Podcast

The stories we tell about past efforts at desegregation often overlook the excellence in Black schools prior to Brown v. Board, and the organized, grassroots work from White women to maintain White superiority at the local level despite federal efforts towards desegregation. In an edited version of the NCSD 2020 Conference Keynote, we hear from Dr. Vanessa Siddle- Walker and Dr. Elizabeth McRea, in a conversation facilitated by Dani McClain. In opening remarks from Courtney Martin, and closing remarks from Andrew Lefkowits, we are asked to conjure the late Integrated Schools founder, Courtney Everts Mykytyn, and to reflect on her impact on the integration movement.

What is a healthy racial identity for a White person, and how do we help our White children develop one? We’re joined by Dr. Jennifer Harvey to discuss her book, Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America, as well her personal journey towards anti-racist organizing, educating, and child rearing.

Today, May 17th, is the 66th anniversary of the Brown v. Board decision. Last year, we created a 6 part mini-series to commemorate the 65th anniversary, and we’re going to be revisiting that mini-series over the next 6 weeks.

We’re joined by Matt Gonzales, the founder and director of the Integration and Innovation Initiative at the NYU Metro Center to discuss what equity looks like in the midst of this crisis, and how we can leverage community, relationships, and vulnerability to improve our educational system on the other side.

We’re joined by two teachers, Zoe Rooney and Kara Cisco, who are grappling with what remote learning means for students already facing educational inequities. As we all have to balance and juggle and re-prioritize due to circumstances outside our control can we learn to have greater empathy for the families who have always had to cope with so many factors outside their control? And can we translate that lesson into a will to make systemic changes when our children return to their classrooms?

We find ourselves in the most segregated school environment imaginable – quarantined at home. The inequities are glaring and the needs of our communities are all too real. We discuss making this time at home reflective of our values with Garrett Bucks – an anti-racist organizer, writer, and father of two.

Choosing a school, as a white and / or privileged person can feel overwhelming. If you are prepared to set aside test scores and school ratings, what should take their place? We’re joined by two moms who are thinking through this decision for their soon-to-be elementary school kids.

Nearly every public school in the country gets a rating from GreatSchools.org. What goes into these ratings, and what is the impact of having a national school rating system. Matt Barnum (Chalkbeat) joins us to discuss the ways these ratings can nudge families away from schools with higher concentrations of Black and Brown students.

The first of a two-part series looking at how we assess school quality, and how that impacts our decisions around where to live and where to send our kids to school. How we define “good” and “bad” schools is a huge part of the smog we often talk about at Integrated Schools – and these two episodes get into the problems with the data we’re using, and the implications of that on the larger education system, and society as a whole.

Our history of segregation has left a breach in education that may require a reparations lens to repair. We’re joined by Professor Justin Hansford, from Howard Law School, to discuss.

Our hearts are heavy over the loss of our founder, director and friend, Courtney Mykytyn.

Before we head off to spend the holidays with our friends and families, we want to end 2019 on a hopeful note. Creating enduring political change — like an end to school segregation — begins with just 3.5% of actively engaged participants. Can we do it?

Albert, a Taiwanese American father of three, found himself in crisis. Honoring his parents and the ways they sacrificed to get him a “good” education, while also honoring the way his faith called him to justice seemed impossible. He shares his story.

Helicopter Parenting, Snowplow Parenting, Lawnmower Parenting – these are all forms of intensive parenting. Dr. Jessica Calarco joins us to discuss the impact of this type of parenting in our school communities.

Dr. Kfir Mordechay joins us to discuss gentrification and school segregation. In many places we are living together, but still not learning together. What are the impacts of that disconnect?

We’re launching a Patreon – patreon.com/integratedschools. Please support this important work!

As Beth’s district contemplates school closures, she is finding that being part of the new school community gives her a different perspective on these issues.

Transitions aren’t always easy, but both Beth and her daughters reflect on the ways they’ve grown.

Being in between can be lonely, but it can also be liberating. Beth reflects on the past year.

Two months into the school year finds Beth grappling with the differences between schools, trying to make sense of how she and her family fit into these two communities.

Race, parenting, and privilege. This 5-part series will explore how our choices about school shape where we belong, who we call “We.” Part 1 – Something feels wrong at the “good” school.

Beth is a mom of two grappling with race, parenting and her own privilege in America. Looking back over the past year, we follow Beth as she learns how the choices she makes for her daughters’ schooling shapes how she lives in her city… where she belongs, who she calls “We.” Episodes release every day starting Monday, Oct 14th. Subscribe now to make sure you don’t miss an episode.

We’re joined by Michelle Adams, Constitutional Law Professor at Cardozo School of Law, who is writing a book on Milliken v Bradley, a case that functionally halted the promise of Brown v Board at the city limits, allowing all-white suburbs (created through policies like redlining) to maintain all-white schools.

We’re joined by Dr. Matt Delmont who literally wrote the book on busing. We talk about the centering of white feelings that happened in the north, as the terms for debating desegregation were set.

In 2017, Scene On Radio released a series called Seeing White. We’re thrilled to bring you some highlights, and some thoughts about how the idea of whiteness impacts discussions of school integration.

We’re thrilled to bring you an episode of The Miseducation Podcast – a student driven podcast from New York City.

We talk with Anna about what we learned from our [email protected] series. What is the difference between desegregation and integration, and why does it matter.

Greg and Carol, two Black parents from different parts of the county, share their experiences in mostly White schools. Through them, we can see how far we have to go to created truly integrated schools.

Part 4 of our Brown v Board at 65 series pushes back on the narrative that desegregation is solely about black and white kids. David Hinojosa helps us better understand the Latinx perspective on integration from before Brown through today.

Amanda Lewis joins us to discuss the legacy of Brown v Board, and how the stories we tell about it, allow even our most desegregated schools to continue to impact kids in very racialized ways.