Defense of Democracy NY

🌈 We have a dedicated Defense of Democracy volunteer from New York tabling at the Utica Pride Festival!

Learn how Defense of Democracy – New York is working to protect public education, inclusive communities, and democratic values.

🔗 Learn more at www.defenseofdemocracy.org/ny

This attack on a cis teacher dressing and drag for fun did exactly what they wanted it to do. Generated violence.

It’s Mother’s Day and we wish all of you a beautiful day. On Monday we hope you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and fight for our kids and our teachers.

HELP NEEDED : ROMEOVILLE ILLINOIS

#defenseofdemocracy #dofd #publiceducation #fyp #chicago #chicagoschools #illinois #transkids #transkidslivesmatter #transkidsarevalid #awakeillinois #turningpoint #americafirstlegal #romeoville

Sign the Petition Reinstate Ms. Calhoun: Advocate for Respect and Student Rights

You can sign a petition to reinstate Calhoun here: www.change.org/p/reinstate-...

A news article from Central Florida Public Media features the headline: "Florida teacher will lose job after calling student preferred name." The byline credits Danielle Prieur and notes the article was published on April 9, 2025, at 5:07 PM EDT. Below the headline is a photo of Brevard County school teacher Melissa Calhoun, smiling with her hand resting near her chin. A caption notes the image is a screenshot from Change.org.

This is INSANE

Join us every Tuesday night as we meet over zoom during the nationwide ZOOM WHERE IT HAPPENS.

*You must be a registered DofD volunteer in order to attend*.

To register please:
Visit www.DefenseofDemocracy.org/orientation

Agenda:
Welcome/Introductions
Guest Speaker
State Breakout Sessions

There was a sister rally in New Hartford NY where another 600 people showed up.

Show us your pictures of your Hands Off Rally. Here's one from Utica, NY.

NY Congressman John Mannion introduced a bill to protect special education funding.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.wa...

Defense of Democracy Civic Action 501c4 Defense of Democracy Civic Action advocates for public school and library systems and lobbies for policies to restore and strengthen the pro-democracy role of public education in communities acr...

DofD is a national effort with thousands of volunteers. We’ve been accused of having “Soros money” but are fully transparent with our books. We operated on > $70k last year.

If each of our 9k followers made a monthly donation of $5 - we could double our reach.

givebutter.com/defense-of-d...

Ternesha Burroughs, a high school math teacher & @educationmn.bsky.social member, spoke out about how losing federal funding “means losing vital programs for students with disabilities.” She asked, “How will they function in society without these programs?” #ProtectOurKids

Tuesday nationwide call! Tonight's speaker is Megan Hester, National Campaign Director for the Education Justice Research and Organizing Collaborative
at NYU.

This call is free to any oriented volunteers so make sure you've taken our orientation at www.defenseofdemocracy.org/orientation

Join us every Tuesday night as we meet over zoom during the nationwide ZOOM WHERE IT HAPPENS.

*You must be a registered DofD volunteer in order to attend*.

To register please:
Visit www.DefenseofDemocracy.org/orientation

Many thanks to our Veterans Defending Democracy who attended the Veteran’s March on Washington chanting :

“Not on Our Watch, Not Today—Public Schools Are Here to Stay!"

#defenseofdemocracy #veterans #veteransdefendingdemocracy #washingtondc #publiceducation

Trump & Musk want to gut education and healthcare to fund billionaire tax cuts, hurting:

📉 26M low-income students
🚫 7.5M students with disabilities
🔧 12M students in career & tech programs
🏥 10.3M people on Medicaid
🎓 10M families relying on student loans

Millions will suffer—while they cash in.

DofD is focused on a single action: protecting our schools and libraries from extremists.

We get out from behind the keyboard and put our words into action by attending school board meetings and speaking for teachers, students, and parents.

Text VOLUNTEER to 845-208-9846 to get started.

Finally thank you to all of our volunteers who are attending their school board meetings. Now more than ever we need to show support to our public schools and libraries.

Attorney General James Sues U.S. Department of Education for Cutting Grant Programs for Teachers NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of seven other attorneys general today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of

You can read the article here: ag.ny.gov/press-releas...

If you like to know what state and federal bills are being introduced that are infringing our rights and trying to take down our democracy, this site by Democracy Watch is for you. www.democracywatchtracker.org

This week our attorney general filed a lawsuit against U.S. Department of Education (Ed) for cutting grant programs for teachers. The ED unlawfully cut congressionally-approved funding for grant programs that would hire and retain teachers in underserved school districts.

83 people from around the nation joined in our weekly zoom last night and planned specific actions to take in their own states.

Join the community to defend democracy. Register in our mailing list and you’ll be invited to next Tuesday’s call.

defenseofdemocracy.org/join-our-mai...

Stopping Trump's fascist takeover: defending immigrant and LGBT+ youth in our schools By Defense of Democracy, Inc.

FREE WORKSHOP: Defending LGBTQ and Immigrant youth in schools
Thursday March 6
Presentor: Ronald Cruz is an organizer and attorney with the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN).

givebutter.com/mheYf2

Our new “power of words” T-shirt includes a list of words now forbidden in federal documents.

pandadm.com/products/pow...

A thank you to all those who 'shouldn't have to'.

You shouldn't have to: write a letter to the editor

You shouldn't have to: go to your school board meetings

You shouldn't have to: run for office or donate money

But you did because no one will save us but ourselves.

Thank you.

action.aclu.org/send-message...

It’s Monday morning. Ahead lies another week of devastating news, terrifying images, and stories where the richest among us are attacking the weakest.

The cure for despair is advocacy.

Start here. Do it today. www.defenseofdemocracy.org/orientation

If you let a Nazi drink at your bar, you run a Nazi bar. If you let a Nazi have a voice in your school you're teaching at a Nazi school. This applies to everything. It's incredible that in 2025 we have to remind people it's OK to discriminate against Nazis.

Dear local officials: you are not obligated to follow illegal orders.

Wait wait -was moms for liberty founder Bridget Zaiglrt caught in some kind of SEX SCANDAL????

(I do know the answer to this, I just like to rehash it every now and then)