In Pajaro Valley, our public schools should be places where students learn to ask questions, think critically, and speak honestly. But a proposed policy from the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) threatens to replace dialogue with silence, and truth with fear.

Under the proposed revision to Policy 6144, teachers would be required to seek permission before discussing “controversial issues.” They could be banned from sharing their own professional or lived experiences. And unelected administrators, not teachers, would decide what students are “allowed” to talk about.

This isn’t about balance. It’s about control.

If this policy passes, a teacher might need approval to discuss climate change, labor rights, immigration, or books featuring LGBTQ+ characters.

A student might write a heartfelt speech — only to be told their truth is “too political.”

An English teacher might skip a novel, or a science teacher might cancel a guest speaker, just to avoid being punished for “saying too much.”

California law already protects students from bias. It already requires teachers to be fair, factual, and respectful. What this policy adds is censorship, and the power to decide which truths are safe enough for students to hear.

We call on the PVUSD Board of Trustees to reject this policy and trust educators to do what they’ve always done: teach with professionalism, compassion, and courage.

If this policy passes, we don’t just lose academic freedom. We lose the kind of education that helps young people become thinkers, citizens, and leaders.

Sign to demand the PVUSD Board vote NO on Policy 6144. Let our classrooms stay free, honest, and brave.