2: 'I Still Believe in It'

There's a conversation about public education that often centers on funding, policy, or test scores, but Nice White Parents asks us to turn our attention to a different, deeply influential group. This five-part series, hosted by Chana Joffe-Walt and produced by Serial Productions and The New York Times, investigates the substantial and sometimes surprising role that well-intentioned, affluent white families play in school systems. The podcast moves beyond simple blame, instead offering a nuanced examination of good intentions colliding with complex realities of race, class, and community. Across the series, you'll hear specific, revealing stories from inside schools, where the push for change and resources from new parents can have unintended consequences for the existing ecosystem. It’s an essential listen for anyone who cares about the future of shared public institutions, providing a fresh and challenging lens on why integration and equity remain so difficult to achieve. The narrative unfolds with the detailed, character-driven storytelling that defines the best audio journalism, making each episode both personally engaging and broadly significant. This isn't just a story about schools; it's about the ways in which privilege operates, often invisibly, in the places we least expect.