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
Holistic education: Joy, wellness, and rigor (Encore) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:11
We speak with Dr. Linda Nathan of the Center for Artistry and Scholarship and the Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership about her experience in creating progressive schools. Dr. Nathan says all teachers, no mat…
Evolving demographics: Rural schools in transition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:29
We speak with Dr. David Fine, school superintendent in Dover, a mostly white small town in rural Dutchess County, NY, where longtime residents have been joined by other families to create a more diverse and integrated de…
Solving chronic absence: A whole-school approach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:00
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…
Translanguaging: Inviting the whole child into the classroom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:50
We speak with Dr. Cecilia Espinosa and Dr. Laura Ascenzi-Moreno, co-authors of “Rooted in Strength: Using Translanguaging to Grow Multilingual Readers and Writers.” Traditionally, teachers have brought language to studen…
Challenging censorship: Student journalists fight back [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:55
We speak with Hillary Davis, who runs the New Voices program at the Student Press Law Center, and Sara Fajardo, who experienced censorship firsthand at her high school. School administrators frequently prevent students f…
School behind bars: Meeting the needs of traumatized kids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:00
We speak with Melissa Svigelj-Smith, graduate fellow at University of California at Santa Cruz, about her experience teaching high school students awaiting case outcomes at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center.…
Students speak up: NYC Youth Agenda [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:30
We speak with students Eugenia Bamfo, Alexandra Rouvinetis, and Mukilan Muthukumar, members of the NYC Youth Agenda. Using citywide student survey data, Youth Agenda teams aggregated young people’s needs to make recommen…