Bound by Strength and Unity
How Georgia Students, Educators, and Advocates United to Defeat Senate Bill 120
On March 5, 2025, Georgia college students, educators, and civil rights advocates gathered on the steps of the state’s Capitol in Atlanta. Together, their voices were resolute with a clear message: Georgia lawmakers must unequivocally reject Senate Bill 120 (SB 120). They emphasized that SB 120’s charge to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, principles, practices, and programs from K-12 schools and higher learning institutions would vastly harm every student’s ability to succeed — especially Black and other students of color, LGBTQ+, and low-income students. Their words, backed by a sign-on letter, spoke to the importance of diverse, inclusive, and equitable education in ensuring that all students are fairly and fully represented in Georgia’s education system.
In the following days, their combined efforts culminated in a major victory, as SB 120 failed to pass on the Senate floor. This critical win means Georgia schools will be allowed to continue working to foster inclusive learning environments that support student well-being and prepare them for future success. Civil rights and educational equity organizations, including the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), ACLU of Georgia, Georgia Educators for Equity & Justice (GAEEJ), the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples’ Agenda, and the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), expressed deep relief following the bill’s defeat.
The organizations commended the Georgia Senate for stopping SB 120’s advancement, highlighting the critical role that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs play in fostering inclusive school climates and equitable education. While celebrating this victory, they also reaffirmed their commitment to protecting these programs and continuing the fight for equal educational opportunities for all students. This work is especially critical for Black students in Georgia, as it’s one of 10 states with the highest rates of school segregation for Black students. Moreover, only 25% of Georgia public school teachers are Black, compared to 40% of the state’s public school population. If SB 120 had passed, it would have only further exacerbated these deeply problematic disparities.
Overall, these advocates’ collective determination proved that voices united in the fight for civil rights are powerful — and can make a difference in shaping our shared future.
THE COLOR: PEOPLE, PHOTOS, PERSPECTIVES
March 5, 2025 press conference on SB 120 at Georgia’s State Capitol. LDF Senior Policy Counsel Hamida Labi gives remarks beginning at 27:20.
As a graduate of Georgia’s public schools, a daughter of a veteran Georgia public school educator, and a representative of LDF — the nation’s oldest racial justice legal organization that litigated Brown v. Board of Education — this fight is more than just a bill. It is about the Black educators, parents, and students who have long fought to end separate and unequal public education in our state. It’s a battle to ensure Georgia’s K-12 schools and higher education institutions are places where all children can pursue their dreams regardless of race or economic status.
For so many, policies and programs like those that help to identify and eliminate racial disparities — especially in education — serve as a gateway to opportunity, dismantling systemic barriers and ensuring fairer access to resources and a greater sense of belonging. We will continue the fight to fulfill Brown’s promise, protect students from discrimination, and ensure that every student served by Georgia’s public schools has the resources and support they need to learn and thrive.
Hamida Labi, LDF Senior Policy Counsel
THE RESOURCES
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