Dear CCA Community,
We are writing to address the recent forced resignation of Alabama Education Secretary Barbara Cooper over the use of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) book. We are outraged that Dr. Barbara Cooper has been forced to resign from her position as Secretary of the Alabama Education Board as a reaction to defending this critical work. Dr. Cooper has made significant contributions to the ECE community and has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of many young children. We honor and stand in community with her defense of the principles outlined in the DAP, and with all the educators who make daily sacrifices on behalf of the children and families they serve.
We are standing up to defend the principle that “children cannot learn if they do not feel seen, safe, and supported.” Similar to our own mission the DAP “reinforces the power of relationships and underscores that every child has the right to equitable learning opportunities – in centers, family child care homes, or schools – that fully support their optimal development and learning across all domains and content areas.”
We ask our CCA community to speak out together in commitment to the work of supporting DAP, trusting the expertise of educators and families, and advancing equity in early childhood education.
Please join us as we continue to work on behalf of young children and families.
NAEYC has issued both a response and a call to action please read them and sign to support DAP:
- Sign your name onto this statement of support, which we intend to make public within one week
- Share the link with your colleagues and friends inside and outside of early childhood education
- Post on social media–you can take a picture of the DAP book in action, and use hashtags such as #DAPinECE and #EquityinECE
- Make a donation to support our continued work at this critically important time
In Solidarity,
Lisa Kuh and Iris Ponte
Image source: NAEYC Facebook
