Public education, and specifically special education (SPED), has been underfunded for years. The supermajority of the Kansas Legislature pushes the myth of "school choice" through various voucher programs, further diverting tax dollars away from public schools and into private, often religious, schools.
In recent years, Christian Nationalism has also gained ground in public schools. We've seen attempts to mandate 10 Commandments and Bibles in classrooms in our neighboring states. We continue to fight for a strong wall of separation between the church and state in our public schools and protect religious freedom for all of our students, teachers, and staff.
Help Mainstream and our partners show our elected officials that public dollars belong in secular public schools.
TELL YOUR LEGISLATOR TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR ALL STUDENTS
Several curriculum and free speech related bills are moving during the 2026 legislative session. Please contact your Senator today and ask them to protect church-state separation, local control for our school districts, and freedom of speech for all students and faculty.
- SB381 creates mandatory curriculum and testing on communism, socialism, and patriotism. Supported by groups like Moms for Liberty and Cicero Action, the bill moves a very specific vision of our country's history as outlined in the Presidents 1776 Report. Mainstream opposes this overreach into our schools' and teachers' ability to teach important social studies topics.
- SB421, the SPEAKS Act, puts K-12 public schools and teachers at unnecessary risk of lawsuits. The religious freedoms in this bill are already protected, and equating political and ideological beliefs with sincerely held religious beliefs is inappropriate.
- SB419, the KIRK Act, elevates a hyper-partisan attack against our public colleges and universities. As Mainstream testified, free speech should be protected for our students and faculty, but this bill actually chills free speech by centering a partisan, controversial individual (Charlie Kirk) in the bill. Our students deserve a real, nonpartisan solution to free speech on campus.
CONTACT YOUR SENATOR TODAY!
SUPPORT THE STUDENT SECULAR BILL OF RIGHTS
The 2026 legislative session has seen unprecedented attacks against our public schools and the religious freedom of all students. As we've seen every year, the supermajority of the Kansas Legislature is intent on diverting public funds into vouchers that benefit private, often religious, schools. But in addition to this, we've seen bills honoring Charlie Kirk, protecting the religious freedom of those who align with Turning Point USA, and pushing the teaching of "patriotism" as defined by the KS Legislature.
We don't often have a chance to support good policy in the statehouse, but thanks to Rep Heather Meyer, we have that opportunity this year! HB2431, the Student Secular Bill of Rights, protects the religious freedom of ALL Kansas students and their families.
Unfortunately, the House Education Committee has not called a hearing for HB2431 yet. We need you to contact Chair Susan Estes today and ask for a hearing before turnaround on Feb 19.