An Open Letter to the Childpeace Montessori School Board and Leadership
[ redacted due to ongoing federal litigation; see https://www.johnfial.com/cp/ for updates ]
John Fial
Software Engineer, Developer, Human
Latest posts
An Honest, Open Letter to the Childpeace Community
From John Fial, a Parent April 24, 2025 Dear Childpeace Families, Many of you know me as a longtime member of this community—my child has been at Childpeace for years, and you’ve likely seen me at drop-offs, family events, classroom visits, or reading beside my little one in the hallway. I’m writing this one-time letter ... Read more
Silent Journey & Discovery 2025: Reflections on a Parent’s Experience
This year’s Silent Journey was a smaller gathering than the one I attended two years ago, though first-timers wouldn’t have known the difference. Still, it was fabulous. I wish it were offered annually—or even twice a year—to increase attendance among parents. But given the immense effort required from staff (on a weekend, no less, between ... Read more
Update on Federal Lawsuit Against Oregon Custody Law
Update 2025-03-10: See https://www.johnfial.com/fial-v-oregon-lawsuit-updates/ Hi Friends and Supporters, I’m writing to update you on a major step in the federal lawsuit I filed to challenge the constitutionality of ORS § 107.169(3), Oregon’s custody law. The law prevents judges from ordering joint custody even when both parents are deemed fit and share equal parenting time. On ... Read more
Reconnecting, Reflecting, and Running: An Open Letter to My HBA Class of 2002—and All Who Seek Change
Dear old friends, It’s hard to believe it s been over a year since I began campaigning for the Presidency. When I started this journey in August 2023, it felt like few people took my run seriously. The early websites and messaging weren t perfect, and the terribly corrupt primary processes didn t help. Many of us have ... Read more
Open Letter: Why I’m Running for President – A Message to My Religious Community
This letter was originally written for my religious community to share my personal decision to run for President of the United States. I am sharing it publicly to provide transparency about my motivations and to invite broader dialogue on the important issues it addresses. My intention is to foster understanding and to invite support from ... Read more
From Roots to Branches: A Father’s Perspective on Life, Decision-Making, and Leadership
1,400 wordsRead time @ 250 words/minute: 6 minutes Dear America, I’m a good father. It s a job, in some sense — the most rewarding, wonderful, challenging, ever-changing work of a man’s life — but a job nonetheless. It s a job, but not one, like the fields, or construction sites, or office chairs, that the father ... Read more
When the Law Fails Our Children: A Father’s Plea for Joint Custody Reform in Oregon
3,300 wordsRead time @ 250 words/minute: 14 minutes Executive Summary / TL;DR: This essay highlights the deep flaws in Oregon’s custody laws, particularly the prohibition on judges ordering joint custody unless both parents agree. Through personal experiences, I illustrate how this law has exacerbated conflicts, created instability for our son, and allowed my former wife ... Read more
Childpeace Montessori School Board Open Letter
[ redacted due to ongoing federal litigation; see https://www.johnfial.com/cp/ for updates ]
Reforming Presidential Elections: A Fairer System for America
Editor s Note: The Presidental Election system proposed here has been re-formatted on our campaign website at https://www.fialforward.com/blog/reforming-presidential-elections-a-fairer-system-for-america . We ve included the below for archival purposes. You ll be redirected in 10 seconds Editor's Note: The system text below was originally proposed as part 4 of 7 in a longer campaign newsletter,…