Equal Opportunities for Students is a student-led project that deals with issues of educational equity. Our goal is to promote civil rights in education, and inform parents and students of different educational options and programs they might not have known about before. We have three main projects. The first is called “Food for Thought.” For this series, we interview education officials about their area of expertise, and ask them to tell us about programs and laws that could have a positive affect on students and parents. Many times, “Food for Thought” is a place where students and parents get to learn about resources they weren’t previously aware of. Our second series is called “Tell Your Story.” For this series, we talk to students and parents who have dealt with educational discrimination, and ask them to tell their stories. This provides both a face and a voice to issues that people too often can only otherwise understand in the abstract.
Our third and newest project is the Heumann-Armstrong award, which started in May of 2021. In collaboration with the American Association of People with Disabilities and The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy, and Innovation, we are giving out monetary awards to six students in the sixth grade and higher, including higher education, who have experienced ableism in education, and shown a passion for fighting ableism in education.
Protecting civil rights in education is important because public education has the ability to give students more life opportunities than they would have otherwise had. Education gives students a shot at upward mobility, and ultimately of accomplishing the American Dream; education allows students to work hard and accomplish whatever they put their minds to. However, if discriminatory actions or policies are preventing students from having access to education, it can and often does, negatively impact the student’s entire life trajectory. Making sure that all students have equal access to education and materials will make the education system better, and society better for all Americans. We can accomplish this by making sure inequality is removed from, and doesn’t seep back into our education system. Please use the contact form on our website for any inquires.