Dear Friends of FAIR,
As Americans gather for Thanksgiving and we stand on the threshold of our nation’s 250th anniversary, I find myself reflecting on how far we’ve come toward fulfilling our founding ideals of equality and justice for all. I’m deeply grateful for the progress FAIR has made across multiple fronts and for supporters like you who make this important work possible.
This year has been remarkable. Here are just a few of the ways FAIR has advanced fairness and civil rights:
We filed an OCR complaint on behalf of a 15-year-old female student-athlete in Washington state who experienced sex-based discrimination that prevented her from participating in her scheduled basketball game. The Department of Justice opened an investigation shortly after.
We appealed Professor Zack De Piero’s critical civil rights case against Penn State University, where he faced discrimination and a hostile work environment.
We filed an OCR complaint against Colorado State University professors who induced and documented shame and guilt in white and male students. Our complaint was featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education—one of the most influential publications in American higher education —bringing the issue of identity-based discrimination to hundreds of thousands of faculty and administrators who shape campus culture nationwide.
Through our groundbreaking Artist Grant program, we’re supporting eight grand prize winners and six runners-up—filmmakers, theater artists, visual artists, writers, and educators whose work champions artistic excellence and represents a culture of fairness and free thought.
From California to Minnesota, educators are expressing strong interest and excitement about adopting FAIR’s American Experience Curriculum, a groundbreaking course that engages students across differences and fosters the bridge-building our democracy desperately needs.
I’m thankful for each of these victories because they represent real people whose lives will be touched by fairness rather than division. When we win in court, we establish precedents that protect constitutional principles for all. When The Chronicle of Higher Education investigates and validates student concerns about feeling unsafe in classrooms because of their race or sex, we move the needle for every student facing similar discrimination. When we support independent artists who refuse to submit to groupthink, we’re reclaiming the arts for everyone. When we engage with a school district to adopt our curriculum, we’re giving young Americans the tools to navigate disagreement without demonization. This is how movements are built: one case, one classroom, one artist, one conversation at a time.
As we approach America’s semiquincentennial celebration, I’m acutely aware that we’re at a crossroads: what kind of nation do we aspire to be as we navigate the next 250 years?
Your support this giving season won’t just fund programs. It will help determine whether the next generation inherits a country defined by identity politics and division, or one that lives up to its promise of equal dignity for every human being. Together, we can make America’s 250th anniversary a moment when we celebrate our progress and fulfill our founding ideals for generations to come.
Will you join us? Your tax-deductible gift today directly supports the legal advocacy, curriculum development, and artist grants that are changing lives and shaping our nation’s future. Every contribution—whether $25 or $2,500—helps FAIR stand up for the next student, the next teacher, the next artist who refuses to believe that discrimination is acceptable or inevitable.
Please donate today!
With deep gratitude,
Monica Harris
Executive Director, FAIR
Text FAIRFORALL to 707070 to donate to FAIR’s 250 for 250 Campaign.
LEGAL UPDATES:
FAIR’s supported litigation in DePiero v. Penn State continues to advance through federal courts, with important arguments now before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Zack De Piero, a Penn State English professor, faced discrimination and retaliation after challenging the university’s mandatory “anti-racism” training sessions that characterized white teachers as inherently problematic and unable to effectively educate students.
On November 14, 2025, De Piero’s legal team filed their reply brief with the Third Circuit, which represents the final stage of written advocacy before oral argument and gives them the crucial last word to refute Penn State’s defense of their discriminatory practices. This case challenges the growing trend of discriminatory DEI programming and ideologically-driven training in higher education that create hostile work environments and violate constitutional protections for academic freedom and free speech. De Piero’s appeal represents a critical test of whether institutions can mandate racially hostile training and retaliate against those who object on legal and pedagogical grounds.
How can schools teach meaningful, academically sound ethnic studies without creating classrooms divided by politics or ideology? FAIR and ACES offer a collaborative discussion on best practices, curriculum approaches, and practical safeguards that support student well-being and intellectual diversity.
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
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