Mark your calendars for July 22nd—and be there!
As we know, learning doesn’t stop with the end of a semester, or the end of a degree. We are happier, more engaged, and certainly more successful when we take advantage of the bounty of educational opportunities all around us. Just as stretching our bodies leads to numerous health benefits, stretching our minds leads to more effective advocacy. And I promise, this opportunity will be fun as well!
4 Public Education, working with the amazing women of Network NOVA, has crafted an extraordinary educational opportunity for all of us working to fight against the book banners, anti-LBGTQ+, anti-social development, anti-public school operatives invading our educational system.
We’ve organized sessions at the up-coming 7th annual Network NOVA Women’s Summit that will knock your socks off. One session, with experts from around Virginia, will uncover the secrets and history of our current debate surrounding public education––and it’s not as straightforward as you’d think. We’ll learn that the fight isn’t really about education at all. Understanding the nefarious history of the strategy to take down public education will arm and embolden our efforts at school board meetings, in the public arena and at election time this fall.
History of Culture Wars Against Public Schools and Its Relevance Today Breakout #1 11:00-12 pm | Intl Ballroom C
Vanessa Hall, 4 Public Education (Dark Money Expert)
Holly Hazard, 4 Public Education
Atif Qarni, Former Secretary of Education
Tiffany Ver der Hyde, Executive Director, We the People for Education
The onslaught of misinformation and political fodder attacking public education did not simply spring up during the 2019 Virginia Gubernatorial election. Its roots date back decades. Dark money and political ambition continue to converge to create a hostile and dangerous force against public education and its role in a strong democracy. This panel will uncover the truth about the current thrust to destroy public schools, who is funding the disinformation campaign disguised as the “parents’ rights” movement.
After learning the “why” of the attack on public education, we’ll learn the “how”, led by three of the best professional advocates in the arena.
How the War on Education Is Coming to an Election Near You Breakout #3 4:15 – 5:15 pm | Intl Ballroom C
Cheryl Binkley, Educator, Past President, Virginia Educators United
Sookyung Oh, Nakase Action Fund
Tiffany Ver der Hyde, Executive Director, We the People for Education
The radical right is weaponizing public education to capture and segregate voters by manufacturing concerns over book bans, mental health counseling, bathrooms, sports, and LGBTQ+ issues to instill fear in parents about the declining state of public schools. But here's the truth: public schools are not declining, and parents do have a say in education. This panel will reveal the strategies to effectively communicate how this war on education is affecting our communities and our democracy.
Finally, for those who have stepped into the arena, and are candidates for a school board, we’ll have an exclusive session on how to combat the trolls, effective messaging and tips and training for being the best candidate you can.
WHEN: July 21-23, 2023
WHERE: McLean Hilton, Tyson Corner, Virginia
HOW: Purchase tickets at https://networknova.org/
Join us at the Network NOVA Women's Summit! Your 4 Public Education Team will be there and will be staffing a table so stop by to say “hi”.
We are looking forward to seeing you there!