The on-going uptick in censorship and intellectual freedom issues that teachers face is, at times, disheartening, frustrating, and exhausting. A key takeaway from these difficulties when trying to be inclusive and to educate students with more complete and historically accurate accounts of people’s lives and events, is that we are not alone. There is strength in numbers. NYSEC board members seized the opportunity to partner with the New York State Council for the Social Studies to pen an op-ed piece in support of New York State’s Education Department and the Board of Regents for their recent decision to continue to protect educators, students, and our larger communities from censorship. This is the link to the original Times Union article published on July 4, 2025.
Below is the article as published in the Times Union:
Diversity, equity and inclusion represent values that we stand by as social studies and English educators, because we are committed to telling the truth about our past and present – our mistakes and our successes – and ensuring that all members of our communities are uplifted and respected.
That’s why the New York State Council for the Social Studies and the New York State English Council want to thank the state Education Department and Board of Regents for their refusal to sign the U.S. Department of Education certification that New York educators will not engage in “illegal” diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
New York’s constitution guarantees students’ right to a sound, basic education in free public schools. The commitment to preparing students to participate in an active democracy, free from discrimination and harassment, is enshrined in New York’s Dignity for All Students Act and state Education Law. Local boards of education are responsible for selecting and/or developing curriculum and instructional materials that meet the needs of our ever-evolving student population. The federal government should not stand in the way of our school districts meeting their state constitutional responsibilities.
English and social studies educators play a critical role in preparing students to function productively as civic participants. We teach the skills that enable students to become informed voters, serve on a jury and understand the laws and regulations that govern our society. We develop their literacy and critical thinking skills so that they can participate in research, discussion and thoughtful reflection to promote constructive, public-spirited action if they want to see change occur in their communities. We teach them how to distinguish between fact and opinion – particularly in social media – and make a persuasive argument. We use the power of the human story to build empathy and an understanding of the common good. Our efforts are essential to ensure that our American democracy is strong and vibrant now and into the future.
Our students deserve to learn about all perspectives – even those that are not similar to their own. To teach a curriculum that omits or ignores entire groups of people presents an incomplete and misleading picture of our past and present and limits the possibilities of our future.
We believe that our students deserve nothing less than a curriculum that is inclusive, honest and reflective of the world in which they live – including topics that are challenging and controversial. They deserve a school experience that encourages engagement in the world around them with a sense of belonging, curiosity, possibility and hope.
Lisa Kissinger of Albany is the president of the New York State Council for the Social Studies.
Bridgette Gallagher of Saratoga Springs is the president of the New York State English Council.