Are You Kidding Me?

Latest Episodes:

University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax’s defense of academic standards May 12, 2021

Show notes

Description:

A professor at Georgetown Law School was recently fired for remarks she made during a private zoom call about the academic performance of black students at Georgetown — raising several questions about the nature of and potential solutions to racial disparities in higher education. What are the root causes of racial disparities in schools? How much freedom should professors and administrators be given to explore explanations of disparities that move beyond institutional racism? Should objective measurements of performance — such as standardized tests — be abolished?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax to discuss these issues and more. Professor Wax offers her defense of academic standards, arguing that movements seeking to deny the root causes of disparities and attribute all differences to structural racism are threatening the integrity of higher education institutions.

Resources:

Pursuing Diversity: From Education to Employment | Amy L. Wax | The University of Chicago Law Review

Georgetown professor fired for statements about black students | Elizabeth Redden | Inside Higher Ed

Show notes:

00:45 | How one Georgetown professor was fired for private comments made over a zoom call, and Professor Wax’s own experience with cancel culture in higher education

03:45 | Should objective measures of performance be treated as suspect?

13:00 | The unavoidably comparative nature of law school

15:40 | Which early interventions can policymakers make to reduce racial disparities in academic achievement?

20:00 | How the crisis of family breakdown cuts across racial and ethnic lines today

26:00 | How the narrowing "Overton window" of acceptable beliefs on the cause of racial disparities today threatens the quality of our educational institutions

Helping young adults transition from foster care to adulthood Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

Description:

Foster youth today face incredible challenges building a stable life when they age out of the child welfare system. Fewer than ten percent ever graduate college, and tragic reports have outlined crises of homelessness and poverty among these young adults. But some foster youth have found healing and restoration through caring foster parents, a deeply embedded sense of personal agency, and connections to strong networks of support. We can learn a lot from the stories of these individuals about how to better serve young adults in foster care as they approach adulthood.

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Justin and Alexis Black — Authors and founders of “Redefining Normal.” Alexis and Justin share their story of transformation as they escaped a past of abuse, neglect, and trauma and began to build a future together, with the help of amazing foster parents, a strong faith, and a web of critical supports. Alexis and Justin defied the odds — graduating from college and becoming authors, public speakers, and serial entrepreneurs. Today, they have dedicated their career to building awareness around the challenges foster youth face and advocating for practices and policies that will help foster youth escape the cycle of trauma and find healing.

Resources:

Not safe for kids: Fixing our broken child welfare system | Naomi Schaefer Riley | American Enterprise Institute

Show notes:

03:10 | Justin and Alexis’s story growing up in foster care and the challenges they faced

08:10 | What does “normal” look like for a youth in foster care?

13:10 | How to support foster youth in healthy relationship formation and educational pursuits

16:55 | How giving foster youth a consistent and supportive place to call “home” empowers agency

18:20 | Reforming child welfare systems to help foster youth transition to adulthood

26:25 | Justin’s Rising Over Societal Expectations (ROSE) model for empowerment

Thomas Chatterton Williams on the importance of “unlearning” race and embracing humanism Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

Description:

The tragic death of George Floyd has sparked many important conversations about how Americans can pursue a future characterized by unity and equality around race. Yet, amid this national reckoning on race, a divisive and disempowering philosophy of “antiracism” has risen to the forefront of American culture. Is the solution to America’s racial disparities continuously reifying race in rhetoric and public policy? What are the potential consequences of training our children to see race as the most important part of a human’s identity?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Thomas Chatterton Williams — AEI visiting fellow, contributing writer for the New York Times, and prolific author and cultural critic. Thomas shares why he believes Americans must work toward unlearning race — restoring a person’s character, interests, and beliefs at the core of their identity rather than the color of their skin. Later, Thomas discusses why the core tenets of “antiracist” ideologies inadvertently reinforce ideas of white superiority and black inferiority.

Resources:

Beyond Black History Month| Thomas Chatterton Williams | The Wall Street Journal

Moving from persecution to prosperity: Demystifying Black excellence | Ian Rowe, Thomas Chatterton Williams, and Glenn Loury | HBS African-American Alumni Association

Show notes:

01:15 | Thomas Chatterton Williams’ philosophy of “unlearning” race

05:40 | Why critical race theory inadvertently reinforces ideas of white superiority and black inferiority

08:17 | The importance of desegregating American life, and why “safetyism” threatens progress on this front

14:50 | Controversy around the capitalization of color descriptors and the problem with “performative” justice

17:40 | How to channel the collective “moral panic” of this moment for good

24:35 | How the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR) is helping parents stand up to schools that are segregating students and violating their rights

Taking child welfare into the 21st century Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

Description:

Many child welfare systems have abdicated their duties in the wake of the pandemic — failing to identify and protect children who have fallen victim to maltreatment. How can child welfare officials inspire a different approach that increases touchpoints with children, uses the resources of caseworkers and foster families more effectively, and offers faster, better care coordination for vulnerable children? What role should technology companies play in collaborating with states to improve care coordination?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Greg McKay — the Director of Worldwide Health and Human Services for Microsoft and the former director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety — to discuss these questions and more. Greg talks about how his unique background in law enforcement, investigation, and foster parenting helped him take Arizona’s child welfare system from “worst” to “first” on several measures. Later, Greg discusses the importance of updating state care coordination and record-keeping technology to allow case workers to spend more time in the field with vulnerable children and less time entering data into antiquated systems.

Resources:

What lessons can the child welfare system take from the COVID-19 pandemic?| Naomi Schaefer Riley et Al. | American Enterprise Institute

Child welfare in the midst of the pandemic | Naomi Schaefer Riley et Al. | American Enterprise Institute

Show notes:

01:20 | Greg McKay’s background in law enforcement, investigation, foster parenting, child welfare administration, and technology

02:35 | Taking Arizona’s child welfare system from “worst” to “first”

07:16 | How antiquated technology is limiting case workers’ ability to protect children during the pandemic

08:58 | How the pandemic is reducing the number of abuse and maltreatment cases that get reported, and what that means for children

10:25 | Why children need to return to in-person learning

16:50 | The most effective intervention technology companies can offer child welfare officials

19:25 | Increasing partnership and care coordination between government systems

Stop blaming the tests, give kids school choice Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

Description:

Specialized high schools for gifted students are receiving a lot of criticism these days because many tend to admit a disproportionate number of white and Asian students. But for many of these schools, admissions is based primarily on an unbiased entrance exam. If black and Hispanic students are performing less successfully on these entrance exams, does that mean the exams themselves are racist or does it point to a deeper problem? What is the role of specialized high schools in American education today? How can these schools offer talented students from all backgrounds a fair shot at success? In this episode, Naomi and Ian take up these questions and more. They discuss how disparate admissions rates point to a fundamental failure of neighborhood schools to offer disadvantaged kids the chance at a good education. And they explain why school choice can help to address this root problem.

Resources:

Exam-school admissions come under pressure amid pandemic | Naomi Schaefer Riley | Education Next

Show notes:

00:30 | Why are specialized schools are coming under pressure?

01:30 | Are school admission tests equitable?

04:00 | Why neighborhood schools are failing to prepare disadvantaged students for success

09:20 | Can complicated admissions formulas actually create ‘affirmative action’ for white kids?

10:25 | What are the implications for school choice?

15:20 | How should school leaders move forward?

Would a child allowance help low-income children? Feb 24, 2021

Show notes

Over the past month, US family policy has captivated the attention of policymakers across the ideological spectrum. At the forefront of the family policy conversation: a universal child allowance. In early February 2021, Senator Mitt Romney proposed a sweeping plan to combine several tax credits and the major US cash welfare program into a universal child allowance, paid in cash to families on a monthly basis. Democrats responded with a plan of their own that would introduce a slightly smaller child allowance, but keep other federal benefits intact. How would a universal child allowance affect child poverty in the US? Does this policy hold fast to the conservative tradition of pursuing “temporary, targeted, and timely” federal supports?

Joining Naomi and Ian in this episode is AEI Rowe Scholar in poverty studies Angela Rachidi. She discusses the history of poverty alleviation programs in the US, the potential unintended consequences of a child allowance, and the policy agenda of a new “pro-natalist” movement on the right focused on removing barriers that prevent Americans from having the number of children they desire. Later, Ian, Naomi, and Angela explore means-tested “baby bonds” as a potential alternative to the child allowance.

Show Notes:

03:50 | Child allowance proposals on the Left and Right

04:40 | Key differences between Romney proposal and Democrat’s policy

06:45 | A return to pre-1996 welfare

10:30 | Why send cash to high income families?

14:05 | Pro-natalist case for a child allowance

16:30 | Ideal fertility vs. actual fertility rates; what are the tradeoffs?

19:05 | What about means-tested “baby bonds?”

22:20 | Will a child allowance proposal become law in the near future?

Resources :

Fix family poverty with free markets, for once | Naomi Schaefer Riley and Angela Rachidi | Reason

How would a child allowance affect employment? | Angela Rachidi | AEIdeas

Romney’s child allowance proposal would eliminate decades of anti-poverty progress | Angela Rachidi | RealClearPolicy

Mark Perry on Title IX violations and institutionalized discrimination Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

Description:

Title IX was first implemented in the 1960s to rectify discrimination against women on the basis of sex in institutions receiving federal funding. In what can only be described as one of the quickest shifts in American culture, women began to outperform men in both enrollment and success in higher education. What role should Title IX play in promoting equal opportunity today? Are woke colleges and universities misconstruing the original intent of this rule and unlawfully discriminating against men? How does Title VI — a counterpart to Title IX that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin — fit into the picture?

In this episode, Mark Perry, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Naomi and Ian to discuss the history of Title IX and Title VI and to highlight concerning trends that now threaten the original intent of these rules to ensure equal opportunity. Mark has filed 300 Title IX complaints with the office for civil rights, resulting in 144 federal investigations for violations of civil rights laws and more than 30 resolutions in his favor.

Resources:

Do our woke universities live up to their own values? | Mark J. Perry | Carpe Diem

The year in review: An update on my efforts to challenge Title IX violations in higher education and advance civil rights for all | Mark J. Perry | Carpe Diem

Show Notes:

01:05 | What are Title IX and Title VI, and how are they supposed to function?

03:40 | Women outperforming men in higher education

08:30 | Can you use disparities to justify discrimination at an institutional level?

10:10 | How will the new Biden-Harris administration respond to Title IX discrimination?

12:00 | How does Title IX impact single-sex programs?

19:15 | Is discrimination leaving boys behind in education and job preparedness?

Is it racist to hold historically black colleges to the same academic standards as other schools? Jan 27, 2021

Show notes

For decades, the NCAA’s Academic Performance Program has sought to hold colleges across the country accountable to provide a quality education to their student-athletes. Yet, today, this program has come under fire for the way it treats historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Is it racist to hold HBCUs to the same academic standards as other colleges? What role should institutions of higher education play in serving the long-term interests of their athletes? In this episode, Johnny Taylor Jr.—president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management—joins Naomi and Ian to discuss this issue and more. Johnny is an expert on issues pertaining to HBCUs. He used to lead the Thurgood Marshall College Fund—a non-profit organization supporting more than 300,000 students at HBCUs. Johnny notes that a vast majority of student athletes—even those from top-tier athletic schools—never go on to play professional sports, and academic standards are an essential method of holding colleges accountable to prepare their student-athletes for career success.

Later, Naomi, Ian and Johnny discuss why HBCUs continue to provide critical pathways to upward mobility for young black men and women who might otherwise miss out on opportunities for higher education. They also examine recent unsolicited donations from Mackenzie Scott and discuss why it will be important for additional support of these institutions to hold colleges accountable to allocate funding toward value-adding improvements.

Time stamps:

00:58 | What is the Academic Performance Program and why is it coming under fire?

06:22 | How do we understand claims of systemic racism in the NCAA?

08:55 | Should we be investing more resources into HBCU’s?

11:00 | What is the ‘Value Proposition’ of HBCU Institutions?

17:35 | The recent renaissance of HBCUs with notable graduates like Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock and Kamala Harris.

Free speech and “woke” sensibilities in schools Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

Schools across the country have begun to adopt practices around teaching and enforcing “woke” principles that raise concerns about the rights and wellbeing of children. In some instances, students are required to publically declare their support or opposition to certain ideologies and “corrected” later if their answers are not satisfactory. Are schools overstepping their bounds and infringing on students’ rights? How can educators generate healthy and productive conversations on race?

Joining Naomi and Ian in this episode is Bonnie Snyder, the High School Outreach Fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Bonnie shares her efforts with FIRE to produce a manuscript called “Undoctrinate,” which seeks to provide educators the necessary tools to promote free and constructive conversations in schools. Later, they share encouraging news about the success of the “1776 Unites” project’s high school curriculum, which presents a more complete and authentic approach to American history, recognizing both America’s legacy of slavery and the remarkable accomplishments of black Americans in the face of oppression.

Resources:

My kids and their elite education in racism | Naomi Schaefer Riley | Commentary

1776 Unites Curriculum | “1776 Unites”

Elite Private School In L.A. Rolls Out New ‘Anti-Racism’ Policies — Some Students, Parents, And Alumni Aren’t Thrilled | Jon Brown | The Daily Wire

Show notes:

00:45 | What is happening in high schools around free speech and the “woke” sensibility?

02:00 | Concerning incidents of public humiliation

05:35 | What is FIRE doing to help parents and their students stand up to school overreach?

09:51 | How these efforts threaten the future of high school students

13:28 | Why the “1776 Unites” curriculum ican help schools promote free and constructive conservations about race and opportunity in America

17:40 | Crediting the “1619 Project” for raising an important discussion on the gaps in school curricula on American history

19:15 | How the legacy of the “Rosenwald schools” can inform an approach to build a brighter future for black Americans

The hard bigotry of San Diego’s new grading system Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

In October 2020, the San Diego Unified School District board unanimously approved sweeping changes to the district’s grading system in an effort to become “anti-racist.” Among these changes: removing the requirement for all students to turn in their homework on time. Does altering the way students are graded really address the root problem of the achievement gap? How do “anti-racist” policies shape the way minority children view themselves? How will parents respond to this policy decision, given that California voters just struck down a state-wide referendum to allow affirmative action policies?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Nat Malkus, AEI Resident Scholar and Deputy Director of Education Policy Studies, to discuss the potential effects of San Diego’s new policy. Nat notes that schools are not just vehicles for transferring academic knowledge from teachers to students — they are supposed to prepare children to flourish in all areas of life. Accordingly, schools and teachers should encourage and reward hard work, consistent effort, and self-confidence, among other important character traits.

Resources:

The soft bigotry of anti-racist expectations is damaging to Black and white kids alike | Ian Rowe | USA Today

Time stamps:

01:25 | San Diego’s grading overhaul and growing “anti-racist” efforts in schools across the US.

03:30 | The importance of rewarding both mastery and character formation in schools.

06:45 | Studying students’ successes rather than their failures in order to identify ways to reduce disparities.

07:45 | Will changing a grading system really address the root causes of the achievement gap?

11:25 | School is about more than just learning academic material and earning a test score.

12:30 | How do “anti-racist” school policies affect the self-perception of minority students?

17:00 | California’s referendum on affirmative action and parents’ reaction to “anti-racist” policies.

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