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HONESTY FOR OHIO EDUCATION
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LUNCH & LEARN

​Building our capacity to ​KNOW better and DO better for Ohio
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​You're invited! Join us to connect with practitioners, advocates, and experts across Ohio.
Learn
about honest student and family-centered approaches to learning and wellness that support our students,
​engage our families, and build stronger communities throughout Ohio.

Pull up a seat to the table where we build capacity to KNOW better and DO better for Ohio.

​COMING UP...
POSPONED!

New Date/Time TBD

​Transforming Education: The Legacy of the Black Panther Party

Join us for a conversation where we will discuss the legacy of the Black Panther Party and how their work in using education as a tool for liberation transformed education as we know it.
​
Featuring:
  • Sheena Barnes, Director of People and Culture, Equality Ohio
  • LaTonya Goldsby, President, Black Lives Matter Cleveland
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ICYMI...

January 2025

Friday, January 24th at 12pm 

The CROWN Act


Featuring:
  •  Ainslee Johnson-Brown — Ohio Policy & Movement Building Director, URGE
  • Tausha Bonner-Johnson — Senior Policy Analyst, New Voices
Watch
Slides
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September 2024

Friday, September 6, 12 pm

Appeals and Beyond: 
An Overview of Ohio's Court Systems & Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth 


Featuring: 
  • Sean McCann — Policy Strategist, ACLU of Ohio
  • Catherine Turcer — Executive Director,  Common Cause Ohio 
Join us ​for a discussion on Ohio's Court Systems and the ACLUs legal fight against HB 68, which restricts youth from accessing gender-affirming care. 
Watch
Slides
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August 2024

Friday, August 2, 12 pm

The Importance of Intersectionality in the Classroom

Featuring:
  • Arianna Kelawala, Educating for Ohio's Future Campaign Organizer, OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership
  • Derek Burtch, Founder & Educator, Erase the Space
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Watch
Slides
June 2024

Friday, June 7, 12 pm

Juneteenth PRIDE
The Intersectional Journey for Liberation and Justice
​

Featuring:
  • Steve Arrington, Executive Director, Bayard Rustin LGBTQ+ Resource Center
  • Sherlynn Allen-Harris, Retired History Professor, Cuyahoga Community College 
watch
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Throughout the month of June, communities across Ohio will hold separate celebrations ​for Juneteenth Freedom Day, marking Black liberation at the late end of slavery in Texas, and PRIDE Month, centering LGBTQ+ identities and queer joy. Join us for an important discussion examining why both celebrations of freedom and justice are inextricably connected and interdependent. Our guests will share the role of Black LGBTQ+ leaders and experiences that have and are advancing the movement for Black freedom, equity, and justice... before and after Juneteenth.
May 2024

Friday, May 3, 12 pm

Centering AANHPI Identities

Moving Beyond the Model Minority Myth
​

Featuring:
  • Sophia Antoun, DEI Education Program Specialist, OSU
  • Kayli Rego, Student, The Ohio State University
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May is AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and  Pacific Islander) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and expand our knowledge about the AANHPI diaspora. Join us this month to learn about the origin of the Model Minority Myth and how it fuels misconceptions and harm of differing AANHPI communities. Our guests will explain ways to dismantle tired stereotypes and tropes, and champion AANHPI identities in our everyday lives. 
April 2024

Friday, April 5, 12 pm

National Autism Acceptance Month
Supporting students, families, and educators

Featuring the Autism Society Central Ohio
  • Laura Baird, President
  • Ginny Bryan, Operations Manager​​
  • Kathi Machle, Member and former Executive Director
watch
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April is Autism Acceptance Month, a time to raise collective understanding and support for autism across the nation. On Friday, the Autism Society Central Ohio (ASCO) will share information about autism diagnoses and specialized support networks across Ohio. ASCO will also discuss the challenges and barriers students and families face in schools around learning, IEPs, discipline, and mental health.
March 2024

Friday, March 1st, 12 pm
​

From the Suffrage Movement
to the Present Day

Continuing the Fight Voting Rights for Women, BIPOC Communities, and More...

​Featuring:
  • Jen Miller, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Ohio ​
  • Deidra Reese, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
watch
Slides
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February 2024

Friday, February 2, 12pm
​

Honest Education Every Month
Centering Black Identities, Culture, and Heritage

​Featuring:
  • Shanti' Coaston, 2024 Ohio Regional Teacher of the Year; Computer Science Educator, Westlake High School ​
  • Meryl Johnson, District 11 , State Board of Education​
watch
slides
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January 2024

Friday, January 5, 12pm

Addressing Political Violence:
How to protect honest education and a multiracial democracy
​
Featuring:
  • Samantha Owens, Director of Programs, Over Zero
watch
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Join us to learn about and discuss the ways in which political violence negatively impacts all elements of public life -- in the immediate, medium, and long-term -- and what we can do to prevent and counteract these impacts. We will start by discussing the dynamics of political violence and its ripple effects, discuss strategies to mitigate these dynamics, and then hear from local partners who are navigating this in their own work.
December 2023

Friday, December 1, 12pm

Inside the Ohio Statehouse
How a Bill Becomes a Law


Featuring:
  • Rachel Coyle, Co-Founder, How Things Work at the Statehouse
WATCH
SLIDES
resources
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November 2023

Friday, November 3, 12pm

Education Matters in Ohio
Reporter Roundtable

Featuring:
  • Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal
  • Ken Schneck, The Buckeye Flame
  • Howard Wilkinson, WVXU
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Join us for an important roundtable discussion about education matters impacting Ohio students, families, and schools. Education reporters will unpack the latest news on school board elections, the state takeover of the Department of Education, school funding, student rights and safety, and more.
October 2023

Friday, October 6, 12pm

Join the Honesty Movement!
An Intro to NEW Honesty Organizing Teams

Featuring:
  • Nate Brown, State Organizing Director, Honesty for Ohio Education
watch
SLIDES
LEARN ABOUT HONESTY TEAMS
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Join the Honesty Movement to help transform Ohio schools into honest, inclusive learning environments that protect the rights and safety of ALL students, families, and educators.

We're working with Ohioans across the state to build Honesty Organizing Teams in local communities, cities, and regions.

The teams will teach about the importance of an honest education grounded in a Whole Child framework; affirming all identities, cultures, and lived experiences in the classroom; building healthy relationships between schools and families; and engaging in local elections.

Join an Honesty team to help protect honest education and ensure every student has an active stake in their future!
September 2023

Friday, September 1, 12pm

Why School Board
Elections Matter

Understanding the Importance of
School Boards and Candidates


Featuring:
  • Cheryl Ryan, Director, Ohio School Boards Association
  • Renda Cline, Board President, Mansfield City Schools
  • Dion Manley, Board Member, Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
  • Dr. Kareem Moncree-Moffett, Board Member, Cincinnati Public Schools​​
watch
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More than 600 local school boards will be on the Ohio General Election ballot in November. Hundreds of school board candidates with differing values, backgrounds, and professional experience will compete for school board seats in Ohio suburban, exurban, urban, and rural communities.

Local school boards serve as the governing body for public school districts, helping determine priorities, policies, and campus culture. It's more important than ever that voters understand the important role, duties, and function of school boards before selecting their candidate, including governance, budgeting, facilities management, HR, policy, and curricula.

Join our school board panel to get an inside look at school boards and this year's school board elections.
August 2023

Friday, August 4, 12pm

​
BIG Changes for Ohio Education 
How the New State Budget Will Impact Public Education

Featuring:
  • Jeff Wensing, Vice President, Ohio Education Association
  • Dr. Christina Collins, State Board of Education, District 7
  • Stephen Mockabee, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Cincinnati​
watch
slides
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State leaders recently adopted the 2024-25 State Operating Budget for Ohio.

The 2-year budget included sweeping changes to public education:
  • $1.8B towards the continued phase-in of the Fair School Funding Plan
  • Universal expansion of publicly funded private school vouchers for Ohio K-12 students
  • Government takeover of K-12 public education
  • Publicly funded partisan thought centers on five university campuses

Join education experts from K-12 and higher education spaces to learn about the impact of the State Budget on education funding, access, governance, and curricula.
June 2023
​
Friday, June 2, 12pm

Youth Voice & Student Leaders 
Building Intergenerational Power for
​Ohio Education


Featuring:
  • Kris Crider (she/her/hers), Organizing Fellow, Ohio Student Association
  • Arianna Kelawala (she/her/hers), Campaign Organizer, OPAWL
  • Clovis Westlund, (they/he), Student Organizer, Honesty for Ohio Education
watch
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"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela

We're proud to feature three Ohio student organizers who are changing the future of Ohio education with their passion for high quality education, incredible statewide leadership, ​and their multidimensional identities and lived experiences.

Kris Crider, Arianna Kelawala, and Clovis Westlund will share how they:
  • Teach students to advocate for an equitable State Budget and fully funded public education
  • Build legislation for culturally inclusive K12 social studies curricula 
  • Protect academic freedom by fighting extremist censorship legislation
May 5, 2023
​
Friday, May 5, 12pm

Centering Racial Equity in Ohio Education
Transforming K-12 Curriculum, Policies & Classrooms 

Featuring:
  • Tessa Xuan,  Co-Director, OPAWL
  • Izetta Thomas, Education Justice Organizer, Columbus Education Justice Coalition
  • Derek Burtch, Co-Founder, Erase the Space
watch
slides
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"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." James Baldwin

Learn how educators, organizations, and community members can advance racial equity in Ohio schools and transform districts into high-functioning, culturally proficient learning environments. The panel will share culturally relevant approaches to honest curriculum, equitable school policies, and inclusive, responsive classrooms.
April 2023
​
Friday, April 7, 12pm

Education Matters: 
Higher Education Destruction Act
LGBTQ+ Rights


Featuring:
  • Professor David Jackson, Political Science, Bowling Green State University; Ohio Conference of American Association of University Professors
  • Maria Bruno, Public Policy Director, and Kathryn Poe, Public Policy & Digital Manager, Equality Ohio
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Ohio legislators continue to sponsor harmful bills that censor honest, inclusive education on higher ed campuses and target LGBTQ+ students.  Senate Bill 83 is a sweeping bill that bans DEI programs, affinity spaces, academic relationships with China, and worker rights in higher education. House Bills 6, 8, and 68  ban transgender students from sports, ban gender-affirming healthcare for minors, and ban private discussions with teachers and staff.

Join us for lunch in April to learn about these bills and their impact on Ohio students and education.
March 2023
​
Friday, March 3, 12pm

Education Matters: 

New Bills and Priorities in the Ohio Statehouse

Featuring:
  • Darold Johnson, Director of Legislation, Ohio Federation of Teachers
watch
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Since January, Ohio legislators have introduced more than 20 bills impacting honest education, the rights and safety of Ohio students, and equitable school funding. Several of these bills resurrect failed attempts to overhaul public education and silence the voices of students, families and educators.

Join us for lunch to learn about new and not-so-new education bills in the Ohio Statehouse and ways you can make an impact. Where does your senator or representative stand on these important issues? Let's talk!

Learn more about these bills HERE
February 2023
​
Friday, February 3, 12pm
​
Funding Ohio Education:

All In For Ohio Kids Campaign

Featuring:
  • Dr. Tanisha Pruitt, State Policy Fellow, Policy Matters Ohio
  • Molly Shack, Co-Executive Director, Ohio Organizing Collaborative
watch
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All eyes are on the Ohio Statehouse as legislators, policymakers and education stakeholders advocate for equitable public school funding in the upcoming biennial State Budget.

School districts and communities across Ohio continue to suffer from decades of inequitable, unconstitutional school funding, while certain state leaders re-direct needed state funds away from public education and disadvantaged districts.

Join us to learn about All In For Ohio Kids, a statewide coalition effort to codify an equitable, sustainable, transparent school funding plan that serve all students across Ohio.
January  2023
​
The New Face of the 
State Board of Education 

Meet Ohio's New State Board Members!

Friday, January 6, 12pm

Featuring:
  • Former State Senator Teresa Fedor, District 2
  • ​Katie Hofmann, District 4
  • Tom Jackson, District 10
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In January 2023, the State Board of Education will onboard five elected State Board members and four appointed members, vote for a new Board president, and re-build its standing committees.

Join us for lunch to meet the newly elected members of the State Board:
  • Former State Senator Teresa Fedor, District 2
  • ​Katie Hofmann, District 4
  • Tom Jackson, District 10
​
​Learn about their backgrounds, why they ran for State Board, and their priorities for 2023.​
DECEMBER 2022
​
Lame Duck & Education
The Impact of Partisan Politics on Education

Friday, December 2, 2022, Noon​

Featuring
  • Former State Senator Teresa Fedor and Incoming State Board of Education Member 
  • Darold Johnson, Director of Legislation, Ohio Federation of Teachers
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Lame duck is a high stakes, fast moving time in the Statehouse when bills are fast-tracked and legislative deals are brokered before year-end.

In Ohio, there are several education bills scheduled for hearings and potential votes in the coming days. 

 Join  a conversation with newly elected State Board of Education Member, former State Senator Teresa Fedor, and and Darold Johnson, director of legislation for OFT, to get their perspectives on which education bills will move and why.

You don't want to miss this lunch!
NOVEMBER 2022

Courageous Conversations Over the Holidays
​
Friday, November 4, 2022, Noon​

Featuring
  • Caitlin Johnson, Communications Director, Policy Matters Ohio
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While the holidays are generally a time of joy and celebration, they can also be a time of tension, conflict, and passionate debates about ideological differences.

With so much on the line for our students, families, and educators, it's important to navigate these situations with a care and conviction.
 
Learn how to have honest, productive  discussions that center honest education and the multidimensional experiences of our students and educators.
​Pull up a seat, roll up your sleeves, and lean into the uncomfortable, difficult conversations to
​help build pathways for understanding and unity.
​OCTOBER 2022

Coming Out and Coming of Age
​
Friday, October 7, 2022, Noon​

Featuring
  • Alex Carbone (they/them), Student, Hudson High School
  • Emma Curd (she/her), Student, Hoover High School
  • Amanda Erickson (she/her), Director of Education & Outreach, Kaleidoscope Youth Center

Moderated By:
Ken Schneck, Ph.D., Editor, The Buckeye Flame

Join Honesty and friends for a conversation hosted by The City Club of Cleveland, led by Ken Schneck, Editor of the Buckeye Flame, that centers LGBTQ+ youth voices in advance of National Coming Out Day.
WATCH

​In Partnership with The City Club of Cleveland
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Growing up can be hard enough. For LGBTQ+ youth, coming out adds to the pressures and challenges as they come of age. Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. But when those kids are given access to LGBTQ-affirming spaces, they reported lower rates of suicide attempts, according to The Trevor Project.

​Yet, American public schools have become lightning rods in the culture wars and incubators for public policy targeting controversial topics. This includes discussions of sexuality, gender identity and LGBTQ+ related topics in classrooms. Just seven years after gay marriage was legalized in the United States, today's youth and young adults are facing a changing climate in their schools and communities. It begs us to ask how they are faring, and what can be done to ensure all students are provided a safe and inclusive classroom.
​SEPTEMBER 2022
​

Planting Trees of Hope
Lessons Learned about Honest History
​from Otto Frank

​

Friday, September 2, 2022, Noon​

Featuring

Cara Wilson-Granat, Author and Public Speaker
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Join us for an inspirational discussion with Cara Wilson-Granat about planting trees of hope and rooting ourselves in honest history, through the eyes of Holocaust survivor and father Otto Frank.

​Cara will share what she learned from Otto Frank about humanity and unity 
during their incredible 24-year relationship, which began in 1957, as a 12-year old girl auditioning for The Diary of Anne Frank movie. ​
​Their decades-long correspondence culminated into nearly 100 letters and cards that shaped Cara's hopeful view of the world during the violent and tumultuous 1960's and 70's. They were able to meet shortly before his death in 1980, the impact of which continues to influence her life today.

Cara recently published Tree of Hope, a book documenting her life-changing relationship with Otto Frank, and donated the letters to the University of South Carolina Anne Frank Center.
​MAY 2022
​

Mental Health and Education:
The Importance of SEL for Students

​
Friday, May 6, 2022, Noon​

Featuring
  • Alison Paxson, Policy & Communications Associate, Children's Defense Fund Ohio
  • ​Andrew Smith, District Social Worker, Sheffield-Sheffield Lake City Schools, Chair, OEA Wellness Cadre
watch
OHIO SEL Standards
May is Mental Health Month!

Join us for an important discussion about the pivotal role that Social-Emotional Learning plays in student wellness, academic achievement, and supportive classrooms. 
•••
Social-Emotional Learning is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. CASEL
​APRIL 2022
​

Combatting Book Bans in Ohio - Protect OUR Stories!
​
Friday, April 1, 2022, Noon​

Featuring

Red, Wine & Blue, The Unicorn Express, Kent State University College of Communications
WATCH
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Learn about three local efforts to combat book bans across Ohio and ensure that students and communities still have access inclusive, award-winning authors who boldly center stories of race, gender, and sexuality. 
  • Red, Wine & Blue Book Ban Busters campaign that tracks book bans across the nation with an interactive website
  • The Unicorn Express online service that ships banned books lifting LGBTQ+ stories
  • Kent State University Breaking Bans Read-In on April 13, 2022​​​
​MARCH 2022

2022 YWCA
Stand Against Racism Challenge 


Featuring
  • Taylor Curtis, Advocacy Manager, YWCA Dayton
  • Lalitha Pamidigantam, Policy Advisor, YWCA Columbus
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YWCA Ohio sister agencies share Stand Against Racism, a national opportunity for communities across the country to unite their voices to educate, advocate, and promote racial justice. The Columbus and Dayton agencies will discuss the importance of platforming an anti-racist and intersectional approach to education that supports service-oriented programs and dismantles systems of oppression.

REGISTER FOR THE STAND AGAINST RACISM CHALLENGE​​
With Warm Thanks to Previous Lunch Guests...
February 2022:  State Board of Education Members Dr. Christina Collins, 5th District, Dr. Antoinette Miranda, 6th District, Michelle Newman, 9th District, and Meryl Johnson, 11th District. ​

December 2021:  Wondering how to have tough conversations with your neighbor, friend or relative? Presenters Maki Somosot from the Ohio Organizing Collaborative and Caitlin Johnson from Policy Matters Ohio helped us build our skills. 

November 2021: Mark Swaim-Fox, Executive Director, from Facing History & Ourselves, and national staff members Dr. Steven Becton, the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer and Abby Weiss, Vice President and Chief Program Officer on teaching honest history. 

October 2021 : Rev. Marvin McMickle, PhD, Senior Pastor (interim) at Antioch Baptist Church, who recommended Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and The Matter of Black Lives, edited by Jelani Cobb and David Remnick. Rev. Mickle also published this opinion piece, "​Let's Recognize 'Critical Race Theory' Hyperbole for the Misdirection It Is".

September 2021: Tracy Nájera, Executive Director, and Alison Paxson, Communications and Policy Associate, from Children's Defense Fund - Ohio (check out their post, Expose the Boil, about Ohio House Bills 322 and 327)
  • About Us
    • We Are >
      • Our Team
    • What is honest education?
    • Profile of an Honesty Leader
    • Our Partners
    • Join Us
    • Jobs
  • Statehouse
    • Legislation Tracker
    • SBOE/DEW
  • Schools
    • School Board Alliance
    • Honesty READS
  • Honesty Teams
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Lunch & Learn
  • Resources
    • School Funding
    • DEI-Dear Colleague Letter
    • Whole Child Framework
    • HB 8 Toolkit
    • RTRI
    • Elections >
      • School Board Elections
    • Newsletter
    • Contact >
      • Request a Speaker
  • Donate