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< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 29, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org Campaign for Our Shared Future Hosted Banned Book Giveaway, Countering Extremist Group's Conference Philadelphia, PA - Today, in a powerful stand for intellectual freedom and the preservation of diverse literature, Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) organized a Banned Book Giveaway in Philadelphia. This initiative was a direct response to the local conference held by Moms for Liberty, an extremist group leading calls for book banning around the country. “The Campaign for Our Shared Future was thrilled to join local advocates and partners in the City of Brotherly Love to reject hate and extremism. Across the country we see extremist group Moms for Liberty and its political allies working to erase American history and limit our children’s access to age appropriate literature,” said Heather Harding, Ed.D., Executive Director of COSF. Click here to see more content from the Banned Book Giveaway. The Banned Book Giveaway saw local advocates unite to distribute age-appropriate books that have been unjustly banned or challenged within the United States. These books, representing a range of perspectives and topics, have been subject to censorship due to the radical agenda pursued by Moms for Liberty and its political allies. The event drew the attention of community members, educators, and literary enthusiasts who value the fundamental principles of free speech and the right to access diverse literature. According to PEN America , during the first half of the 2022-23 school year, there were 1,477 instances of individual books banned. Roughly 30% are books about race, racism, or feature characters of color; 26% of unique titles banned have LGBTQ+ characters or themes. Furthermore, most Americans oppose banning books. Polls consistently show that Americans of all political persuasions oppose book bans. ### The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high-quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org ICYMI: Campaign for Our Shared Future Blog Explores Struggles Faced by Black Educators Washington, D.C . - Today, Sharif El-Mekki the Founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development was featured on the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) blog “The Unbiased Classroom.” In his piece, El-Mekki discusses his experience as a teacher in the classroom and what research teaches us when we tell Black teachers “We need you, but don’t be Black while you’re here.” Students across the country are back in school and El-Mekki argues that all students, including our Black and brown students, are best served when Black educators are able to bring their history and experiences into the classroom. Something that is currently challenged through politically motivated censorship efforts sweeping the country. Read an excerpt from: “Unveiling the Silent Struggles: Challenges Faced by Black Educators in Today's Classrooms” We know that our students benefit from teachers with different backgrounds including Black educators precisely because of the lived experiences, their cultural fluency, and their personal qualities. The partisan politics of the moment seek to sever those characteristics, skills, and understandings. The result is a diluted or erased Blackness methodically disempowered from being the positive force for students that it can and should be. Reflecting on my own teaching career, I know the power of empowerment as a Black educator. The reason I was able to be so effective as a teacher, why my colleagues could teach Black children and all children so excellently, was because the school as an organization allowed me to be my full Black self. I was able to enhance the curriculum with content that I knew, from lived experiences and research, would help my students learn and engage. My feedback and input on curriculum and teaching was not just permitted, but welcomed, fostered, and incorporated into how we educated students. Our school leaders, our system leaders, knew that in order for the school to perform at optimal levels in serving its primarily Black and brown student population, they had to listen to their teachers and heed their insights. But none of that is possible in an environment where Black teachers are effectively told, “ We need you, but don’t be Black while you’re here”. You can read the full post here . ## The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high-quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 16, 2023 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org The Campaign for Our Shared Future Condemns Attacks on AP African American Studies Washington, D.C . - Today, the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) Executive Director Heather Harding, Ed.D. released the following statement in response to renewed attacks on the Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course: “As families and students across the country head back to school, our students are once again caught in the crosshairs of political theater that undermines their ability to learn the true and complete history of our country. The Arkansas Education Department’s decision not to allow AP African American Studies to be taught for credit—the same way other AP courses are—is the latest attack by extremists on the teaching of African American history in our public schools. “The history of our country and the history of Black Americans is not partisan and is not indoctrination. I applaud the College Board for their promise to continue the important work of educating our students and for refusing to bow to political pressure.” ### The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 29, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org ICYMI: Campaign for Our Shared Future Elevates Student Leader’s Mission to Center Youth Voices In The Fight For High-Quality Education Latest Blog Post on “The Unbiased Classroom” Explains the Importance of Student Leadership For A High-Quality Education Washington, D.C . - Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) shares testimony from Addie Lentzner, a student and Executive Fellow with Our Turn , a national youth-led movement that promotes access to quality education. In the latest blog post for “The Unbiased Classroom,” Lentzner shares her experiences as a high school student during the start of the pandemic and encourages readers to center student voices in education decisions. Lentzner’s perspective adds value to discussions about curriculum and censorship. She understands how it feels to not learn about certain topics and the effect that has on her and her peers' ability to understand the world around them. Her and other youth leaders involved in Our Turn demonstrate that students care about what they learn, and student voices are crucial to creating a curriculum that is beneficial for all students. COSF knows that it takes collaboration to better education and students must be part of the conversation because they are experiencing the consequences of decisions every day. Their opinions can help us to understand what works and what could be better. Youth voices need to be heard so that they get the most out of their education experience. Read an excerpt from: “Want to improve K-12 Education? Listen to the Students.” “Addie, what happened during the war of 1812?” I quickly jumped from another tab - where I was focused on the latest news flashing across my screen - to the Google Meet screen for high school history. I unmuted, giving an answer I knew was nowhere near correct. I always loved school, and believed that education is one of the most important aspects of our society. However, I think we’re doing school all wrong. During 2020, at the start of COVID, my classmates and I had to transition to a whole new way of learning, while also navigating a period of reckoning with the incessant murders of innocent Black Americans. I understand the importance of history, and I eventually learned what happened during the war of 1812. But a classroom setting where high school students are unable to process the events taking place in the world around them and the changes that are affecting their lives isn’t an environment that best serves us. We were experiencing a worldwide pandemic, racial inequality and police brutality, and the stress of virtual learning on our mental health. And we were expected to come to the classroom and forget it all. The death of George Floyd was a moment of reckoning and yet it’s also part of a long history of race in America. A history that in too many places across the country is being erased by extremists and politicians. Did you know that there have been attempts to ban books or restrict curriculum in over 40 states? That there are publishers who have been pressured to remove race from lessons about Rosa Parks? This isn’t about making anyone feel bad, it’s about learning the true and complete history of our country - something that I didn’t get in my public school. … As the country and world watched our nation grapple with racial injustice and the continuous police brutality, we as students didn’t have the history to understand how we arrived at that moment and what we could do to overcome the adversity we were seeing. How can we expect young people to think independently and create positive change if we don’t teach them the truth? In short, we have to transform our education system to reflect the lived experiences of students and reflect the true and complete history of our country. You can read the full post here . If you are interested in learning about the work other student leaders are spearheading related to K-12 public schools the Campaign for Our Shared Future would welcome the opportunity to connect you to their work. ## The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high-quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom Re: Say no to Senate Bill 83 April 18, 2023 Re: Say no to Senate Bill 83 Chair Cirino, Vice-Chair Rulli, Ranking Member Ingram, and members of the Workforce and Higher Education Committee: At the Campaign for our Shared Future (COSF), we believe all young people should learn to think independently–and to face the real world. Senate Bill (SB) 83 would undermine this goal, which is my we strongly urge you to vote no on this proposal. Education should introduce our children to our functioning society, teach them to live within it, and continue to make it more perfect. That is what sets Ohio—and our country—apart. SB 83 Bolsters Extremists and Political Games We must not let students become political pawns. SB 83 opens the floodgates to campus speakers who espouse racist, antisemitic, and other odious or violent beliefs. Ohio is already home to an alleged “Nazi homeschooling group.” Does this committee want Ohio to be the home of Nazi curriculum and speakers in higher education in the name of so-called “intellectual diversity” that is actually harmful to Ohio’s future? Racist, antisemitic, and fascist ideology must be stopped, NOT bolstered. SB 83 Censors Age-Relevant Education There is a widely expressed concern that our country is being harmed by new generations of college students that demand to be sheltered from hearing concepts they do not like. Yet, this bill does exactly that by trying to “rescue” college students, master’s students, Ph.D. candidates, and public servants of all ages from DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) training. We must teach students to lean into discomfort and difficult conversations, not run away from them. SB 83’s Targeting of “Diversity and Inclusion” is un-American The American Dream stands upon the notion that we are all equal. Young people learn to put that into practice in schools and in higher education. Yet SB 83 targets programming that teaches students and faculty how to create safe and inclusive learning spaces for ALL students. This leads us down a slippery slope. If we ban teaching about inclusion, will we ban teaching about Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and other civil rights leaders who fought for inclusion to make our country stronger? We need to learn from the past to forge a better future. Look at what we overcame to get to where we are today. This is what makes this country exceptional. SB 83 Impacts ALL Students This proposal puts historically Black, Latinx, and multicultural fraternities and sororities on the chopping block. Programming for low-income students, first-generation college students, disabled students, students who are parents, and veterans, and “any group identity” could also be affected. Targeted supports and programming are NOT a zero-sum game. ALL students deserve unique support that aligns with their circumstances and needs. Civil Rights Laws Alone are Not Enough The sponsor of SB 83 says that civil rights laws sufficiently protect students from discrimination, yet DEI programs help institutions abide by these laws. We need more inclusive learning, not less. Indeed, the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights logged an alarming increase in the number of civil rights complaints during the last fiscal year. The office received nearly 19,000 complaints between Oct. 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022, more than double the previous year and breaking the record of 16,000 filed in fiscal year 2016, according to figures provided by the department.[i] It’s clear that laws alone do not deter discrimination or ensure ALL students have access to safe and inclusive learning environments. SB 83 Will Sow Division and Hatred DEI programming and diversity statements have nothing to do with political views and everything to do with fostering a safe and inclusive atmosphere for ALL groups of people, regardless of their gender, race and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, religions, cultures, ages, sexual orientations. Fear mongering about innocuous and necessary programs will sow division, confusion, and turmoil for Ohio’s college students . Our universities and colleges are much more than helping students with personal achievement; they are about preparing people to work together to advance not just themselves but society. SB 83 Encourages Witch Hunts By requiring public reviews of faculty “bias,” SB 83 encourages witch hunts into the private and personal opinions of faculty, neither of which impact their expertise or instruction in the classroom. SB 83 will drive talented professors away from Ohio, scaring away innovation and making the state’s universities and colleges less competitive than those around the country. Let’s talk about the best education for our children instead of scoring political points. SB 83 Is Bad for Business Diversity is increasingly a core value and commitment that companies prioritize. Companies understand that having diverse viewpoints at all levels of an organization improves financial results, organizational and team performance, innovation and other areas of the business.[ii] By policing classroom speech on a wide range of topics labeled “controversial,” and targeting inclusion programming, SB 83 takes away students’ opportunity to develop key life skills and become the future of Ohio’s workforce. SB 83 Creates Red Tape This proposal would shift money, time, and resources away from students and toward red tape. Rather than creating more bureaucracy and wasting tax dollars, we need to focus resources on helping students succeed. [i] Strife in the Schools: Education Dept. Logs Record Number of Discrimination Complaints, The New York Times, Jan 1, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/01/us/politics/education-discrimination.html [ii] Diversity wins: How inclusion matters, McKinsey & Company, 2020, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom Re: COSF Statement on Proposed Changes to Rule 2445.40 (Instructional Materials) July 14, 2022 To: Robert Joey Wiseman, Jr., Director, Middle and Secondary Learning Services, West Virginia Department of Education The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is writing to comment on the revision of Policy 2445.40 (Instructional Resources), issued by the West Virginia Department of Education on July 14, 2022. As a campaign dedicated to ensuring every child has access to an excellent K-12 education, inclusive of and accessible to all, we are committed to stopping harmful policy that threatens our children’s freedom to learn. The legislation underlying the proposed rule was unnecessary and will cause untold harm to West Virginia’s students. Federal law, via the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), already ensures that all parents have access to the materials used in their child's classroom—all they have to do is ask (1). The West Virginia General legislature’s ill-conceived decision to amend W. Va. Code § 18-5-27 was based on a fictional narrative that educators are teaching inappropriate concepts behind parents’ backs. The lack of clarity around implementation in the proposed rules, including the lack of safeguards for teachers in the complaint process, further exacerbates the level of potential harm to our children. We believe the proposed rules fall short of providing sufficient guidance and clarity to educators and school staff—a harmful oversight that has already resulted in needless inventories of classroom libraries and will undoubtedly continue to sow confusion, chaos, and censorship (2). As this comment will explain, the Department must propose detailed language that institutes fair and transparent complaint processes; safeguards educators from political witch hunts; and prevents the politicization of the state’s public schools. The Department must continue to function as a much-needed non-partisan policy-making body, especially amid the Legislature’s continued effort to chip away at its autonomy (3). Yet the proposed changes to Policy 2445.40 only double down on the legislature’s fictional narrative. It is our sincere hope that the Department will prioritize clarity, transparency, and stakeholder engagement in its revision and implementation of Policy 2445. To this end, in addition to the changes outlined below, a public hearing is necessary to ensure parents, young people, and educators have an opportunity to give input on the proposed rules and any additional guidance the Department develops on the matter. COSF is disappointed in the proposed language and will continue to monitor the development, implementation, and impact of this policy on the availability of high-quality education for all children. The proposed rule has no time limits on when a complaint can be dredged up. Under the current proposal, an individual can file a complaint months, if not years, after an alleged violation occurs. At a minimum, the Department ought to establish a reasonable window for accusations to be made. We recommend that complaints be filed within 10 business days of the alleged violation. This window will ensure details of an alleged violation are not forgotten and that the potential influence by outside parties is limited. Further, the proposed rules are unclear on whether a teacher is required to meet with eligible individuals within 10 business days. One reading of the rules is that teachers have 10 business days to “schedule”—that is, set a date—for the inspection, but such an inspection can take place after the 10-day window. We recommend this reading, which requires that teachers, within 10 business days, set a date for a meeting that can occur at a later time, including during regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences. The proposed rule does nothing to protect a teacher from harassment by bad-faith actors. As written, an individual could submit dozens of complaints about a teacher⁠ over the same facts if they choose. We strongly recommend that the Department include language that expressly prohibits a complainant from filing multiple complaints based on the same facts and allegations. It is also common sense to place a limit on the number of complaints eligible individuals can submit to ensure this policy is not abused by a few bad-faith actors. Nothing in the proposed rule prevents illegitimate complaints from being submitted and reported to the legislature. The proposed rules require yearly reports to the state legislature on the number of parent complaints filed—but not the nature or resolution of complaints. Reporting only the number of complaints filed would provide an unclear picture of the problem in local schools, considering that individuals could file illegitimate allegations both knowingly and unknowingly. To alleviate this problem, the Department should propose language in the yearly report section requiring county superintendents to report on the nature and resolution of complaints filed. We also recommend that the Department require county superintendents to distinguish in their reports between substantiated and unsubstantiated complaints, with the former characterizing instances where a teacher was found to have affirmatively and intentionally broached provisions of Policy 2445.40. Additionally, we recommend the Department expressly clarify that legitimate complaints under Policy 2445.40 include failing to schedule an appointment, failing to furnish a list of required books, or failing to explain how materials align with state standards if prompted. General complaints about the age-appropriateness or content of materials are not covered under proposed changes to Policy 2445.40. In Tennessee, where a similar complaint system was instituted in 2021, rules expressly clarify that general complaints about the subject matter or age-appropriateness of materials are to be filed with the local school pursuant to the school’s locally adopted policy for addressing such complaints (4). We recommend that the Department heed this example. Finally, educators deserve assurances that the legislature will not use the yearly report to target particular schools or teachers for political reasons. We cannot allow this to happen in West Virginia. To prevent the potential for personal or dangerous attacks on our schools or educators, the Department must add a provision to Policy 2445.40 that ensures all data reported by county superintendents are anonymized to protect students, teachers, and schools. The proposed rules undermine fair investigations into complaints. Not only does the 7-day window for resolving complaints make fair investigations difficult, but it is also far from the norm. In Tennessee, superintendents are given sixty (60) calendar days after receiving a complaint to investigate and determine whether the allegation can be substantiated. At a minimum, the Department should enshrine minimum requirements for investigating complaints that call for documenting evidence and ensuring due process for teachers, including allowing teachers to appeal a resolution. The lack of exceptions could result in teachers being reprimanded for exceptional circumstances. Currently, the proposed rules do not offer exceptions to the 10-day window for teachers who are sick, who have a family emergency, or who otherwise cannot find a common time to meet with families within the 10-day allotted period. The Department should allow the timeline to be extended upon approval from the school principal if exceptional circumstances can be appropriately documented. The proposed rule does not prevent varying standards for teacher behavior county to county and school to school. The proposed rule does not articulate what constitutes a resolution of a complaint, ensuring no uniformity in the implementation of remedial actions across the state. Without guardrails, a teacher in one county could get a warning, while a teacher in the next county could get fired over similar facts. To address this, we recommend that the Department codify appropriate resolutions for substantiated complaints. We appreciate the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@campaignsharedfuture.org . Sources United States Department of Education, Student Privacy Office, Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), https://www.google.com/url?q=https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/sites/default/files/resource_document/file/20-0379.PPRA_508_0.pdf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1658417837679302&usg=AOvVaw2oP6i74ToP2entZ9BeJ6YT The Dominion Post, “Classroom libraries must be inventoried because of new law,” https://www.dominionpost.com/2022/05/26/classroom-libraries-must-be-inventoried-because-of-new-law/ House Joint Resolution 102, https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hjr102%20ENR.htm&yr=2022&sesstype=RS&i=102&houseorig=h&billtype=jr Tennessee, Rules of the Department of Education, Chapter 0520-12-04, Prohibited Concepts in Instruction, https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0520/0520-12/0520-12-04.20211108.pdf Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org Campaign For Our Shared Future Holds Virtual Press Call Ahead of November School Board Elections WASHINGTON, DC - With less than six weeks until November elections and early voting underway in many states, the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) will hold a press call via Zoom to highlight the voices of families and students impacted by the nearly 30,000 school board elections taking place in 2023. Speakers will discuss why these elections matter in their respective communities and share resources on how to get out the vote this fall. WHAT: Press call to discuss the need to vote in school board elections this November. WHO: Heather Harding , Executive Director of The Campaign for Our Shared Future Kate Nazemi, Pennsylvania mother and co-founder of Advocates for Inclusive Education , Bucks County Zoe King, Virginia high school student who organized a walkout with hundreds of peers Cathleen Hyde, Louisiana mother of a transgender student who advocated against statewide youth healthcare ban WHEN: September 28, 2023 12:00 pm EST/11:00 am CST To receive Zoom information, you must register for the call . Please us e this link to register. ### The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 8, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org Latest blog post on “The Unbiased Classroom” Expresses the Importance of Teamwork for a More Enjoyable Educational Experience Washington, DC - The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) features insights from Mohan Sivaloganathan, the CEO of Our Turn , a national youth-led movement that promotes access to quality education. In the latest blog post for “The Unbiased Classroom” he emphasizes the need for allyship and collaboration for a better education system. Read an excerpt from: Bring Joy Back to Education “Appa, did you know that planes have aerodynamics that help them to go faster than cars or trains?” My 4-year old son loves school. Granted, every morning with him presents a new set of battles: brush your teeth, pick out your clothes, eat your breakfast instead of launching a new game at the dining table. But by the time we are walking through the hallway of his school during drop off, he literally forgets that I exist and goes marching into the classroom with confidence and excitement. He is eager to learn, discover, and have fun, and his school surrounds him with opportunities to be creative, make mistakes, and grow. As a father, I am compelled to resist the urge to envision his career as a pilot or astrophysicist. Instead, I try to situate myself as a passenger on his remarkable, ever evolving educational journey. Sadly, my son’s experience is increasingly an anomaly in the U.S. educational landscape. More and more families are wary of K-12 schools as politically motivated firestorms that divert attention from the support that our students deserve, and teachers are so overwhelmed that many are inclined to dissuade people from the profession. Schools should spark opportunity, equity, and possibility, and yet, we are experiencing a rapid drainage of joy from education. With a new school year upon us, I hope we can break away from a status quo of blame and polarization, and navigate toward a shared aspirational vision of education. There are three ways we can get started: building agency, investing in people, and fostering allyship. You can read the full post here . Sivaloganathan’s role as a father and his work at Our Turn provides an inspirational and thought-provoking perspective on the public education system. Education is about the people involved - students, teachers, parents, advocates, and more. Instead of creating a bigger divide, it is important that we look past the polarizing noise and invest in each other for a better future. COSF understands that a multitude of perspectives is important to the betterment of our education system. For that reason, COSF collects the perspectives and expertise of educators, parents, leaders and advocates to encourage honest and respectful discussions that can contribute to effective solutions for the success of all children. ### The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high-quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 24, 2023 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org The Campaign for Our Shared Future Responds to House Passage of the Politics Over Parents Act (HR 5) Senate must stop federal legislation that wastes tax dollars on red tape and scare tactics Washington, D.C. - Today, the Campaign for Our Shared Future Executive Director, Heather Harding, Ed.D., released the following statement in response to the U.S. House of Representatives passing the Politics Over Parents Act (HR 5) : “This legislation is nothing more than a scare tactic by extremist politicians trying to make it harder for educators to work with parents to teach children what they need to learn. We call on the Senate to put this bill where it belongs—in the trash. “This is not about helping parents and teachers work together effectively—it’s about scoring political points by frightening families into thinking schools don’t have the best interests of children at heart. Federal laws—as well as many state and local laws—already cover much of what is detailed in this legislation. Parents can access the materials their children use in school, and districts already ask parents for their thoughts on materials before making purchases. “Instead of engaging in this kind of political theater that creates more red tape and wastes tax dollars, we should be talking about the support that families actually need coming out of a global pandemic. We need to focus on resources that help our children, not on the personal agendas of federal politicians who have little connection to our schools.” ### The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2023 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org The Campaign for Our Shared Future Responds to the U.S. Education Department’s Resolution Agreement with Georgia School District Washington, D.C . - Today, the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) Executive Director, Heather Harding, Ed.D., released the following statement in response to the resolution agreement reached by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and Forsyth County, Georgia, on Friday. The Education Department held that the district’s handling of book challenges created a hostile environment on the basis of race and sex, and the district agreed to take immediate steps to assess the damage done and support the students harmed by their actions. “This resolution agreement confirms what families across the country experience every day: Book bans and curriculum censorship create uncertainty and fear for all students and a hostile environment for those most directly affected. “All students should have access to high-quality, age-appropriate materials that educate and celebrate the rich history of our country. Instead, far too many districts are abandoning long-standing, thoughtful procedures for reviewing books in response to extremist politicians looking to score points at the expense of our children. “P arents do not want politicians meddling in our children’s education. This resolution agreement reminds school and district leaders of their primary duty: to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment for their students, even as political storms swirl around them. Our families, educators, and school administrators must work together to protect books and materials that allow all students to be authentically represented.” ### The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org Campaign for Our Shared Future Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting Students Right to Read During Banned Books Month Washington, D.C. - Today, the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) Executive Director Heather Harding, Ed.D. released the following statement during Banned Books Week and in recognition of COSF’s decision to spend the month of October commemorating Banned Book Month: “As we celebrate the freedom to read and the right of every student to explore diverse perspectives, Banned Books Week is a reminder of the challenges we face in our efforts to preserve these freedoms. “In this time marked by damaging attacks on schools across the nation, books are being censored, challenged, and even banned because they explore uncomfortable truths, challenge the status quo, or provide insights into the lives of those whose stories are often marginalized. Censoring or banning books not only infringes upon our children's right to explore ideas and cultures different from their own but also leads to an inaccurate telling of history and encourages the censorship of K-12 curriculum in ways that erase some American stories. “With many states across the country poised to elect new school board members next month, we must stand together to protect the right to read. Our decision at the ballot box helps ensure we have local leaders that protect students’ rights to explore, learn, and grow through the pages of books that may challenge, inspire, or resonate with their own experiences.” The decision to recognize October as Banned Book Month comes just weeks after new studies were published highlighting the mounting pressure to censor and a record surge of book challenges in the first eight months of 2023. ## The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high-quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2023 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org The Campaign for Our Shared Future Announces Voter Education Campaign and Guide Washington, DC - Today, the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) Executive Director, Heather Harding, Ed.D. released the following statement celebrating the launch of a 2023 voter education campaign focused on school board races across the country: "Elections are about the future, and school boards do important work close to home. In 2023, more than 30,000 school board elections will help make decisions about curriculum and funding for children and teachers nationwide. The people we elect to serve on our school boards will have a greater effect on our children's futures than who we elect as president. "Our schools should reflect the values and priorities of our communities. Voting in school board elections is the best way of protecting local control and family involvement. We must ensure that our school board members represent the interests of all our students and families, and aren’t simply trying to advance their own political careers. Those we elect must work collaboratively with educators, parents, and community members to create a learning environment that supports our children’s academic needs and enables their personal growth and success. "Selecting the best candidates will require education. This month, the Campaign For our Shared Future will launch a voter education campaign to prepare voters for civic participation. To support this effort, we’ve developed a voter guide filled with essential information people can use to prepare for the elections in their communities. We hope that by providing this information, voters will have the tools to help them identify and consider candidates aligned with their values and priorities. Together, we can ensure our children have the best possible chance to succeed and thrive in school and life." ​ ### The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is a non-partisan effort to support high quality K-12 education and preserve access, inclusion, and meaningful content in our schools so that every student has an opportunity to succeed and thrive. COSF is a common ground effort committed to fighting the attack on education across the country. Previous Next