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: en-us Episodes: 100

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
The “Name Game”: racialization in a suburban high school (Encore) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:53
Drs. Tony de Jesus, Anthony Johnston, and Don Siler of University of St. Joseph recount their intervention in a multiracial high school in crisis. White students had instigated a “game” of addressing Black students as th…
What Would YOU Do? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55
Today we’re here to invite you to watch our new video podcast series “What Would YOU do?”. Created in partnership with EdEthics of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, each episode includes a dramatization of an eth…
Solving teacher shortages: It’s not just pay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:00
Drs. Katherine Norris and Kathryn Wiley, colleagues at Howard University’s School of Education, speak about obstacles to recruiting and retaining teachers and increasing diversity. Money matters, but even more, so does e…
Opening up: Recreating schools as a community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:00
Drs. Landon Mascareñaz and Doannie Tran, co-authors of “The Open System: Redesigning Education and Reigniting Democracy,” talk about co-creating and co-producing school initiatives with parents and community members. “Op…
Surveillance in school: Invasive technology, junk science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:00
We speak with Albert Fox Cahn and Sarah Roth of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, or S.T.O.P., about the increasing use of surveillance technology to track students. Claiming their technology can predict who…
Inquiry and interpretation: Learning US history from primary sources [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:15
We speak with Lee Schere, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Office of K-16 Initiatives of CUNY about the Debating U.S. History Program, an inquiry-based curriculum and teacher learning program. Students learn that…
School district battles: Protecting education from bans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:50
We speak with Mike Gottesman, founder of New Jersey Public Education Coalition (NJPEC), a grassroots organization that educates and activates NJ citizens in school districts to protect the integrity of schools from conse…