Thursday, June 26, 2025 1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM MT / 10:00 AM PT

Public schools are vital resources that educate all children regardless of race, gender, immigration status, or disability. They are gathering spaces, polling places, hurricane shelters, home to little league and varsity sports teams, and hubs for other important neighborhood and civic services.   

As elected representatives, school board members have a duty to listen to their constituents, represent their needs, and advocate on behalf of students and families who depend on public schools. But billionaire-backed opponents of public education have deployed a playbook of false narratives in a nationwide push to close public schools—often misleading school board members and school district leaders, cutting families out of the process, and causing long-term harm to students and communities.  

The conversation will be moderated by attorneys at the Advancement Project, who will talk about their new resource for school board members. It will feature a panel discussion with current and former school board members and community organizers. We will cover: 

• How to break down the flawed narratives that many board members, superintendents, and education consultants perpetuate to close public schools and dismantle public education 

• Specific questions to ask and facts to cite to combat these narratives

• Strategies for incorporating authentic community-driven processes into decision-making, including when your school district faces budget crises 

• How to uplift community voice and lead with compassion as a school board member 

We hope to see you there!