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Librarian leans over seated students at the library who are reading a book

Communications Toolkit: Protect Our Schools

Speak Out for Public Schools and Students
Want to use your voice to protect our students and public schools? We’ve created messaging guidance and communications tools to get you started!

What's in This Toolkit

  • Key talking points
  • Sample social, SMS, and email copy for your campaign
  • Current actions to share with audiences
  • Shareable social media graphics
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We are coming together to protect public schools for all students, educators, and communities—join us!

Public schools and the Department of Education exist because students, with and without disabilities, in every state and neighborhood have the right to an education that imparts academic lessons, life skills, and a lifelong love of learning. Together with parents and allies, we have the power to defeat the effort to dismantle our public schools, because when we unite, we win!

Use this message guidance to help you talk about the movement to protect public schools in a way that reaches and mobilizes your audiences and empowers them to protect and strengthen public schools for our students, families, and ourselves. 

Key Talking Points: Protecting Public Schools

Every student deserves opportunity, resources, and support to reach their full potential no matter where they live, the color of their skin, or how much their family earns. Public schools and the Department of Education exist because students, with and without disabilities, in every state and neighborhood have the right to an education that imparts academic lessons, life skills, and a lifelong love of learning.
Educators and parents know that America's students need more opportunities to succeed, and we need to strengthen our public schools where 90% of students— and 95% of students with disabilities—learn. All students benefit from programs run by the Department of Education, especially lower-income students and their families in rural, suburban, and urban communities, students and families who qualify for federal grants or loans to receive career training or attend 2- and 4-year colleges, and students with disabilities.
Together with parents and allies, we have the power to defeat the effort to dismantle our public schools. We will stop a handful of anti-public education politicians who support an agenda that will have devastating consequences for our students, families, and educators. Our union stopped Trump’s cuts before, and we stopped voucher proposals at the ballot box in November.

Sample Protect Public Schools campaign copy

Campaign copy should reinforce your key messages by reiterating your arguments and sharing clear calls-to-action. Use the sample copy below to share these important messages with your networks!
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Social Media Posts
  • Instagram: We are coming together to protect and strengthen public schools for our students, families, and ourselves. Find opportunities to add your voice by clicking the link in our bio. nea.org/protect
  • Facebook: Calling all educators, parents, and supporters of public schools! We are speaking up in school board meetings, statehouses, and the halls of Congress, urging our elected officials to oppose efforts to undermine our schools, students, and educators. Add your voice: nea.org/protect
  • Bluesky/Threads/Other: 90% of American students learn in a public school. We are standing up for their right to an education that imparts academic lessons, life skills, and a lifelong love of learning.  Join us: nea.org/protect
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Hustle Script
  • TYPE: Share a Link Goal 
  • LINK: https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/protect  
  • SCRIPT: Hi <Member Name>, this is <Organizer Name> with <Affiliate Name>. We are taking action to protect public schools. Will you join us? Reply STOP to quit. 
  • IF YES: Great! Equip yourself with the tools and information you need to take action. Check out the Protect Public Schools Action Center: <Link> 
  • IF NO: I understand, <Member Name>. If you change your mind, you can find the latest actions in our Protect Public Schools Action Center: <Link> 
  • OTHER INFORMATION: Make sure to equip your organizers with FAQs and other commonly needed responses.
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Email

Subject Line: Together we can protect public schools 

Body:  

[First Name or Friend],    

Parents and educators agree that our students need more learning opportunities and more investment, not less.  

90% of American students— and 95% of students with disabilities—learn in public schools. Investing in public education provides our students with the opportunity, resources, and support to reach their full potential no matter where they live, the color of their skin, or how much their family earns. 

We are coming together to protect public schools for all students, educators, and communities—join us! 

Together, we will stop a handful of anti-public education politicians who support an agenda that will have devastating consequences for our students, families, and educators. 

  • They want to dramatically cut funding that helps lower class sizes, give learning support and opportunities to students with disabilities, and provide free and reduced-cost meals to hungry kids so they can learn by dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.  
  • They want to cut funding for Pell grants, which help students afford colleges and career schools, and trade schools.  
  • They want to expand school voucher programs that will take scarce money out of our public schools where 90% of children attend.  

National Education Association members and our supporters are speaking up at school boards, statehouses, and the halls of Congress, urging our elected officials to oppose efforts to undermine our schools, students, and educators. 

Add Your Voice >> 

Our union stopped similar efforts before, and we’ll do it again. Learn how you can take action at nea.org/protect.  

In solidarity, 

_____ 

NEA President Becky Pringle rallies a crowd of educators protesting Florida's book bans and censorship laws in Orlando

Take Action for Public Schools

Educators and parents know that America's students need more opportunities to succeed, and we need to strengthen our public schools where 90% of students, and 95% of students with disabilities learn. Get the tools and information you need to take action.

Graphics to Share with Your Networks

Quote graphic that says Unions exist for moments like this from Becky Pringle
Quote graphic that says Unions exist for moments like this from Becky Pringle

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The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.
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