Dear FAIR Community,
In the fall of 2023, I had one of those conversations that stays with you. I first met Ed Roos, a lifelong educator from Seattle whose career had been destroyed by a false accusation during the height of America’s culture wars. We spoke for a long time about what had happened. About the years of silence, the loss, and the slow, painful work of rebuilding a life that had been unjustly torn apart.
I was deeply moved by his story and by the strength it took for him to tell it. After the illegitimate claims against him were dismissed, our team at FAIR tried to get the media to cover Ed’s case, but no one really wanted to touch it. The narrative was too complicated, too uncomfortable. And understandably, Ed was nervous to speak out.
That’s when Ed made an extraordinary decision. He chose to trust FAIR with his story. For the first time, he told it publicly and plainly in his own words. It took courage to do that, and I couldn’t be prouder of our community for rallying around him in support. This is exactly why FAIR exists: to stand with people who have been silenced or misrepresented, and to create a space for truth and fairness to prevail.
Since publishing his piece, Ed has continued to share his experience with honesty and grace. He recently spoke with journalist Brandi Kruse on her unDivided podcast, offering a raw and heartfelt account of what he endured. His willingness to speak openly is helping others, especially teachers, who feel trapped between their calling and the pressures of a polarized culture.
Now, Ed is joining FAIR again for an important conversation about how educators and administrators can lead with integrity in difficult times. We invite you to join us for our upcoming webinar, Supporting Teachers Under Pressure: Leadership in Polarized Times.
Featuring: Ed Roos and Park Ginder
Moderated by: FAIR Executive Director, Monica Harris
November 17th, 7 PM EST
This event will be the first in a new FAIR series exploring the challenges facing educators and the principles that inspired FAIR’s American Experience Curriculum. Our panelists will discuss how to navigate politically charged environments while staying true to the ideals of fairness, curiosity, and courage.
You can register for the webinar here.
Ed’s story reminds us that fairness isn’t abstract. It’s something we fight for in real lives, real classrooms, and real communities. Thank you for standing with FAIR and with people like Ed, who refuse to give up on what’s right.
With gratitude,
Reid Newton
Substack Editor, FAIR
Text FAIRFORALL to 707070 to donate to FAIR’s 250 for 250 Campaign.
FAIR is proud to celebrate the publication of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic (Bombardier Books, November 4, 2025), the debut memoir from 2023–24 FAIR Artist Grant recipient Ben Appel.
Born into a Christian covenant community in Maryland, Appel recounts a boyhood marked by guilt, faith, and gender nonconformity. After his family’s exile from their religious group, he faces a broader world no less punishing of difference. In adulthood, he finds purpose through recovery and “LGBTQ” activism, eventually earning a degree from Columbia University and entering the world of progressive advocacy—only to discover that ideological conformity can exist on both ends of the political spectrum.
In this unflinching and deeply personal memoir, Appel explores the costs of belonging and the courage of dissent. As he moves from one “sacred” community to another—from fundamentalist Christianity to elite academia—he confronts the dangers of dogma and the redemptive power of independent thought.
Special Screening: “15 DAYS, The Real Story of America’s Pandemic School Closures”
Please join the Manhattan Institute and Restore Childhood on Monday, November 17th at 6pm EST for a special New York screening of “15 DAYS,” a powerful new documentary produced by FAIR advisor Eli Steele that examines the devastating truth behind America’s pandemic school closures. Through intimate portraits of families, courageous educators, and leading scientists, “15 DAYS” chronicles the untold story of how America’s children were abandoned by the institutions meant to protect them.
Supporting Teachers Under Pressure: Leadership in Polarized Times
Join FAIR on November 17th at 7pm EST for our Supporting Teachers Under Pressure webinar! This will be the first in a series of presentations intended to highlight the educational environment that has necessitated and inspired FAIR’s curriculum. Specifically, our panelists will speak to the challenges teachers face and administrative strategies for supporting balanced education in a politically charged educational landscape.
FAIR Educator Alliance 2025-2026
FAIR is launching the Educators Alliance for the 2025–2026 school year to equip PK–12 educators with the knowledge, strategies, and community support they need to foster schools that are more enriching and free from bias for students and educators.
Each monthly gathering will open with updates and presentations from FAIR staff, fellows, Chapter Leaders, and occasional guest speakers. Together, we’ll explore strategies for supporting educators, communities, and local chapters—and for advancing positive change at the local, regional, and national levels. Following presentations, participants will have space for open forum discussions to connect, seek advice, and coordinate on pressing issues in their schools. Breakout rooms will be divided into PK-6 and 7-12 grade levels with experienced teachers facilitating those conversations.
Meetings: First Thursday of each month at 7 PM ET via Zoom
Duration: 1 hour
FAIR News Podcast
For audio versions of our FAIR News and FAIR Weekly Roundup newsletters, subscribe and listen to FAIR News Weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or via RSS feed.
Join the FAIR Community
Join us, and become a member of FAIR.
Become a FAIR volunteer, or join a FAIR chapter.
Sign-up for a Welcome to FAIR Zoom information session to learn more about our mission.
Share your reviews and incident reports on our FAIR Transparency website.
I would push back on the phrase that suggests the culture wars are past their height or are currently ramping down. That framing is inaccurate. The conflict has not subsided; it has simply shifted. The mechanisms of conflict are VERY active. The institutions are involved. Politicians on the left who are moderate are being pushed out. Advocacy groups invested in extreme left still affect government processes. The recent example of the BBC being caught creating propaganda instead of objective news (and Reuters) shows that the ideological conflict is embedded and unremedied within institutions. The danger is present, not past. other than that, it's a good article. Thank you.