Stay ConnectedTake Back Our Schools puts you on the front lines of the culture wars as Andrew Gutmann and Beth Feeley explore the increasing politicalization of our schools and universities and just what to do about it.
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On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth speak with award-winning teacher and author, Jeremy Adams. Jeremy shares his views on why students have rejected the wisdom, culture, and institutions of Western Civilization and have given up on the American Dream. He talks about the breakdown of families and the loss of family-time that his own students are experiencing. We also discuss the damage that cell phones and social media are doing to children and how they have led to isolation and the most antisocial generation in history. Jeremy S. Adams is the 2014 California Teacher of the Year and the author of the Amazon best-selling book Hollowed Out: A Warning About America's Next Generation. He is a weekly columnist for The Daily Wire and his writings have appeared in Newsweek, The LA Times, The Washington Post, Quillette, and many other outlets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode Beth and Andrew speak with education innovator Stephanie Saroki de García about her formative experiences as a Teach for America member and teaching in one of the most dangerous schools in Oakland, CA. She discusses the network of Catholic charter schools she helped found that combines optional faith-based education along with an academically rigorous curriculum. Stephanie also discusses the challenges today of hiring teachers that are not social justice activists and the difficulties of starting charter schools, especially in blue states. Stephanie also passionately shares her views on the benefits of faith as a component of a child’s education. Stephanie Saroki de García is co-founder and managing director of Seton Education Partners, which she helped launch in 2009 to expand opportunities for parents in underserved communities to choose an academically excellent, character rich, and—for those who seek it—vibrantly Catholic education for their children. For over five years, Stephanie directed the Philanthropy Roundtable’s K-12 education programs, where she spearheaded a series of conferences, strategy sessions, and publications on breakthroughs in education philanthropy. She co-wrote Saving America’s Urban Catholic Schools: A Guide for Donors and also served on the strategic planning committee for the Archdiocese of New York’s school system, chairing the committee on school leadership. Stephanie was a Teach for America corps member in Oakland, California, where she taught high school English. She attended Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government as a dean’s fellow and while completing her master’s degree in public policy at the Kennedy School, Stephanie worked at the Office of Management and Budget. Stephanie is also a proud mom to two children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth speak with educator Tony Ortiz about his school, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, which has an innovative work study program which allows low income students in Chicago to get a high quality college preparatory education by working one day per week. Tony discusses the origins of the program, how it has developed and changed over the years and how it inspired a national network of work study schools. Tony talks about the impressive graduation rates of Cristo Rey and the benefits to both students and employers of the work study model. Tony Ortiz is the first lay President of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School which was founded in 1996 and pioneered the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) model for inner city education that has since inspired a national network of 38 schools serving traditionally under resourced communities across the country. Tony joined Cristo Rey in 2000, first as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and then as Associate Principal, before becoming President in June 2012. Tony is a graduate of Leadership Greater Chicago, serves on the Membership Committee for the Economic Club of Chicago, and sits on several boards including the Archdiocese of Chicago School Board, Dominican University, Loyola University Health System, Chicago Jesuit Academy, and The Resurrection Project and previously served as a young alum Trustee for the University of Notre Dame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew speak with education policy analyst, author and former teacher Robert Pondiscio. Robert talks about what led him to make a midcareer switch to teaching and opines on the proper role of schools America. We discuss whether equity and excellence in schools can be reconciled or should be considered opposing ideals. Robert shares his views on why some charter school networks have embraced social justice and why others have not, and talks about why the charter school movement lost its bipartisan support. He also discusses why Americans who value education must focus both on school choice and on reforming public schools. Finally, Robert and Andrew reminiscence about their former experiences as fellow Brearley Dads. Robert Pondiscio is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on K–12 education, curriculum, teaching, school choice, and charter schooling. He was also a policy analyst and education reform expert at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank. He previously worked for the Core Knowledge Foundation and as an adviser and civics teacher at Democracy Prep Public Schools. Mr. Pondiscio became interested in education policy issues when he started teaching fifth grade at a struggling South Bronx public school in 2002. Before that, Robert worked in journalism for 20 years, including in senior positions at Time and BusinessWeek. He is the author of many books, including the acclaimed “How the Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence, and the Battle over School Choice” (Avery, 2019), about Success Academy Charter Schools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth talk to fellow parent activist, Alvin Lui. Alvin is the founder of Courage Is A Habit, an organization that creates tools and strategies for the average parent, school board candidate, and legislator to take action in defending children from indoctrination in K-12. Alvin discusses his organization's work exposing aspects social-emotional learning (SEL) in our schools and explains how SEL is a gateway to teaching critical race theory (CRT) and radical gender ideology. Alvin also tells about his widely-shared expose on the American School Counselors Association (ASCA), an organization that is training school counselors to indoctrinate children towards CRT and the transgender cult. Finally, Alvin shares his views on what local parents need to do to make a difference in their own children's schools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew welcome psychotherapist and author Stella O'Malley to talk about the exploding number of teenage girls with gender dysphoria. Stella shares her own difficult childhood experiences growing up thinking she should be a boy and describes her journey to a career in psychotherapy. She talks about why she thinks girls are susceptible to social contagion and the role that both schools and social media play. Stella also illustrates why so few psychologists are willing to speak out on the alarming trends of gender dysphoria affecting girls and young women but shares her own optimism that the truth will eventually win out. Stella O’Malley is a psychotherapist and author who works in private practice in Ireland. Her work focuses on mental health and the importance of well-being and she is a regular contributor to the media. She is the author of several books. The most recent ‘Fragile’, was released in 2019 and focuses on overcoming anxiety and stress. Stella is also a Clinical Advisor in the Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine and a founding member of the International Association of Therapists for Desisters and Detransitioners. She is also a founder of Genspect, an international alliance of professionals, parent groups, trans people, detransitioners, and others who seek high-quality care for gender distressed young people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth welcome education innovator and author Ian Rowe. Ian shares his own personal story coming from an immigrant family which ignited his passion for education. He discusses his framework F.R.E.E. - family, religion, education and entrepreneurship - which serves as an alternative to the toxic and divisive victimhood narrative currently ascendant in our nation's schools. Ian also talks about the charter high school he cofounded in the Bronx, NY, and the vitriol he has received from teachers unions over his efforts to launch this brand new school. Ian is the cofounder of Vertex Partnership Academies, a new network of character-based International Baccalaureate high schools just recently opened in the Bronx, NY. Ian is also a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on education and upward mobility, family formation, and adoption. Ian also serves as a senior visiting fellow at the Woodson Center and a writer for its 1776 Unites effort. Ian is also the author of Agency: The Four Point Plan (F.R.E.E.) for ALL Children to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative and Discover Their Pathway to Power, published in May 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew welcome Ramona Bessinger, a teacher who bravely spoke out about the racialized curriculum in her school district. Ramona talks about what prompted her to speak up and the push back she got from her school, other teachers, parents and students. She discusses the article she wrote for Legal Insurrection exposing her school's divisive CRT based curriculum and the retaliation she received for writing it. Ramona also shares her views on why it is so difficult for other teachers to come forward and oppose the ideological takeover of our nation's schools. Ramona Bessinger is a 23 year veteran public school teacher, currently teaching English at Classical High School in Providence, RI. Ramona has extensive experience developing curriculum and has served as a school base model classroom. As a teacher of American Literature, World Literature, Multicultural Literature, Ramona brings a diverse understanding of English instruction for K-12 learners. Ramona is also a mother, patriot and active in restoring truthful pro-American K Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew welcome back former math teacher, journalist and educational hero, Paul Rossi. Paul discusses his seven week purgatory from Twitter for exposing videos of toxic racial literacy curriculum that has infiltrated private schools across the country. Paul also talks about his recent expose of his former school, Grace Church, where a drag queen was invited to perform in bi-weekly chapel, and students were pressured to dance along. We also discuss how identity politics in schools has shifted from race to gender and sexual orientation, and Paul shares his own experiences as a teacher witnessing this transition. Paul Rossi is a mathematics teacher, writer, and whistleblower who disclosed the impact of CRT at Grace Church School, where he taught from 2012 to 2021. He is currently a Senior Education Analyst writing for LegalInsurrection.com, and an advisor to the Educational Liberty Alliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this free-flowing episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew speak with author, activist and social commentator, Charles Love. We speak about Charles's involvement in the recent, "Open Letter Denouncing the Attacks on Justice Clarence Thomas." Charles shares his views on why black progressives are silent on the racist attacks against Justice Thomas, and what Republicans need to do to engage with the black community and encourage them to join the culture war. Charles also shares his own personal experiences engaging with his young son's school on issues of racial indoctrination in the classroom. Charles Love writes frequently on race, politics, current events, and cultural issues and is passionate about solutions rather than partisan bickering. He is the Executive Director of Seeking Educational Excellence (SEE), a non-profit whose mission is to empower disadvantaged students to reach their full potential, and the host of The Charles Love Show on AM560 The Answer, and co-host of the Cut The Bull Podcast. Charles is also a scholar at 1776Unites, contributing writer at City Journal and the author several books. His latest book is Race Crazy: BLM, 1619, and the Progressive Racism Movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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