Hi there! Welcome to Easy A–Your go-to source for quick and easy actions you can take in five minutes or less about the issues you care about.
Are you a busy mom? Or maybe your work is so hectic you can’t think about anything else during the day? A lot of us are also taking care of parents or other loved ones too, leaving little time for anything else.
The good news is that these are things you can do while you’re waiting in the school pick up line, on your lunch break, or even at your kid’s soccer practice – anywhere you happen to be! And you can easily share Easy A with your friends so they can be in the know, too! We’ll send you a new action to take every week–just one, we promise –and it will always be something you can do in five minutes or less. Ready to get started? Let’s go!
Read This: The Costs of Conflict
Between 2021 and 2024, more than 300 bills were introduced in state legislatures to ban books, restrict schools from teaching about race and racism, and set restrictive policies for LGBTQ+ students. It’s all part of an extremist effort to attack our public schools with culture wars.
You’ve probably already heard a lot about this, especially if you’ve been reading our Easy A blog for awhile. And you probably know that these culture wars are hurting our kids’ mental health and taking a toll on our educators.
But a lot of us have been asking, what is the financial cost of these culture wars? Well, now we have the answer!
According to a recent report, “The Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive Conflict on Public Schools in the United States”, these culture wars cost our public schools $3.2 billion just last year. That’s right, we said $3.2 BILLION!
How is that possible? The report found that for an average-sized school district experiencing high levels of culture wars, fighting them cost $812,000 last year. Here are some more findings from the report:
- Two-thirds of the schools in the study were experiencing moderate or high levels of “culturally-divisive conflict.” Only 2.5% reported no conflict at all.
- When schools become the center of these culture wars, districts and school boards have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on:
- Hiring lawyers and paying legal fees to fight the challenges.
- Increased security to protect board members and educators at meetings.
- Paying for additional staff hours spent responding to overwhelming public records requests, emails, and online disinformation.
- Community and government relations.
- Recruitment of teachers due to high staff turnover rates. 29% of the superintendents interviewed in the study had lost teachers due to culture wars!
We can all agree, this is not what mainstream parents want. We can think of a lot of ways that $3.2 billion could be better spent, and so did the study. Things like: hiring more counselors and teachers, upgrading supplies and technology, offering nutritious meals to all students, and providing more opportunities for kids and educators to prepare for the 21st Century.
You can learn more about “The Costs of Conflict” study on our website here. Please join us in speaking out in support of our public schools and against these divisive — and expensive! — culture wars!
Watch This: Anti-Trans Bills Are Harming LGBTQ+ Kids
Last week, we started talking about right-wing extremist attacks on LGBTQ+ kids, so this week, we’re taking it one step further to dig into gender affirming care–what exactly is it and why it is so important. It’s actually very simple.
Gender affirming care helps kids feel safe in their own body, in their homes, and in their school. Critics who attack gender affirming care use fear-mongering and inaccurate information to manipulate us. But take it from trans activist Alejandra Caraballo, as she explains just how important gender affirming care is to kids, and why these attacks on the trans community are so dangerous.
Want to learn more? You can listen to our full podcast about Anti-Trans Bills and the harm they are causing our LGBTQ+ youth on our website or anywhere you listen to your favorite pods.
One more thing! Next Thursday is a holiday, so we won’t have a new post that day. We’ll see you again on November 30th. Take care!
Read This: Anti-Trans Bills Are Harming LGBTQ+ Kids
Reproductive freedom has been making headlines a lot this year, but did you know that the same groups that fought to get Roe overturned are also the ones behind all the anti-trans legislation exploding across the country? This year alone, 586 anti-trans bills have been introduced in state houses across the nation. This number grows so often, that we’ve had to update our stats while writing and researching about this topic. By the time you read this, it could be even more.
So what are these anti-trans laws about? It’s usually targeting things like which bathroom kids can use, what sports teams they can play on, and whether or not they’re allowed to choose their own pronouns at
school. And now some states have moved beyond trying to control trans students in the classroom, and are banning gender-affirming care.
Okay, so what is that exactly? Gender-affirming care is as simple as allowing a child to wear their hair in a style they feel better suits them, choosing clothes they feel comfortable in, or picking a name that better represents them. Gender affirming care is simply validating how the child feels, and it goes a long way towards making them feel safe and accepted.
Extremists like to hide behind the slogan “protect the children,” but in reality it’s about controlling children and teaching them that there is only one ‘right’ way to be. The fact is these anti-trans bills are causing a lot of harm to LGBTQ+ kids. Studies have shown that anti-trans bills increase depression, anxiety and even thoughts of suicide in kids and teens. And LGBTQ+ youth are already at an increased risk of depression and suicide. That’s really heartbreaking.
As parents, educators, and community members, it’s up to all of us to ensure every kid grows up feeling safe, valued, and loved. We don’t have to sit on the sidelines – We can help. We know that all students benefit from a safe learning environment, so we can be an advocate for schools that are accepting of all students. And we can be an ally and a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. Stay tuned for more info over the next couple of weeks on easy actions you can take to help.
We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming: Time to Vote! Election Day Is Tuesday, Nov. 7th
Wow, this year is flying by – Election Day is just a few days away! Are you ready to be the difference between winning and losing an election? Yes, you really do have that power!
From school boards to mayoral races to state legislatures, local and state races are often won by just a handful of votes–and there are thousands of seats across the country that are on the ballot this November. And because it’s not a presidential election year, many people don’t have them on their radar.
And you know what’s really wild? These are the elections that affect our communities the most! Even though they don’t usually make national headlines, the results will be felt in our schools, our towns, and our homes. You can have a huge impact simply by voting and reminding your friends and family to vote.
Your Easy Action for this week…Take a few seconds to tell us how you plan to vote! ??????
Take It One Step Further: Tell Your Friends About School Board Extremism
OK, we’ve been talking a lot about school board extremism these last few weeks. We know that reasonable common sense parents like us are the majority, and extremists are a very loud, but very tiny group of people. We know they’ve been working hard to take over our school boards to push their agenda and control what our kids can learn.
And we know one more thing: local elections are happening all over the country and early voting has already started in a lot of communities. Now’s your chance to get the word out and warn your friends about what’s happening. Click below to share this post on social right now:
Do This: Take Action Against School Board Extremism
So now you have learned how dangerous school board extremism can be for our schools, and you’re probably wondering, “Ok, but what can I do?” We’ve got the answer! The great thing is that you can attend school board meetings and even speak at the meetings to share your ideas and address your concerns. You can also bring other parents with you so they can speak up too. And don’t worry, if you aren’t able to go in person, you can also email them. 
Remember, mainstream parents like us are the majority – It’s up to us to make sure our voices are heard. If you’ve had enough of a tiny number of super loud extremists turning your school board meetings into a three-ring circus and bullying your kid’s favorite teachers, we can help. We’ve got a super handy Parent Playbook that gives you everything you need to get started. Download your copy now! Once you read through it, I guarantee you’ll be thinking, “Oh yeah, I can totally do this!”
You don’t have to sit on the sidelines. You can be the one standing up for your community and protecting your kid’s education. Thanks for taking your Easy Action for this week! ??
Watch This: What’s Happening With Our School Boards?!
School boards are being used to dismantle public education. That sounds really sounds wild to say, right? How can the people elected to support public education be the ones who are attacking it? But it really is happening–And not just in a handful of places. It’s happening in school districts all across our country.
That’s why it is so important to learn about our local school boards and how we can support pro-public education school board candidates. Your Easy A action for this week: watch this short clip of school board member Carrie Douglass talking about what’s happening with our school boards.
Want to listen to the full episode on school board extremism? Check out our full podcast episode The Cost of Extremism – School Board Extremism or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for taking action this week!
Read This: What’s Happening With Our School Boards?!
Something strange is happening with our school boards. In the past few years, local school board elections went from being low-funded, grassroots campaigns to becoming battlegrounds for extremist takeovers. National conservative political groups are pouring excessive amounts of money into these races to get extremists elected to school boards all across America. And it’s happening in your district too.
In 2021, school board races started getting more attention as extremists began manipulating the frustration parents were feeling about COVID-era school closures (You might have even had conversations with parents in your community who were extremely upset over school closures and mask mandates). That frustration created an opening for outside groups. They latched on to that anger and used it to turn those parents
against public schools. And then suddenly, we had a loud, vocal minority of parents disrupting school board meetings, demanding that schools re-open and that mask mandates stop.
In the midst of this chaos, Moms for Liberty was founded, and those same parents who were angry about masks started speaking up at school board meetings about other things – wanting to ban books, attacking school curriculum, and gutting diversity and equity policies. And these attacks didn’t just happen at school board meetings. They started targeting school board members at their homes. Suddenly being a school board member, or even an advocate for public education, could result in personal attacks.
What’s even more disturbing is that these school board fights are meant to look like grassroots efforts, but in reality they’re actually part of a larger attempt by extremist groups to take over school boards and eventually dismantle public education. If that sounds pretty extreme, it’s because it is. And many extremist politicians are actually saying it out loud. And that’s really the bottom line here: public education benefits all of our kids, but extremists want to take it away.
These attacks are hurting our public schools, our teachers and most importantly our kids. Children shouldn’t be paying the price for extremism – but they are. And that’s why we–as parents, educators, and community members–need to know what’s going on.
We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming: Make Your Plan to Vote!
The 2023 election is less than SIX weeks away! October is right around the corner and before you know it, we’ll be putting away the Halloween decorations and heading to the polls.
So we have a question for you: what’s your voting plan?
Step 1: Do you know when and where you can vote? In many states you must be registered before election day, and those deadlines are fast approaching in October. So if you haven’t done it yet, check your voter registration status.
Step 2: Nail down the details. Will you vote early in person, vote by mail, or wait for election day? What time of day will you head to the polls? Do you need to schedule around your work or kids? Some employers do allow you to take time off to vote. Use your state’s board of elections website to find polling locations and times. Once you decide, put it on your calendar and set a reminder! And be sure to make a note of what time the polls close in your district. If the polls close while you are still standing in line, don’t leave. Stay in line until you vote. It’s your right!
Step 3: Now that you have a plan, reach out to your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. Make sure everyone you know is planning to vote by November 7th!
Do This: Tell Lawmakers to Ban Assault Weapons
By now you’ve heard from some survivors of mass shootings, and you’ve learned about the true cost of active shooter drills. And you’re probably wondering why we are spending billions of dollars for active shooter drills instead of addressing the actual problem of gun violence. Mainstream women (and men) are becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of action by our elected officials. We know![quote: Students want change... They want to see [lawmakers] banning assault weapons.](https://redwine.blue/wp-content/smush-webp/2023/09/CostofExtremism_Tretta_Option1.png.webp)
that active shooter drills are just a bandaid on the problem of gun violence, and not a solution.
Ready to take action?
It’s past time to support gun sense legislation – join students and parents across America and tell Congress to support an assault weapons ban. Click here now to send a letter to your lawmakers. We’ve written it for you–all you have to do is click a few buttons! Thanks for taking action this week.
Watch This: School Shooting Survivor Talks About Gun Violence
Now that you know the true cost of active shooter drills, you’re probably wondering – why are 95% of school districts still participating in these drills? You’re not alone. Mainstream moms are fed up with a culture that values gun ownership over the lives of our children. Why are our children paying the cost of mass shootings while our legislators continue to ignore the problem?
That’s a question Ashbey Beasley wants answered. Ashbey was not involved in any gun violence prevention work, until she survived a mass shooting with her young son, at a Fourth of July parade. Now she speaks out about gun violence and the unexpected costs of active shooter drills. Ashbey is not willing to accept that we have normalized mass shootings with active shooter drills. And neither are we.
Watch this short clip to hear more of our interview with Ashbey Beasley:
To listen to the full podcast episode that explores the true cost and impact of active shooter drills, click here.