Free the Future

Free the Future is a left-of-center advocacy campaign and a project of the Alliance to Reclaim our Schools (AROS). The campaign claims to organize educators and community members to protest against the Second Trump administration and its Department of Education over planned budget cuts to public schools. 1 2 3

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At-A-Glance

Type: Other
Ideological Alignment: Left of Center
Website: www.freethefuture.net
Project of:

Alliance to Reclaim our Schools

Contents

    Free the Future has a page on its website called “Tax the Rich” that calls for a five percent “wealth tax” aimed at certain billionaires including Jeffery Yass, Marc Rowan, and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The page also claims that “reinvesting the 2026 annual budget for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “could generate an additional $11 billion annually for public education.” 4

    Background

    Free the Future is an organizing campaign of the Alliance to Reclaim our Schools (AROS), a left-of-center organization that promotes left-of-center educational policies. AROS was founded as a project of the Schott Foundation for Public Education, and during its formation received development support from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and funding the Ford Foundation. 5 6

    According to its website, the campaign claims “authoritarianism is attacking public schools,” that President Donald Trump “illegally seized billions in education funds” while Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is “dismantling the Department of Education,” and that such actions are from “the authoritarian playbook.” 7

    Advocacy Campaigns

    Non-Permission Slip

    The Free the Future campaign organizes education staff and community groups to protest the second Trump administration and its Department of Education for allegedly approving budget cuts to public schools. 8 3

    The groups lists an “entry point” to the Free the Future campaign as being to sign an online “non-permission slip” form that criticizes President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon. The slip also claims that signatories do not “grant permission” for reducing funding for public schools as well as special education programs. The slip also claims the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “militarize or raid” schools, and “treat children like threats.” 8 3

    “Four Weeks of Power” Toolkit

    Free the Future also provided training for a toolkit called “Four Weeks of Power,” which was organized by the Alliance to Reclaim our Schools (AROS) and organizing training center Midwest Academy. 9 10 Educational resources provided including learning how to unmask “the billionaires and autocrats driving the austerity agenda” providing “an introduction to community organizing in the context of the rising authoritarianism we’re seeing in real time,” and also explaining “power mapping and targets, understanding which actions make sense for our team and community, and the logistics of planning a successful action.” 9

    Tax the Rich

    Free the Future has a page on its website called “Tax the Rich,” where it calls for a five percent “wealth tax” towards certain billionaires listed on the page including Jeffery Yass, Marc Rowan, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. 4

    The page also claims that “reinvesting the 2026 annual budget for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “could generate an additional $11 billion annually for public education.” 4

    Partner Organizations

    Free the Future lists several partner organizations on its website. These include the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Popular Democracy, the Alliance for Educational Justice, the Advancement Project, the Alliance for Educational Justice (AEJ), the NYU Metro Center, Honesty for Ohio Education, the Journey for Justice Alliance, the National Education Association (NEA), and Women’s March. 11

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    References

    1. “Who We Are — Free The Future.” Free The Future. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://www.freethefuture.net/who-we-are. 
    2. Rao, Kumar. “When we fight for public schools, we fight for democracy.” Waging Nonviolence . March 19, 2026. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://wagingnonviolence.org/2026/03/fight-for-public-schools/. 
    3. “Non-Permission Slip — Free The Future.” May 11, 2026. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://www.freethefuture.net/non-permission-slip. 
    4. “Tax The Rich — Free The Future.” May 11, 2026. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://www.freethefuture.net/tax-the-rich-stop-war. 
    5. “Who We Are — Free The Future.” Free The Future. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://www.freethefuture.net/who-we-are. 
    6. “Organizing for Educational Justice: Parents, Students and Labor Join Forces to Reclaim Public Education.” NCRP. August 23, 2014. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://ncrp.org/resources/organizing-for-educational-justice-parents-students-and-labor-join-forces-to-reclaim-public-education/. 
    7. “Free The Future.” Accessed May 11, 2026. https://www.freethefuture.net/. 
    8. Rao, Kumar. “When we fight for public schools, we fight for democracy.” Waging Nonviolence . March 19, 2026. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://wagingnonviolence.org/2026/03/fight-for-public-schools/. 
    9. “4 Weeks of Power Spring 2026.” Accessed May 11, 2026. https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4-Weeks-of-Power-Spring-2026-Watermarked.pdf. 
    10. “About Us.” Midwest Academy. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://midwestacademy.com/about-us/. 
    11. “Who We Are.” Free The Future. Accessed May 11, 2026. https://www.freethefuture.net/who-we-are.