The pioneers: Democracy front and center (Part Two)

The pioneers: Democracy front and center (Part Two)

Author: Ethical Schools November 14, 2025 Duration: 46:16
We speak with Deborah Meier and Jane Andrias, pioneers in the democratic small-school movement. Debbie founded the Central Park East Schools. Jane Andrias was an art teacher and principal at Central Park East I. Debbie and Jane discuss these ground-breaking schools, their ethical foundations, the “habits of mind” they worked to instill, and the challenges they faced. *This is Part Two of a two part episode. Go back one episode or click here to listen to the first part. Overview00:00-00:41 Intros 00:41-07:30 Parent involvement 07:30-12:05 What happened to Mission Hill? 12:05-23:04 Survival of innovative, democratic schools;  What do we have education for? Education and democracy 23:04-24:45 Justice and fairness 24:45-26:37 Community service; connections to the adult world 26:37-29:37 Choices schools make based on what they value 29:37-36:46 Documentary about impact of CPESS on graduates’ lives 36:36-38:39 Human capital 38:39-40:57 Need funding for the documentary 40:57-42:41 Films and TV about the schools 42:41- Outro  TranscriptClick here to see the full transcription of this episode. References Here's a list of all the books written by Deborah Meier.  Click here to know more about the CPESS documentary and other initiatives by Deborah Meier and Jane Andrais. https://youtu.be/lgehMroRLnsSoundtrack by Poddington Bear

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: 50

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
Equity by design: residency-focused teacher education [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:32
We speak with Dr. Diana Turk, Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning and Director of Teacher Education at NYU. Students in NYU’s unique teacher residency program work full-time in classrooms, for which they are…
High stakes: Teaching to the tests in K-12 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:16
We continue our conversation with Harry Feder of FairTest. This time, we discuss high stakes tests in K-12 schools. Harry explains how tests and the prep for them came to dominate education and the consequences for stude…
SATs and the illusion of fairness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:31
We speak with Harry Feder of FairTest, an organization that advocates for fair and open testing, about the reinstitution of standardized test requirements at some “Ivy Plus” colleges, and why it matters. We discuss how t…
Early intervention: Model assessment center reduces youth arrests [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:16
Steve Evangelista, longtime NYC educator, and Anthony Celestine, director of the Office of Juvenile Justice Services at Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, talk about Calcasieu's Multi-Agency Resource Center. MARC, an assessmen…
What Would YOU do? Walling Out or Welcoming In? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56
What boundaries should a school set on student speech, if any, in order to foster social-emotional learning, civil discourse, and friendship among students? How might they hold themselves and their students accountable f…
Elevating undervalued professionals: Support for substitute teachers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:51
We speak with Megan M. Conklin, who designs and implements professional development for substitutes in Washington state. Substitutes often don’t receive the support and compensation they deserve. Ms. Conklin’s union-back…
Enriching student life: Art for all [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:26
We speak with Dr. Andrea Siegel and Michelle Vitale of Hudson County Community College about the ways they bring art into students’ everyday lives. They’ve assembled a multi-ethnic art collection which is displayed on ro…