Having worked with public schools for the last several years, I noticed several shocking trends that severely inhibit kids and leave them unprepared for life beyond school. Some people feel that the “No Child Left Behind Act” should be called the no child allowed to advance act, because if they are teaching towards the middle of the average of all the students and different children learn at different speeds at different times in their development then they are always teaching at a slow speed all the time even when their child may be wanting to and capable of learning at a faster speed.

The rest of their time is spent on classes about sex-education, personal safety, family life, consumer affairs, AIDS and drug prevention, save-the-environment, multiculturalism studies, “cooperative-learning” projects, study halls, electives, homeroom, counseling, sports activities, or pep rallies (high school).

I will also direct the Department of Education to reinstate guidance revoked under Trump about transgender students’ rights under Title IX, and make clear that federal civil rights law prohibits anti-LGBTQ+ rules like discriminatory dress codes, prohibiting students from writing or discussing LGBTQ+ topics in class, or punishing students for bringing same-sex partners to school events.

We should invest more in curricula that engage all students across a wide array of subject areas like the arts, STEM, civics, and health, including evidence-based inclusive sex ed. I’ll fight to fully fund and target programs that conduct research in and support well-rounded, culturally relevant education, some of which the Trump administration has proposed eliminating entirely I’ve already committed to supporting programs to ensure that public school curriculum includes Native American history and culture as a core component of all students’ education.

Invest in evidenced-based school safety: Despite evidence that the militarization of our schools does not improve school safety, the Trump Administration has doubled down on militarization policies that only make students, teachers, and parents feel less safe Enacting basic gun safety laws that the overwhelming majority of Americans support is a critical step towards improving school safety.