School Reform News Podcast

Larry Sand, president of the California Teachers Empowerment Network (CTEN), uses data to show overall there are more teachers today than ever.  There are some shortages in math, science, and special education areas, which he provided a solution that has proven successful in other areas of the country. The greatest impediment to this fix is the teachers unions themselves as highlighted by John Abeigon, local teachers union president in Newark, New Jersey, essentially calling merit-based-pay “evil.”

Heartland’s Donald Kendal sits down with Education Policy Expert Lennie Jarratt in the first episode of the In The Tank Podcast’s subseries “Deep Dive.” Jarratt and Kendal go in depth into the topic of education policy. Jarratt talks about the shortcomings of the public education system, the power and influence of teachers unions, and how education choice options empower parents and leads to better academic outcomes.Watch the interview on YouTube.  

This podcast discusses his new book Restoring the Promise: Higher Education in America. It outlines the major reasons higher education is failing to fulfilling its promise. The blame falls squarely on government intervention. In their desire to help, they have cause many unintended consequences that harm education and students. Dr. Vedder discusses these causes and proposes some solution to start correcting the problems. It all starts with getting the government out of the way.

Heartland’s Jim Lakely talks with Mark Joseph, producer of the upcoming film “No Safe Spaces,” a look at modern oppression of our free speech rights in America. The docudrama, which was shown at a special advance screening at The Heartland Institute on June 5, stars comedian Adam Corolla and national radio talk host Dennis Prager. The film also features interviews with free-speech champions from across the political spectrum, including comedian and actor Tim Allen, professor Jordan Peterson, classical liberal YouTube star David Rubin, the Hoover Institution’s Shelby Steele, self-proclaimed communist commentator Van Jones, liberal civil rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz, and leftist philosopher Cornel West. Lakely and Joseph talk about his career in Hollywood – including some shocking facts about The Chronicles of Narnia movie – and why this fight to protect our free speech rights on campus, in the public square, and on social media is the most important fight of the modern age.

Marsha Enright discusses The Great Connections summer program, Leap Year program, the philosophy and teaching method of reading great books from across the ideological spectrum, and how to hold a collaborative dialogue through civility, logic, and reason.Website: https://thegreatconnections.org/

Rep. Patrick Neville, a Columbine survivor, discussed how he escaped the shooting and how it profoundly changed his life. He discussed memories of the shootings aftermath and watching parents not be able to find their children.As a state representative, he proposes solutions to help keep students safe. These include hardening the physical building, allowing teachers to volunteer to be trained and armed, and to provide Child Safety Accounts empowering parents to find a safe alternative to unsafe schools. These proposals never get out of committee.