1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to vote No on H.R. 10013, the so-called “Education Not Agitation Act.” This legislation is a misguided attempt to silence free speech under the pretext of safeguarding education. The notion of penalizing students by withholding educational funding based on actions connected to public protests undermines the principles of a free and democratic society. Our history is shaped by the courageous actions of protesters who challenged the status quo. From the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins to the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches and the anti-war protests at Kent State University, our society has only benefited from the willingness of its people to stand against injustice. To suggest that funding should be denied to students for participating in protests ignores this legacy and weaponizes education funding to stifle dissent. The language in this bill is alarmingly vague and could lead to the arbitrary punishment of students for broad and ill-defined offenses like “unlawful assembly” or “trespassing.” Law enforcement responses to political protests are often disproportionate, and applying such broad legal definitions could become a deterrent to legitimate, constitutionally protected expressions of dissent. Are we to believe it would be just to withhold educational funding from those who participated in historic movements such as the Million Man March, or the protests following the murder of George Floyd? I urge you to reject this legislation, which would set a dangerous precedent of using financial assistance as a tool for coercion, depriving students of the right to learn, grow, and express themselves in a society that respects free speech.