Parents Defending Education rebrands to Defending Education, expands to higher education

Parents Defending Education, an organization that started in April 2021, has announced an expansion into higher education and a name change to Defending Education. The group launched amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and gained prominence as parents, who were exposed to their children's virtual classrooms, became increasingly concerned with elements of the curriculum. In four years, PDE built a coalition involving over 190,000 advocates and collaborated with over 350 advocacy organizations.

PDE focused on identifying and revealing concerns within K-12 education by filing more than 1,600 Freedom of Information Act requests across the United States. They have shared over 1,400 examples of school policies and practices for public scrutiny. The organization’s efforts have led to the creation of more than 100 resources for parents and advocates, filing dozens of civil rights complaints, and pursuing five lawsuits related to constitutional issues like the First Amendment and Title IX.

Now under the name Defending Education, the organization's mission aims to cover both K-12 and higher education levels. They emphasize the importance of fostering political neutrality, the diversity of viewpoints, and the free exchange of ideas in American education. Their commitment involves continuous engagement through exposés, resource provision, investigative reports, civil rights complaints, and litigation.

"Parents are growing up —and we’re growing up with them," the statement highlighted. "Defending Education is eager and honored to support students, families, advocates and the public at large as they take the next step in their formal education or just want to better understand the higher education landscape in the United States."