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< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 10, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org Campaign for Our Shared Future Launches "The Unbiased Classroom" Blog "The Unbiased Classroom" is a resource that aims to shed light on the effects of politics entering the education system and how it’s hurting all of our children WASHINGTON, DC - The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is excited to announce the launch of its blog, " The Unbiased Classroom " which serves as a space for open dialogue and respectful discussions on today's challenging topics. By leveraging the expertise and perspectives of guest authors, including educators, parents, leaders, and other passionate advocates, this blog will delve into preserving the integrity of our educational system. "Education is the cornerstone of our society, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that every child has access to a high-quality and inclusive learning environment. 'The Unbiased Classroom' serves as a powerful platform for fostering dialogue, challenging existing norms, and working towards a future where equity and excellence are not mere aspirations, but fundamental principles guiding our educational system,” said Heather Harding, Ed.D, Executive Director of COSF. COSF recognizes the value of open dialogue and respectful discussions, especially on the most pressing issues of our time. "The Unbiased Classroom" is specifically designed to foster such conversations, enabling everyone from educators to politicians to seek common ground and work together towards effective solutions that prioritize the well-being and success of our children. COSF is pleased that its inaugural guest author is Willie Carver, Jr a former Kentucky Teacher of the Year and author who was forced to resign due to the relentless harassment he endured, as well as the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination on his teaching and the overall school environment. Read an excerpt from States Across America Just Handed their Curriculum to Extremists : Education has always dealt with the political reality of racism and homophobia, but, as multiple recent reports show, those issues are worsening in public schools–and our communities are feeling the aftershock. Schools are erasing LGBTQ+ and BIPOC voices in order to avoid controversy and legal repercussions at a time when students in those communities need to feel inclusion and belonging for their wellbeing . I saw this erasure play out often in my former school district, Montgomery County Schools in Mount Sterling, KY. As a member of the English Department, I worked with my colleagues to select age-appropriate texts. One of those books was the award-winning The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Just one parent called and complained. It was banned the next day. At the time, our superintendent broke school policy in banning the book in one day without a process . Now, lack of process has become standard practice. You can read the full post here . Willie's powerful personal experience underscores the urgent need for inclusivity and tolerance within our educational institutions. Through his courageous story, "The Unbiased Classroom" aims to shed light on the challenges faced by educators and students alike, with the ultimate goal of effecting positive change. ### 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

Re: Revision of the History and Social Science Standards of Learning Dear Virginia Board of Education, Our goal at Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) is to ensure all children have an opportunity to learn from the past and prepare for their future. We know this goal requires high-quality history and social studies standards, especially amid efforts by radical politicians to censor what kids learn in Virginia and across the country. Unfortunately, we share the concern that Virginia’s revision process was seized by political games at the expense of our kids. The decision to sidestep the initial draft of Standards (August 2022) developed over a transparent, two-year process silences the voices of hundreds of stakeholders, including students, teachers, historians, families, and some of the world’s leading history organizations. The resulting Standards (November 2022) aimed to score political points by watering down African American history and even erasing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from the early grades. It’s un-American to downplay the impact of those who pushed to change our country to be better. We can all agree that learning about our heroes sets a great example for all of our children. While we commend the Board’s improvements, the latest Standards (January 2023) still contain errors, omissions, and sequencing problems. Below are the objections raised by stakeholders with which COSF agrees. We urge you to address these concerns with adequate input from subject-matter experts across Virginia. Doubling down on the fictional narrative that teachers are forcing White children to feel guilty for the consequences of American slavery (page 8 - 9). Marginalizing the history and contributions of Indigenous Peoples, including by omitting Indigenous Peoples’ Day and teaching students that our history begins when European explorers arrived on the continent. Providing superficial coverage of Black history and sidestepping the African American History Education Committee’s recommendations (e.g., not acknowledging the resistance of most white Southerners to Reconstruction, omitting the term “hate groups”). Providing superficial coverage of the history and modern-day culture of the Latino/a/x community, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the LGBTQ+ community. Focusing on teaching students what to think, not how to think. Introducing disruptive sequence changes that could cause significant upheaval for school staffing, student scheduling, and state assessments. While COSF is disappointed in the revision process and resulting language, we will continue to monitor the development, implementation, and impact of the Standards on the availability of true and complete history education for all children in the Commonwealth. It is also our sincere hope that the Board will restore its own time-honored approval processes and prioritize transparency and stakeholder engagement in adopting the revised Standards. Important work remains to realize Governor Youngkin’s mission “to teach our history, the good and the bad.” The stakes are high: Watering down history ensures that our children are unprepared to think critically and independently–and to face the real world.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2022 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org The Campaign for Our Shared Future’s Statement Following Roundtable Discussion in Ohio on Midterm Elections Impact on Public Education Cleveland, OH - Today, the Campaign for Our Shared Future’s Executive Director Heather Harding participated in a roundtable discussion with Ohio education leaders and students on the impact of the midterm elections on public education. She released the following statement: “In Ohio and across the country, self-serving politicians are using our children’s education as a political wedge in order to push their extremist agendas. Through book-banning, classroom censorship, and attacks on our most vulnerable children, political opportunists have been working to dismantle our public schools. Today in Ohio, we had an encouraging and productive discussion about the urgent need to elect officials who will put our children first. “Next week’s elections will have an enormous impact on the future of public education in Ohio. Already, students, families, and teachers are working together to overcome challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic while also navigating unprecedented rates of mental health crises, school funding issues, and teacher shortages. But they need support at every level of government. “It’s important to look at every single election and evaluate whether those candidates would work for our children. Ohio has to elect four members of the State School Board next week. That will set the tone for the school board races in communities all over the state next year. These elections receive the least attention, but they hit closest to home. “Extremists and political opportunists have their sights set on disrupting school boards and destroying everything that works in our schools. Instead of teaching our complete and true history, they want to ban books. Instead of supporting successful programs like social emotional learning, they want to vilify trusted teachers. And instead of championing mental health resources that educate the whole student, they want to attack vulnerable children. These people only want power, and they don’t care that our children’s futures are caught in their games. “We are at a crucial moment when we can either decide to elect leaders who will invest in our children and our communities, or radical politicians who will lean into culture wars in an attempt to distract and divide us. I hope that voters will make the right choices this month.” ​ ###

For Immediate Release: October 13, 2022 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org Campaign for Our Shared Future anuncia una compra de anuncios de $300,000 en Ohio, Pensilvania y Missouri Washington, D.C. – The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF), un esfuerzo común comprometido a luchar contra el ataque a la educación pública en todo el país, anunció una compra de anuncios de $300,000 en Ohio, Pennsylvania y Missouri, condenando los esfuerzos divisivos contra la educación. El anuncio de Ohio critica la peligrosa legislación de inspección genital de los legisladores estatales que apunta a los deportes juveniles . La legislación daría acceso público a las partes privadas de las niñas al exigir que cualquier estudiante atleta se someta a una inspección genital externa e interna completa si es acusada o sospechosa de ser transgénero. Esta campaña publicitaria se lanzó la misma semana en que la Junta de Educación del Estado de Ohio votó una resolución que intentaba invalidar las protecciones para los niños LGBTQ+. COSF alienta a los padres a decirles a los legisladores de Ohio que mantengan sus manos alejadas de sus hijos. En Pensilvania, el anuncio destaca los ataques recientes a las bibliotecas escolares , que han llevado a un distrito escolar a liderar la nación con la mayor cantidad de libros prohibidos. COSF está pidiendo a los padres que protejan los derechos de sus hijos para aprender sobre líderes como Rosa Parks, Anne Frank y Martin Luther King Jr. El anuncio de Missouri llama a los padres a condenar la retórica de odio utilizada por Jessica Clark, miembro de la junta escolar de Rockwood Missouri. En lugar de centrarse en las necesidades de todos los niños, Clark se burla de los estudiantes con discapacidades y promueve temas divisivos para atraer a una base extremista. “En todo el país, los políticos extremistas les están fallando a las familias y los estudiantes, a quienes les importa más promover guerras culturales divisivas que brindar una educación de alta calidad apropiada para la edad. Los estudiantes y los padres se preocupan profundamente por esa misión, pero no siempre saben qué se interpone en el camino o qué hacer al respecto”, dice Heather Harding Ed.D., directora ejecutiva de COSF. “Estos anuncios llamarán la atención sobre estos temas importantes y recordarán a las familias las consecuencias de permitir que nuestros hijos sean utilizados como peones políticos”. Puedes ver los anuncios de Ohio aquí y aquí , el anuncio de Pensilvania aquí y el anuncio de Missouri aquí . ### La Campaña por Nuestro Futuro Compartido (COSF) es un esfuerzo no partidista para apoyar la educación K-12 de alta calidad y preservar el acceso, la inclusión y el contenido significativo en nuestras escuelas para que cada estudiante tenga la oportunidad de tener éxito y prosperar. COSF es un esfuerzo común comprometido a luchar contra el ataque a la educación en todo el país.

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The Facts What is the role of civics? What is social-emotional learing? Is transparency in schools a good thing? Learn more about what people are talking about The Facts Is transparency in schools a good thing? Yes! Parents have a right to know what their children are learning - no really, they already have that right. Federal law already requires schools to provide easily understandable data about student, school, and district academic performance and well-being. Legislation framed as a “need for transparency” is being pushed by radical politicians who want to drive a wedge between teachers and parents. They see this as an opportunity to insert their extremist agenda and culture wars into our classrooms. Is transparency in schools a good thing? What is social-emotional learning? Social-emotional learning teaches students the essential communication, decision-making, and self-discipline skills to build their confidence and succeed in the real world. By creating a positive learning environment where students learn how to focus and be productive, schools provide kids with the social skills they need to thrive. This approach has proven to increase academic performance and improve classroom behavior. ​ Students need to learn the fundamentals like reading and math, but we don't need to choose between academics and essential social-emotional skills. In fact, independent studies have found that kids who learn social and emotional skills at school do better academically than students who don’t. What is social-emotional learing? What is the role of civics? The role of civics is to teach students about how the government functions and the important role they play in that process. Our constitutional democracy requires informed civic participants, but for decades we have failed to prepare young Americans. We must ensure that all students learn the complete and accurate teaching of United States history. Teaching civics is important to the health of our democracy and the trust that citizens have in democratic institutions. What is the role of civics?

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School Boards Attending School Board Meetings How to Speak to Your School Board Resolutions for School Boards Historically, school boards didn't gain much attention outside of their communities. But a lot has changed in the past year. Across the country, culture wars have disrupted school board meetings and undermined healthy local control of our schools. School board members have come under attack for trying to do their jobs and run our schools well. In the short term, these outbursts are distracting, but their long-term effects are more troubling: They will change who runs for local school boards and who wins those seats—in many cases for the worse. In order to ensure that we elect school board representatives who are focused on the real needs of our children, we need to be informed voters. Oftentimes, the information you need is hard to find. Check out this guide for help on learning as much as you can before Election Day. School Boards Attending School Board Meetings As a concerned community member, you may wish to be part of the decision-making process for your local schools by attending school board meetings and supporting important proposals. If you do, there are important ways to ensure that your voice is heard. You won’t have a lot of time. Make sure that your message is succinct and powerful. Find out what the process is for speaking during the public comment period as well as how long you will have to speak. This can usually be found out by calling the main district office or looking on the school board’s website. The most powerful public comments are those that are unique and personalized. If you are speaking as part of a group, ensure that each person speaks to a different point so that the testimonies don’t sound repetitive. This also ensures that you can get multiple points across as a group even though each person only has a few minutes. A strong closer is important. Don’t just trail off at the end. Time yourself so that you ensure you can get through your closing without being cut off. Write down your remarks to ensure a polished presentation. Practice your remarks out loud. Don’t be afraid to show emotion. It’s not typical for the school board to ask or answer questions during an Open Forum. Be prepared to give your remarks without comment from the school board members. Be confident. This is your school district, and you have every right to be heard. Attending School Board Meetings How to Speak to Your School Board Step 1: Finding Your School Board’s Calendar First you will need to visit your school district’s website and then go to the calendar and identify when there are upcoming meetings. Step 2: Gathering information about your school board’s meetings Reach out to your school board member, superintendent, or principal and find out what issues the school board will be discussing. Ask when the public will be able to weigh in on these issues and how the school board will share those details with the community. Ask where and how school board meeting minutes will be available. Step 3: Registering to speak at a school board meeting You will likely need to register to speak at the meeting. Sometimes this can be listed under “participation” or a similar option. Many times school boards will have a deadline or a limit on how many speaking slots are available per meeting. Make sure you know when the sign-ups open so that you are ready to claim your spot. Step 4: Preparing your remarks You should be prepared to communicate clearly and directly and to share your story. Tell the board who you are and why you care. Some school boards have a limit on how long your remarks can be. Make sure you practice so that you don’t get cut off. How to Speak to Your School Board Resolutions for School Boards School boards are an important place for you to champion the voices of young people and families. One way to do this is through school board resolutions. Resolutions are a statement of policy or an order by the school board that a specific action be taken. What should be in your resolution? You should consider what policies your school, district, or state has in place that can be supported by your school board. You should also consider what opportunities there are to update or create new policies. The Campaign for Our Shared Future has worked to develop resolutions strengthening parents’ and students’ rights, creating a student representative position on a local school board, and opposing radical state legislation that interferes with childrens’ education. If you would like support choosing or modifying any of these resolutions, please contact: info@campaignsharedfuture.org Resolutions for School Boards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 9, 2022 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org The Campaign for Our Shared Future’s Statement: Midterm Election’s Impact on Public Education Washington, D.C. - Today, Campaign for Our Shared Future Executive Director Heather Harding released the following statement celebrating voter turnout during pivotal election for public schools: “This election marked a pivotal moment for public schools around the country. And while we wait for every vote to be counted, what’s become clear is that we had record numbers of voters in many states. “As a mother of two children, I am encouraged by the number of voters who went to the polls and cast their ballot, including in local school board races. It is my sincere hope that those elected will uphold the values of the communities they represent. That they will prioritize the partnership between parents and teachers, preserve access to an inclusive age-appropriate curriculum, and provide our schools with the resources students need to succeed. “One thing is for certain: all eyes are on these newly elected officials. As they begin their new tenure, we must continue to hold them accountable and ensure they put the interests of our students ahead of political gamesmanship. With the futures of our children on the line, the stakes could not be higher.” ###

< Back to Newsroom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2023 Contact: press@campaignsharedfuture.org The Campaign for Our Shared Future Calls the 2023 Elections a Triumph for Students: Elections Send a Clear Message for Education Democracy Washington, D.C . - Today, the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) Executive Director Heather Harding, Ed.D. released the following statement regarding the 2023 school board elections: “Yesterday, voters across the country had an opportunity to vote for the health and wellbeing of our students and democracy. And their votes sent a resounding message - we don’t like political interference when it comes to our kids. Parents fought for their children and won. “Since Day 1 of its existence, COSF has stood on the grounds of keeping politics out of classrooms and has helped parents navigate political threats entering the education system. The results of yesterday’s elections prove that when parents understand what’s at stake, they will get out to vote. In Pine Richland County Pennsylvania voter turnout increased by 53 percent, and in Loudoun County Virginia, voter turnout increased by 22 percent. “The work is just beginning. While COSF has developed resources such as its voter guide and voter playbook that local partners used to drive voter turnout in school board elections, the advocacy and work leading up to this election created a blueprint for winning for our kids. This blueprint will be pivotal in the 2024 elections. Yesterday’s results shined a spotlight on the candidates who ran for the wrong reasons, and politicians should take notice. “Given the high stakes for our students and the challenges educators and curricula have faced across the country, it is imperative that we come together in pursuit of an education system that offers every student an equitable chance to learn true history and see their own reflections in their coursework. We are responsible for engaging with and holding our school board members accountable. Let’s continue to put the right people in place for the job and fight for family and community voices to be the driving force behind transforming education.” ### 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 November 9, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org On Tuesday, Voters Rejected Moms for Liberty and Its Agenda of Cruelty and Hate Washington, D.C. - In red, blue, and purple states, voters across the country sent a clear and convincing message Tuesday rejecting an extremist education agenda, which censors our history, bans books, harms our students, stigmatizes trans students, LGBTQIA+ students, and educators, and students with LGBTQIA+ parents, and would give future generations fewer rights than their parents had. Across the country, voters supported candidates running to strengthen public schools, get our students the support and resources they need, address educator shortages, ensure our children don’t have fewer rights than we did, and keep students safe from gun violence. This election should fully and permanently retire the myth that rightwing hate groups like Moms for Liberty represent this country’s moms or parents, or that we want the candidates they support to run our school systems or our schools. We do not. And we, together, representing tens of millions of voters, intend to continue fighting back until our schools are strong and secure for all students. “This week, voters across the country had an opportunity to vote for the health and wellbeing of our students and democracy. And their votes sent a resounding message - we don’t like political interference when it comes to our kids. Parents fought for their children and won. Tuesday’s results shined a spotlight on the candidates who ran for the wrong reasons, and politicians should take notice. Let’s continue to put the right people in place for the job and fight for family and community voices to be the driving force behind transforming education.” - Heather Harding, Ed.D, Executive Director of the Campaign for Our Shared Future "This week, voters sent a clear message that they value candidates who are working hard to provide families with the tools and opportunities they need to build a good life. Across the country, voters rejected candidates up and down the ballot who were determined to take away rights and freedoms and instead embraced candidates who will fight for what families really need. This week’s results mean that families and kids across the country are better off, full stop." – Sondra Goldschein, Executive Director of the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy PAC “Lawmakers aren’t afraid of mothers as voters, but they will be. Last night’s victories should sound an alarm that women and mothers are paying attention and voting according to interest. As we say at the Chamber of Mothers: moms brought every lawmaker into this world, and we can vote them out.” - Erin Erenberg CEO Chamber of Mothers “Last night’s victories send a clear message: extremism may win attention, but equality and freedom win elections. As they have time and again, voters once again made clear that politicians hellbent on stripping away our freedoms and basic civil rights will fail. HRC was proud to endorse pro-equality champions across the country and have staff and volunteers on the ground to mobilize Equality Voters in Virginia and Ohio. Make no mistake – equality won at the ballot box.” - Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson “In yesterday’s election, voters across the country stood up for kids and repudiated Moms for Liberty and its bigoted agenda of book bans, discrimination, and taking away our choices. Let’s be clear: Moms for Liberty has never represented America’s mothers and families – and its effort to ‘mom-wash’ an agenda of hate is failing. Moms want to ensure future generations won't have fewer rights than we did. Moms want thriving schools that welcome all children, teach accurate history, and reject censorship, book bans, and attacks on students and educators. Moms want real investments in their families. We want an agenda that creates more affordable, high-quality child care and expands paid family and medical leave. At MomsRising, an organization of over a million members, with members in every state, we saw mom voters fired up to vote; we ran a direct mail, texting and phone program to let Ohio moms who are infrequent voters know when and where to vote – and they responded! America’s moms are fired up to protect our children and communities from hate and harm.” - Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, MomsRising “The conservative extremists who’ve been hijacking local school board elections failed to make the grade in this election--candidates endorsed by Moms for Liberty and the 1776 Project lost 8 out of 10 races on Tuesday. These results show when we center kids, voters will turn out to protect kids. NOW congratulates the grassroots activists and dedicated educators who are leading the charge to make education safe, equitable, and honest.”- Christian F. Nunes, National Organization for Women (NOW) “Across America most of us want the same thing, thriving communities with good jobs and strong public schools where all students – across race, place, and background - have the resources and opportunities to grow into their full brilliance. In yesterday’s elections, across red states and blue states and in urban, suburban and rural communities, parents and grandparents turned out in large numbers to support pro-public education candidates up and down the ballot. Voters rewarded candidates who articulated a clear, positive message about public education. They supported leaders who have focused on investing in our schools, partnering with educators and parents to help all students, and supporting working families. Conversely, parents and voters explicitly rejected extreme politicians who engaged in the politics of division, politicizing our classrooms, banning books, dragging their culture wars into our public schools, and pushing failed privatization schemes,” - National Education Association President Becky Pringle “This week, voters showed up to demand freedom, inclusion, and the right to make their own decisions and control their own lives. They rejected divisive attacks on LGBTQI+ children and adults. They refused to accept efforts to turn local school boards into weapons of hate and misinformation. And they reminded us yet again that protecting abortion is a winning issue. This was a gender justice election and a demonstration of our collective power to come together to build something better.” - Fatima Goss Graves, president of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund “On Election Day, we saw the GOP’s strategy on full display: target parent voters with a false narrative about ‘parental rights’ that hinges on a manufactured sense of distrust, chaos, and loss of control that Republicans themselves have created to stoke fear in parents - and we saw that agenda fail. From Ohio to Virginia to Kentucky and beyond, voters saw the GOP’s emphasis on education and parental rights as exactly what it is: an attempt to distract from their extreme and unpopular agenda.” - Alien Arreaza, ParentsTogether Action “Red Wine & Blue’s local mom-led team organized with moms on the ground to stop 131 extremist school board candidates from taking over key school boards across our target states, including 25 in Ohio, 14 in Pennsylvania, and 7 in Virginia. We successfully defeated 73% of school board extremists in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Ballots are still being counted in Virginia, but extremists have lost 75% of the races that have already been called. Don’t mess with mainstream moms - when we organize, we win and we’re not going anywhere. We see through the “parental rights” BS and we are the majority.” - Katie Paris, Red Wine & Blue Founder “These results underline what families have been telling us for the last two years: They don’t want culture wars; they want safe and welcoming public schools where their kids can recover and thrive. Where extremists peddled fear, voters wanted hope. Where extremists tried to smear and divide, voters demanded real solutions. Voters want government to support them, not ban books, censor history or limit their reproductive choices. They want public schools strengthened. They want good jobs, higher wages, lower costs and investments in transport and infrastructure. They reject division and want to seize the future together. Voters saw the extremists for who they were, despite the massive investment from Betsy DeVos, Glenn Youngkin and other deep-pocketed donors. From Virginia, to Pennsylvania, to Kentucky, to Wichita, Kansas, and beyond, we supported candidates with a vision to tackle learning loss, loneliness and literacy, boost critical thinking, teach honest history and hone practical skills.The reality is that the culture war agenda is toxic and hurtful, and that voters agree that the path to a brighter future for kids and families runs through the nation’s communities and public schools. That’s the message from last night. Now it’s time to get to work and provide real solutions for kids and communities to help our kids and families thrive, not smears, divisiveness and fear.” - American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten “Voters in Virginia sent a clear message opposing classroom censorship and discrimination by electing school board members who will stop banning books and ensure all students have the right to learn. Schools should embrace the value of diversity which is why we will continue to fight to protect LGBTQ students and prevent curriculum censorship.” - Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer, American Civil Liberties Union “There are days when it feels like the loudest voices are those who want to attack education. The results of Tuesday’s election, however, make it overwhelmingly clear that oppressive groups like Moms for Liberty only represent a small minority and do not reflect the views of parents across the country. Voters rejected book bans, attacks on our teachers, and dangerous policies that threaten our children's autonomy and very right to exist as they are. Parents want our kids to learn in a supportive environment that allows them to have a bright future and to thrive. Extremists have shown time and again that they do not act in the best interest of our kids, and they are paying the price at the ballot box. Vote Mama is proud to have supported winning candidates in Ohio and Pennsylvania that ran on platforms of acceptance and decency. These victories against Moms for Liberty candidates confirm that our movement is strong, and that there is no stopping moms who are fighting for the education that our kids deserve.” — Liuba Grechen Shirley, Vote Mama Founder and CEO ### 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: July 31, 2023 press@campaignsharedfuture.org Latest Blog Post on “The Unbiased Classroom” Outlines How Parents Should Get Engaged To Help Our Students Thrive Washington, DC - The Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF) shares insights from Kate Nazemi, the Co-Founder of Advocates for Inclusive Education on the importance of parent-teacher relationships in the latest blog post for “ The Unbiased Classroom .” Read an excerpt from: Parents Play an Important Role in Their Child’s Education As parents, we want the best for our children. We desire to see them succeed in school, identify their passions and live out their dreams. While we play an essential role in our child's education, it is important to acknowledge the vital contribution of teachers in helping our children reach their full potential. The success of our children hinges on our support. Studies show that students with involved parents are more likely to have better academic performance, better behavior, and stronger self-esteem. In a time when education seems to be under attack, the best defense is a strong and united front composed of parents and teachers working for the greater good of students. As a mother, I believe every child deserves an inclusive, meaningful education that supports their health, learning and success. And I know that the relationship between myself and my childrens’ teachers impacts how well they do in and out of the classroom. As a parent, I have seen that collaborating with teachers to provide a positive and supportive learning environment allows my girls to thrive. Teachers are an essential resource for children to gain knowledge and skills to succeed. Every parent has a dream for their children, and well-equipped schools and educators help actualize them. You can read the full post here . COSF understands that open dialogue is necessary to create real change in our education system. For that reason, COSF collects the perspectives and expertise of educators, parents, leaders and advocates to encourage respectful conversations that can produce effective solutions for the success of our children. Kate’s experience as a mother and educational advocate provides an exceptional perspective on why collaboration and teamwork is crucial to an inclusive education system and 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