EDUCATION
Here are our Calls to Action, Guides, and Explainers on education issues. Interested in helping us track legislation and policy on this topic at the state or federal level? Take action with us.
MAINE LEGISLATURE ROUNDUP: Read about the bills we tracked in our Legislature Wrapup!
We tracked more than 65 bills during the 130th Maine Legislature, which adjourned in the evening of May 9. QUICK ACTION: Learn more about the bills we tracked and helped pass this session!
WHAT’S NEW: Read SUM’s latest newsletter
Latest news: The For the People Act gets a vote in the Senate. And while other states have passed strict voter suppression laws, Maine is passing bills to make voting easier and more secure. We have more on that and a run-down of the latest legislative victories. Read SUM’s latest newsletter to get caught up on our current actions!
2020 Maine Legislature Roundup Recap
An early adjournment due to COVID-19 meant that many bills we were tracking in the second session of the 129th Maine Legislature were left on the table, eventually dying when efforts to reconvene for a special session were unsuccessful. Our Legislature Roundup will reconvene with the Legislature in January 2021, with dozens of bills to track in the coming session. For now, see what passed in 2020 and what was left behind.
PROTECT TITLE IX: Oppose Protection Rollbacks for Student Survivors
The Trump administration has issued new Title IX regulations that would make it harder for students who are sexually assaulted to report the assaults. More than 100,000 comments were submitted during the public comment period on the rule, with the vast majority in opposition. QUICK ACTION: Stay tuned for updates and ask Reps. Pingree and Golden to support 3 bills in the House that protect Title IX.
CHILD POVERTY IN MAINE: Support Bill to Improve Parents’ Access to Education and Training
Maine’s child poverty rate is increasing eight times faster than the national average. A bill in the Maine legislature could help bring those numbers down by increasing parents’ access to educational and training opportunities. UPDATE: LD 1774 is now law in Maine! After receiving overwhelming support in the House and Senate, the bill became law without the governor’s signature. A huge thank you to everyone who worked on this important legislation!
SUPPORT MAINE STUDENTS: Ban Lunch Shaming & Restore Funding for School Health Centers
The Legislature is considering bills to ban food shaming in public schools (LD 1684) and restore funding to school-based health centers (LD 1710). UPDATE: The House passed LD 1710 and LD 1684 and the Senate votes next. QUICK ACTION: Call your senator and ask her/him to pass LD 1710 and LD 1684!
NO GUNS ON SCHOOLS GROUNDS: Oppose LD 1761
A vote on LD 1761, which would allow people to carry guns in their vehicles on school grounds, could come as early as TUESDAY.
UPDATE: The bill was voted down in the House, and is now DEAD. Great work, everyone!
DEFEND MAINE’S TEACHERS: Support “Dime A Dozen” Fundraiser
Gov. Paul LePage recently downplayed the importance of teachers, calling them a “dime a dozen.” Voice your opposition to these comments and support efforts to assist new and existing teachers.
MAINE EDUCATION FUNDING: Tell Legislature to Honor Will of the Voters
Republicans in the legislature are balking at the voters’ repeated demand that the state fund 55% of the public school budget. Demand that the will of the voters be heard by attending the Fund Our Damn Schools rally in Augusta on Wednesday, May 31 and contacting your legislators to make sure they know that 55% state funding is critical to our state’s future.
HOLD DEVOS ACCOUNTABLE: Oppose Discrimination in Education
In a recent budget hearing in the House of Representatives, Betsy DeVos indicated that she would not be opposed to allowing schools that engage in discrimination to receive federal funding. Contact Betsy DeVos, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, and your Members of Congress to let them know that this is unacceptable and that taxpayer money should never be given to schools that discriminate against any group of students or staff.
Suit Up Maine is an independent, all-volunteer grassroots progressive group that seeks to build a more informed and engaged electorate in Maine. Founded in 2016, Suit Up Maine is run by and for Mainers, and is not engaged in fundraising of any kind. Representing thousands of constituents across Maine’s 16 counties, Suit Up Maine raises awareness of and advocates for policies and legislation that promote equity and equality in civil rights, social justice, health care, the environment, education, the economy, and other areas that affect the lives of all people. Suit Up Maine is beholden to issues and action, not parties or politicians.
