Education Civil Rights Webinar Series

Back to School, But Not Back to Normal

Conversations about the changing civil rights landscape in our schools, and the tools advocates, families, educators, attorneys, and state leaders can use to protect every student’s right to learn, belong, and thrive.

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The series

What we heard, and what comes next

In fall 2026, NCYL brought together civil rights lawyers, advocates, researchers, educators, policymakers, and youth leaders for a series of conversations about students’ rights in a changing legal and policy landscape.

Find recordings, slides, speaker resources, and related tools from the series below.

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Explore the sessions

Watch session recordings and explore resources from speakers and NCYL partners.

Sep24
Session 01School Discipline and Discrimination: Unpacking the Department of Education’s New School Discipline Guidance

Speakers

  • Andrew Hairston, Cirkiel Law Group; formerly Education Justice Project Director, Texas Appleseed
  • Bridget Joyce, Director of Programming, The Education Rights Institute, University of Virginia School of Law
  • Sarah Beach, Director of Research, The Education Rights Institute, University of Virginia School of Law
  • Dan Losen, Senior Director, Education, National Center for Youth Law
  • Sabrina Bernadel, Manager, Education Civil Rights Alliance, National Center for Youth Law
  • Moderator: Becky Monroe, Senior Director, Education and Civil Rights, National Center for Youth Law

Session resources

Watch recording

Passcode: v%CSo!7r

Webinar slide deck UVA School of Law Education Rights Institute UVA: Student Discipline and Compliance with Title VI NCYL fact sheet on discriminatory school discipline Texas Appleseed Title VI complaint
Oct01
Session 02Strengthening Civil Rights Protections for Students at the State and Local Level

Speakers

  • Sabrina Bernadel, Manager, Education Civil Rights Alliance, National Center for Youth Law
  • Monique Dixon, Executive Director, Gibson-Banks Center for Race and the Law, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
  • Allegra Cira Fischer, Senior Policy Attorney, Disability Rights California

Session resources

Watch recording

Passcode: @L4WnMyh

Webinar slide deck Students’ Civil Rights Act SCRA pilot interest form The State of Civil Rights for Students and Schools Strengthening Civil Rights Enforcement in California Schools Accessible version of the California report Maryland HB 649
Oct08
Session 03Exposing the Truth About the So-Called Parents’ Rights Movement

Speakers

  • Johnathan Smith, Managing Director, Education and Federal Strategic Advocacy, National Center for Youth Law
  • Justin Hansford, Professor of Law, Howard University School of Law; Executive Director, Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center
  • Cameron Samuels, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT)
  • Brian Dittmeier, Director of LGBTQI+ Equality, National Women’s Law Center
  • Jennifer C. Berkshire, Bloch Lecturer in Education Journalism, Yale University
  • Rebecca Gudeman, Managing Director of Health & Well-being, National Center for Youth Law

Session resources

Watch recording

Passcode: N@9X^YJa

Education Wars newsletter The Education Wars Have You Heard podcast The GOP Has Revived Its Obsession With Parents’ Rights NCYL: Parents’ Rights Johnathan Smith’s House hearing testimony DOJ: Weaponization Working Group report announcement DOJ and ED: Letter to state attorneys general NWLC: Federal investigations of trans-inclusive policies NWLC FERPA Explainer CRT Hotline SEAT Student Bill of Rights SEAT: Challenge to Texas Senate Bill 12 (GSA Network case) Students’ Right to Discover (Shift Press) Amicus brief in Mahmoud v. Taylor SEAT: Digital youth surveillance resources Mary Beth Tinker Federal Policy Fellowship
Oct15
Session 04Filling the Federal Void: Understanding State Civil Rights Protections Students Can Use Now

Speakers

  • Michael Campion, Deputy Director, New Jersey Division on Civil Rights
  • Becky Monroe, Senior Director, Education and Civil Rights, National Center for Youth Law
  • Katy Joseph, Principal, J&E Strategies; Senior Fellow, Edley Center on Law and Democracy
  • Laura Faer, Senior Program Manager and Staff Attorney, Edley Center on Law and Democracy
  • Kelsey Bakken, Director of Policy, Advance Illinois
  • Leticia Mercado, Policy Associate, Advance Illinois

Session resources

Watch recording

Passcode: DfaQ39&5

The State of Civil Rights for Students and Schools Students’ Civil Rights Act Model Legislation + Toolkit Edley Center on Law and Democracy Searchable state civil rights legislation tracker Berkeley Law: State and local civil rights resources Advance Illinois Illinois Education Watch Illinois Education Watch stories
Oct22
Session 05Supporting Educational Success for Students in Foster Care

Speakers

  • Joanne Rodriguez, Senior Program Manager, National Center for Youth Law
  • Loretta Ledezma, Coordinator III, Los Angeles County Office of Education
  • Danielle Wondra, Associate Director, Child Welfare Policy, Children Now

Session resources

Watch recording

Passcode: 79F=s41*

District leadership checklist Action Steps for Allies of Students Experiencing Foster Care
Oct29
Session 06Measuring Equity in School Finance

Speakers

  • Dan Losen, Senior Director, Education, National Center for Youth Law
  • Robert Kim, Executive Director, Education Law Center
  • Deborah Gordon Klehr, Executive Director, Education Law Center-PA

Session resources

Watch recording

Passcode: tT=+0Cb7

About MCLE credit: The live sessions were offered with 1 general, participatory California MCLE credit per eligible session. This archive is intended as a permanent learning and resource hub and should not imply that on-demand viewing qualifies for participatory MCLE credit.

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Education civil rights resource library

Additional tools and materials from NCYL and webinar partners.

Continue the work

Protecting students’ rights takes action at every level.

More education research, advocacy, and resources from NCYL.