The attack on public education: Will public schools survive? (Encore)

The attack on public education: Will public schools survive? (Encore)

Author: Ethical Schools June 5, 2022 Duration: 45:39

We speak with University of South Carolina law professor Derek Black about the history of education as a core government service and the current wave of voucher laws in red states. Professor Black argues that these will permanently reduce education funding levels and threaten the very existence of public schools. We also talk about the #RedforEd resistance and the need to substantially increase funding for schools with many low-income students. 

Overview

00:00-00:48 Intros

00:48-01:38 Why “Schoolhouse Burning” is subtitled “Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy”

01:38-03:38 Importance of Reconstruction for government role in education

03:38-06:13 Commitments to education in state constitutions

06:13-08:25 Tension between schools as reproducing social structures and vehicles for social mobility

08:25-16:35 How to achieve equity in school funding

16:35-18:49 Recent voucher laws around the U.S.

18:49-20:47 Vouchers and parochial schools

20:47-22:54 Impact of proliferation of charter schools

22:54-25:02 Why now for vouchers?

25:02-27:08 Why today’s battles over charters and vouchers are undermining the concept of public education

27:08-29:07 Libertarianism and the idea of removing government from education

29:07-30:19 Privatization and race

30:19-33:29 Reducing taxes on the wealthy and long-term reduction in public funding for education

33:29-36:23 Significance of #RedforEd teachers’ strikes

36:23-37:4...


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: English Episodes: 240

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
NYC schools: still separate and unequal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:54
Student activists Coco Rhum and Hebh Jamal describe what real integration of NYC schools would look like and how to achieve it. Bringing sharp analysis and insight from their experiences as leaders in IntegrateNYC and Te…
Advice for Secondary School Teachers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:41
This is an encore. We interview Lev Moscow who, for the last 14 years, has taught history and economics at The Beacon School in New York City. Lev reflects that advisory, done well, can serve as a venue for students to e…
Multicultural Education: Challenges and Aspirations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:16
We speak with New York State Regent Luis O. Reyes on the evolution of multilingual education in New York, beginning with the ASPIRA Consent Decree that in 1974 established bilingual education as an entitlement for Puerto…
Multicultural Education: Challenges and Aspirations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:17
We speak with New York State Regent Luis O. Reyes on the evolution of multilingual education in New York, beginning with the ASPIRA Consent Decree that in 1974 established bilingual education as an entitlement for Puerto…
Gender Inclusivity: Where Science and Ethics Intersect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
We speak with high school science teachers and trans men, Sam Long and Lewis Maday-Travis, who have developed resources and trainings to help biology teachers develop gender-inclusive curricula. Science tells us that sex…
Gender Inclusivity: Where Science and Ethics Intersect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
We speak with high school science teachers and trans men, Sam Long and Lewis Maday-Travis, who have developed resources and trainings to help biology teachers develop gender-inclusive curricula. Science tells us that sex…
Emotionally Responsive Education: "inviting and containing" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:00
Margaret Blachly of Bank Street’s Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice describes how to fit materials, curriculum, and relationships together to create an emotionally safe classroom. Emphasizing the importance of a…
Emotionally Responsive Education: “inviting and containing” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:01
Margaret Blachly of Bank Street’s Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice describes how to fit materials, curriculum, and relationships together to create an emotionally safe classroom. Emphasizing the importance of a…
Special education: How students and their teachers are shortchanged [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:00
Jia Lee, NYC special education teacher and union activist, talks about the unfairness of the Fair Funding Formula, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the tendency of schools to re-traumatize vulnerable students. She also…