Dismantling bias in schools: A multiyear model

Dismantling bias in schools: A multiyear model

Author: Ethical Schools February 5, 2022 Duration: 46:53
We speak with Dr. John Pascarella, Chief Academic Officer of K-12 Professional Learning at USC Race and Equity Center. The Center works with schools to identify disparate outcomes for students and strategies to eliminate them. Dr. Pascarella discusses the need for educators to stand up against systemic bias as it occurs in daily school life. He points out that we need to be aware that we are all inevitably involved in differential power relationships and offers suggestions for teachers engaging in ongoing self-reflection. Overview 00:00-00:37 Intros 00:37-01:39 USC Race and Equity Center 01:39-03:49 What precipitates involvement with a district or school? 03:49-06:48 What happens when people from a school ask the Center for involvement? 06:48-10:53 Conditions for involvement 10:53-15:31 Defining implicit bias 15:31-17:52 Individual and systemic bias 17:52-23:57 Ways of addressing both individual and systemic bias 23:57-29:37 Strategies for working with teachers who are resistant 29:37-33:16 What happens when school leaders leave 33:16-37:02 Racial Equity Leadership Academy and COSAs project in LA Unified School District 37:02-41:41 Parent involvement 41:41- Outro Transcript

Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 49:16
We speak with Jamie Woodhouse, UK educator and thought leader on sentientism. An ethical worldview informed by evidence, reason, and compassion, sentientism prioritizes the well-being of humans and animals other than hum…
Climate change education: Meeting NJ’s mandate hands-on [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:45
We speak with the New Jersey School of Conservation’s Kerry Kirk Pflugh and Tanya Sulikowski, and Garwood, NJ middle school teacher, K.C. Bree about the SOC and about New Jersey’s first-in-the-nation mandate for climate…
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Duration: 31:31
We speak with Dave Crenshaw, founder and coach of Team Dreamers NY in Washington Heights; Blanca Battino, retired principal of PS 128; and Dr. Robert Fullilove, professor and associate dean at Columbia University’s Mailm…
Creating the conditions: Sustaining “caring for” education [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:55
We speak with Chris Lehmann, founding principal of Science Leadership Academy, inquiry-driven and project-based schools in Philadelphia. The academic model centers inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation, and refl…
Solving chronic absence: A whole-school approach (Encore) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:21
We speak with Hedy N. Chang of Attendance Works, who describes the long-term impact on student success of chronic absence in all grades. Framing chronic absence as a truancy issue can increase alienation from school. Dis…
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Duration: 34:16
We speak with Denver English teacher and speech/debate coach Anna Steed about the benefits of speech and debate competition. Students acquire critical communication skills and self-confidence; students of color and low-i…
Experiential learning: Where human history and nature connect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:16
We speak with Jackie Broder, director of the Mamakating Environmental Education Center in New York’s Catskill Mountains. The Center abuts the Basha Kill wetland, a vital self-contained ecosystem. It helps students, famil…
Cultural responsiveness: is music optional? (Encore) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:00
We speak with Dr. Anne Smith, longtime music teacher in Northern Virginia, about accommodating cultural differences. Dr. Smith created an alternate curriculum for students whose traditions don’t allow secular music-makin…