As we launch Season 12 of the podcast, Dr. Val and Andrew reflect on the start of the school year. With big personal transitions, and the country in a state of deep uncertainty, we ask, what now? How can we acknowledge the current state of eduction and find ways to act for justice.
Public education is the bedrock of democracy and our best tool to create active, engaged citizens, but Dr. Eve L. Ewing argues it was never intended to do that for Black or Native students. In fact, her new book, Original Sins: The (MIs)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, maintains that schooling in America was created to prepare White kids for leadership, Black kids for subjugation, and Native kids for erasure.
The president just signed a truly monstrous piece of legislation into law. Much has been written about the impacts on health, climate and the debt, but there is a lesser known evil lurking in this bill – a national school voucher plan. It’s temping to lose hope, but there is something each of us can do.
As Season 11 comes to a close, we wanted to spend some time reflecting on the lessons we’ve learned from this season and what we hope for in Season 12. We’ll be off for the summer with a few possible bonus episodes, and back for real in the fall.
The choice between public and private school can feel complicated. The individual benefits can sometimes feel like they outweigh a desire to participate in the collective. Drs. Lisa Sibbett and Stephanie Forman were disappointed by their colleagues in educational research who spoke of the importance of public schools but opted out for their own kids. So they studied them. They join to share what they learned, and how we might bring those folks back to advocating on behalf of public schools, even if their kids are, at the moment, not attending.