund and 57 organizations released “Civil Rights Principles for Safe, Healthy, and Inclusive School Climates,” a roadmap for policymakers concerned with the learning, well-being, and safety of all students in our nation’s schools. 

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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