FAIR News: A Pro-Human School Opens
Newsletter
Dear friends of FAIR,
Congratulations are in order for friend and FAIR Advisor Ian Rowe for his successful opening last week of the first location of Vertex Partnership Academies, a first-of-its-kind network of character-based, International Baccalaureate public charter high schools.
Ian is a social entrepreneur, an educator, and a “proud product” of a New York City public education. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Tech, a specialized high school that he credits with helping him start a successful career. Those who know Ian, know that he is someone who lives his values. Last year, at our Loving Day event in New York City, he shared a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville: “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” Ian’s greatness is that he is constantly seeking to contribute in a meaningful and positive way, to “repair the faults” that he encounters.
Last month, United Federation of Teachers filed suit to prevent Ian and his co-founder Joyanet Mangual from opening their first school in the Bronx, committed to helping high school students grow through a high-quality education, rooted in the four virtues of courage, wisdom, justice, and temperance. The Union alleged that “Vertex isn’t an extension of an existing charter but a new school masquerading as an extension. New charters are prohibited in New York City because of a cap imposed by state legislators at the union’s behest.” On August 16th, however, a state judged tossed the suit, clearing the way for last week’s official opening of the school.
Ian and Joyanet’s ambitious venture signals a constructive, pro-human approach to ensuring that a quality education is available to all children, including those living in lower income communities. For those families looking to improve the lives of their children, Vertex offers a promising way to make a lasting change that can propel them into brighter futures.
We wish Ian, Joyanet, and Vertex Partnership Academies the best of luck on this critically important endeavor.
Yours,
Bion
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Bion Bartning
bion@fairforall.org
FAIR Sends Letter to Minneapolis Public Schools Over Discriminatory Policy
On August 24th, the FAIR legal team sent a letter to Rochelle Cox, Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) in response to a FAIR Transparency report which alerted the legal team to terms in the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) Agreement that require discriminatory teacher layoffs and reinstatements. The Agreement governs the employment terms for MPS teachers during the 2022/2023 school year, and stipulate that “white” teachers will be laid off or reassigned before “educators of color” in the event MPS needs to reduce staff, and requires that MPS hold certain teacher job vacancies to be filled by only “black” male teachers.
FAIR has urged MPS and MFT to amend the Agreement so that the terms will not result in violations of MPS teachers' constitutional rights.
Announcing the October FAIR Parent Education Series Workshops
Please join us on October 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th for a four-part workshop where we will share an overview of the current K-12 educational landscape, summarize key issues interfering with students’ civil rights, and train parents and guardians in effective, pro-human advocacy—including supporting children and teens in developing healthy attitudes around race and identity.
The workshop will take place from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET on each Tuesday evening. Registration is capped at 30 participants, so sign up now to secure your spot!
If you are interested but unable to attend these dates, we will be offering additional FAIR Parent Education Series in the future, so stay tuned!
Introducing FAIR’s Pro-Human Ethnic Studies High School Course
FAIR in Education is pleased to release our Introduction to Ethnic Studies High School Course Outline—detailing a pro-human, inclusive, and nonpartisan approach to the field of ethnic studies.
Designed by scholars from across the political spectrum, and featuring contributions from a diverse and qualified team of curriculum writers and educators, FAIR’s Ethnic Studies course respects and fosters the autonomy of students’ minds—challenging them to consider multiple sources and perspectives as they develop their own opinions.
The course teaches how America has helped so many people to thrive and also how it has often failed to protect the rights of many. It approaches the American story objectively and optimistically, giving students a rich understanding of how far we have come since our nation's founding in living up to our ideals of freedom and human rights, and how each of us has the power to protect and build upon those improvements to make America even better.
While the course is currently geared toward California schools, it is fully adaptable and customizable based on the needs of different schools in different states.
FAIR Wellness Webinar Series
Join FAIR Advisor and licensed clinical social worker Zander Keig in an eight-week series of free Wellness Webinars covering the following topics:
Week 1/Week 5: Cultivating Mental Fitness
Week 2/Week 6: Styles of Conflict Management
Week 3/Week 7: Strengthening Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Week 4/Week 7: How To Form New Habits
Session are on Tuesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET beginning August 23rd.
What Can We Learn From Tuskegee? A Discussion on Pro-Human Medicine
Join FAIR in Medicine on Thursday, September 8th at 7:00 p.m. ET for our free webinar "What Can We Learn From Tuskegee? A Discussion on Pro-Human Medicine," where we will reflect on how medicine’s mission to heal can end up doing harm.
We will also discuss Miss Evers’ Boys, a 1997 dramatization of the Tuskegee experiment as seen through the eyes of the lead research nurse, Eunice Rivers. The film won 5 Primetime Emmys and many other awards and nominations. It is currently available only on streaming service HBO Max, Max Go, and Hulu.
Moderated by FAIR in Medicine Fellow Dr. Mark Buchanan, and featuring panelists Dr. Marilyn Singleton, past-president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, whose passions include teaching constitutional law to non-lawyers; MD/PhD candidate Cullen Clairmont, who even early in his career has witnessed the corrupting effect of industry in medical research; and political scientist Dr. Wilfred Reilly, who writes widely on research methodology and on popular misunderstandings of race in America.
Forgiveness, Faith, & Race with Kimi Katiti
On September 13th, at 8:30 p.m. ET, join FAIR Advisor Kimi Katiti, along with FAIR’s Managing Director, Networks & Community Engagement Lory Warren, as they discuss the purpose and design of humanity from a Christian perspective, and explore what the Bible says about racism and the role of forgiveness in today’s polarizing times.
Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”
“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.”
Matthew 18:21-22
Kimi Katiti is an interdisciplinary artist living and creating in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. She offers distinctive insight on topics encompassing current affairs, race, and theology. She is a FAIR in the Arts Fellow and recently spoke at the Theology in the Raw "Exiles in Babylon" Conference in Boise, Idaho.
A Pro-Human Approach to Adolescent Gender Dysphoria, with Dr. Erica Anderson and Grace Lidinsky-Smith
Join FAIR in Medicine on Monday, September 19th at 5:00 p.m. ET for our webinar, "A Conversation With Dr. Erica Anderson and Grace Lidinsky-Smith: A Pro-Human Approach to Adolescent Gender Dysphoria."
Moderated by FAIR Senior Advisor Zander Keig, LCSW and featuring world renowned clinical psychologist specializing in gender dysphoria Dr. Erica Anderson, and detransitioner and patient advocate Grace Lidinsky-Smith.
Join us as we continue to explore the pro-human approach to transgender healthcare.
Registration is free and open to all!
Free Grassroots Training Opportunity: How to Be FAIR Without Starting a Fight
Do you want to share the message of FAIR with others but are worried that it may start a fight?
There is a better way: Empower yourself with the knowledge and skills to have better conversations, share FAIR’s pro-human message, and engage without risking your relationships.
Register today for this highly interactive live virtual training, happening on September 20th and October 25th!
Announcing the FAIR Legal Network Zoom Open House
FAIR’s legal team is excited to host our first Legal Network Open House on Wednesday, September 21st from 12:00 -1:00 p.m. ET.
Please join us to meet other attorneys in FAIR's legal network, hear more about the cases and matters we're currently working on, and explore future opportunities for collaboration!
FAIR Book Club: Mark Mathabane’s Kafir Boy
FAIR Book Club is excited to host Fred Luskin on September 21st as we round out our discussions about forgiveness and its important role in Mark Mathabane’s memoir, Kaffir Boy. Fred is the author of the book Forgive for Good and the director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project. Join us for a riveting talk on September 21st at 7pm EST.The FAIR in Education Fellows invite you to our next book club meeting on October 26th, 2022. FAIR’s Book Club meets monthly with a goal to read books that challenge and deepen our understanding of humanity and fairness, while enriching our sense of what it means to be pro-human. In October and November, we will be reading and discussing Ian Rowe’s new book, Agency: The Four Point Plan (F.R.E.E.) for All Children to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative and Discover Their Pathway to Power. We hope you will join us as we dig into the sage wisdom and advice offered in this phenomenal book.
Calling all FAIR book lovers! The FAIR Fellows in Education invite you to our new FAIR Book Club, where all FAIR-minded readers can explore books that challenge and deepen our understanding of what it means to be pro-human.
We kicked off the club with our first book—Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane—with a Zoom session on July 27th, and will host a second conversation on August 17th at 7 p.m. ET.
We hope you’ll join us as we dive into this powerful memoir about the author’s coming of age under apartheid in South Africa.
FAIR in the Arts Virtual Meetups
Join our FAIR in the Arts team and FAIR in the Arts Fellows to meet other artists and creatives who share pro-human values and want to make a difference in their own communities.
Arts practitioners, advocates, and media professionals—anyone who wants to create a culture where artists and others are free to express themselves, and where we model pro-human values in arts and media institutions—are welcome.
Meetings will include updates on ongoing FAIR in the Arts initiatives, as well as facilitated discussion group sessions. Join us on the following dates:
September 20th:
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET
Counterweight Conference on Liberal Approaches to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
FAIR is proud to be sponsoring a four-day conference, hosted by Counterweight, which seeks to explore alternative approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
What would a liberal approach to diversity and inclusion look like? How can we tackle discrimination and racism through a unifying lens? Do these approaches already exist?
Throughout this online conference, you'll hear pre-recorded talks from experts in the field of D&I who can answer some of these questions.
The conference begins September 22nd at 9:00 a.m. ET with an opening keynote from FAIR Director of Messaging & Editorial Angel Eduardo, and will feature talks by FAIR Advisors Zander Keig, Erec Smith, Ian Rowe, Sheena Mason, Greg Thomas, and many others!
Centering Love and Inclusion in our Equity Work and Practice Workshop with Dr. Sheena Mason
Join FAIR Advisor Dr. Sheena Mason at Foothill College on September 22nd from 1:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. PT in Los Altos Hills, California for a FLEX Workshop, presented by De Anza College’s Office of Equity, Social Justice, and Multicultural Education. Sheena will bring her Theory of Racelessness and unique approach to addressing issues of racism in our institutions.
This in-person workshop is free and open to all. Visit the site for more details.
Resolving the Race(ism) Dilemma Conference
On September 24th in Lexington, Massachusetts, join FAIR Advisors Dr. Sheena Mason and Greg Thomas, along with Dr. Carlos Hoyt, for a day-long conference designed for everyone interested in overcoming racism—teachers, parents, scientists, scholars, social justice leaders, mental health professionals, journalists, and political leaders.
FAIR is proud to sponsor this important event. Learn how racialization produces the illusion of “race” and racism, how to deracialize your worldview, practice antiracialization, and recognize the racelessness of the human species. Explore methods of translating the misleading language of “race” into the actual issues that drive discrimination and oppression. Build connections with others who are eager to not only understand how to move beyond racism but take meaningful action, and consider joining an effort to improve our government's approach to addressing race-based discrimination—one that does not require perpetuating self-racialization.
Submit Questions for an Upcoming FAIR Perspectives Q&A Episode!
Do you have a burning question you’d like to ask FAIR Perspectives hosts Melissa Chen and Angel Eduardo? Submit it for an upcoming Q&A episode of FAIR Perspectives!
We want to give you the opportunity to ask questions about FAIR, the pro-human movement, the podcast, and more.
Send us a question via comment on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, FAIR Community, or in a reply to this email!
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.
Angel Eduardo: We Must Argue From Compassion
For FAIR’s YouTube channel, FAIR’s Director of Messaging & Editorial Angel Eduardo discusses the ways our discourse has strained, his concept of star-manning, and how arguing from compassion can help us have better and more productive conversations with others—even those we disagree with most.
So many of the wonderful things we have accomplished as a species have been the result of successful communication. If we’re to continue to make progress, we need to actively foster a culture of good faith and honesty, based on the knowledge that we all have the same fundamental desires. It begins with each of us making the choice to see the other as human—flawed, perhaps ignorant, maybe even dangerous, but also human—no matter what they think.
FAIR Diversity Trainings
FAIR Diversity Conversation Series
For all FAIR Members and volunteers. These events are typically held on the first Monday of each month from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET.
Register on Calendly to tune into the next one!
Meet FAIR Diversity: What Is Pro-Human? Meetings
For all FAIR Members and volunteers. These events are typically held on the last Monday of each month from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET.
Register on Calendly to join the next conversation!
FAIR Chapter Events
Chapter Events
September 10th:
FAIR Twin Cities Chapter IN-PERSON Grassroots Leadership Training
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT
Golden Valley, MN
Join the FAIR Community
Become a FAIR volunteer or join a FAIR chapter:
Join a Welcome to FAIR Zoom information session to learn more about our mission, or watch a previously recorded session in the Members section of www.fairforall.org.
Take the Pro-Human Pledge and help promote a common culture based on fairness, understanding, and humanity.
Join the FAIR community to connect and share information with other members.
Share your reviews and incident reports on our FAIR Transparency website.