Free to Learn Sends Letter to National Education Groups Highlighting New Survey

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Free to Learn Coalition President Alleigh Marré sent a letter today to national education group leaders providing new, nationwide survey results that highlights many of the issues parents have emphasized over the last year and that these national organizations are failing to respond to or acknowledge.  

"From Covid to culture wars, the education of students across the United States has been turned upside down over the last two years," said Marré. "While many teachers have gone above and beyond to support their students, the same cannot be said for their union or school board leadership."

The letter was sent to Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association; Viola Garcia, President of the National School Boards Association; and Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, to provide insight into how they should focus their efforts going into the 2022 academic school year.

The Free to Learn National Survey highlights:

• Virtual learning is failing students: 55% whose children participated in virtual learning said it had a negative impact on their child's academic performance and 60% said it had a negative impact on their child's mental health.
• Academic achievement matters: A staggering 81% of respondents said they are concerned with the quality of academic education today, and 48% said they are very concerned.
• Parents should have a role in education: 72% of respondents agreed that parents should be able to request the curriculum being taught to their children.

The topline data of this nationwide survey can be found here. The survey was conducted November 29 through December 3, 2021, and reached 1,200 respondents via cell phone, landline, and web.

Free to Learn was launched in June to help give parents a voice as they were being increasingly marginalized. Since launching, Free to learn has heard from thousands of parents from all fifty states.

"I hope this data helps make clear that those students' parents are not some disembodied, disinterested group to be ignored, nor are they domestic terrorists against which to fight," said Marré.

To join share your story visit freetolearn.org, or click here.

The Free to Learn Coalition is a non-partisan organization established to support parents, caregivers, and community organizations in their advocacy for quality K-12 education. The coalition supports the basic principle that students should be Free to Learn: Free to ask questions, free to develop individual thoughts and opinions, free to think critically of ideas and concepts, and free to achieve.

SOURCE Free to Learn