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Weekly Full Policy Report - 8/9

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Let’s Make A Deal!


The education attacks are holding steady. From everything that’s out there, it’s clear that the executive and judicial branches are aligned on one thing: making us stupid and weaponizing their power to harm students.  


In July exhibited the latest example. What’s left of Trump's Department of Education announced a deal with the University of Pennsylvania to strip a trans athlete of her medals and the administration continues to use fear to unlawfully bully schools into discriminating against trans kids. The Supreme Court picked up a case for its next term this October on a trans athlete sports ban. Let’s not forget (how could we!) that SCOTUS also gave the administration a green light to move forward with firings that would effectively dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.


Additionally, more and more institutions are “making deals” and paying this administration millions of dollars so their grant dollars can be realized. This past week, Brown University paid roughly $50 million to the Trump Administration in order to access their grant funds. This is what authoritarian governments do: limit research, stifle creativity, and dismantle public access to information. 


It’s honestly been infuriating and gut-wrenching to watch this administration target marginalized students for political gain at the expense of gutting our country’s education system, among other horrible actions. As we are approaching the back-to-school season and are still only six months into this administration, we must—and will—continue to apply pressure to decision makers, offer inclusive alternatives, and support all students in finding their sense of belonging at school.


LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Arizona Legislature sine die (adjourned their session) on June 27, 2025 until January 12, 2026. We look forward to this next phase of reflecting and strategizing for what’s to come in the next session. If you would like to participate in our Policy & Advocacy work, please let us know!


SCHOOL BOARD ACTION

It’s clear from the first six months of this administration that they are hellbent on dismantling public education through its anti-DEI initiatives and targeting transgender students and athletes. It’s vital to recognize these threats and deploy a coalition-based multipronged strategy to combat these factors: run quality fair-minded candidates, educate current board members, and activate school community members.


We’re currently taking applications for Hall Monitors to help monitor local public school governing boards. We can train you or your organization on how meaningful this work is to stemming the attacks on some of our most vulnerable youth: trans and nonbinary students. 


Hall Monitors are key advocates to understanding local actions and the impacts on students and their families. Hall Monitors will also utilize community supporters to leverage community responses to school board actions. School board meetings are usually held 1-2 times a month and Hall Monitors are able to listen and watch meetings in person or on the school district’s live stream from the comfort of your own home. 

Monitor Arizona’s school boards by applying to be a Hall Monitor!


CIVIC LITERACY

Humanity doesn’t always send our best. We know that queer students experience discriminatory comments, harassing behavior and a spectrum of slurs at school from their peers, faculty, and administrators. Discrimination and harassing behavior are not part of growing up and have no place in our classrooms or on our playing fields. 


If you have been discriminated against or have experienced harassment at school, consider filing a complaint with the Civil Rights division with the Arizona Attorney General here: (https://www.azag.gov/complaints/civil-rights) 


By documenting your ongoing lived experience, government officials can no longer claim their ignorance of the problem. Bullying, harassment, and discrimination disrupt a student’s education and threaten their academic attainment and physical and mental health. Don’t be silent.


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