Podcast

The conversation around schools can often feel like the goal isn’t “good” schools, but simply “better-than” schools – schools that will give our kids a leg up on the other kids. The idea driving this mindset, a zero-sum version of prosperity that assumes advances for some must come at the cost of others, is based on the lie of racial hierarchy upon which our country was founded. Heather McGhee’s new book, The Sum of Us, illuminates this issue, and calls us to imagine something better.

Law professor, Elise Boddie, has said that the biggest stumbling block to advancing school integration is the White progressive liberal. She joins us to talk about a vision of integration that allows for all kids to thrive not because of race, not in spite of race, but in full view of race.

We’re joined by WPLN reporter Meribah Knight to dicuss her podcast, The Promise, which looks at the power that those with racial or economic privilege bring to the education system, and what responsibilities should come with that power.

Theater has the power of individual transformation. Students are the ones most impacted by our segergated schools. EPIC Theatre Ensemble seeks to combine those two forces to change hearts and minds. We’re thrilled to share some of their piece, Nothing About Us, as well as a conversation with EPIC’s artistic director, and two students who wrote and performed in the piece.

Kicking off season 6 with a call for Third Wave school desegregation. First wave, “court ordered” desegregation, and second wave, “entice the White folks”, failed to live up to their promises. What would a third wave look like, and how might it work better. We are joined by IntegrateNYC to talk about real integration. This episode is taken from a webinar from the Black Educator’s Initiative speaker series.

Finally, after 22 episodes, it’s time for Season 5 to end. We’ll be taking a short break, but wanted to leaving you with a few thoughts before we go.

For decades, the dominant model of parent or caregiver involvement in schools has been one that emphasizes a set of normative, White, middle-class behaviors. What would it look like to transform power through solidarity, in order to improve our schools for ALL kids?s

For 30 years congress has ignored the resegregation of our nations schools. On Sept 15th, the House passed the Strength in Diversity Act, which is a step towards addressing segregation. We’re joined by one of the sponsors of the bill, and Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor to discuss.

For many years, the focus of the fight for justice centered on equality. Angela Glover Blackwell was instrumental in shifting our national focus towards equity. She joins us to discuss the need for an equity mindset not just in our schools, but in our country.

School Colors is a narrative podcast from Brooklyn Deep about how race, class, and power shape American cities and schools. We’re joined by the hosts to discuss the series, and to hear the 7th episode, New Kids on The Block. From gentrification, to school segregation, to colonization, this episode touches on many of the themes we discuss at Integrated Schools.

As a Black man who grew up in predominantly White spaces, going to the “best” schools, JPB Gerald brings a unique perspective on Whiteness. We talk about meritocracy, how individual choices make up “THE SYSTEM”, self interest as a justification for racism, and what people can do to push back on all of this now, in the midst of a pandemic, but also after.

As we barrel into the new school year, keeping equity in focus is difficult. From childcare collectives to pandemic pods, the options facing privileged parents can feel overwhelming. Dr. Shayla Reese Griffin helps us center equity as we consider the fall, and asks us to consider what our obligations are to our public institutions and to each other.

We revisit our episode on Milliken v Bradley from a year ago. Joined by Michelle Adams, Constitutional Law Professor at Cardozo School of Law, who is writing a book on Milliken v Bradley, we discuss the 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.

IntegrateNYC is a youth led organization fighting for integration and equity in NYC schools. We’re joined by two high school students to talk about why integration matters, and what real integration looks like.

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!