In our first episode of 2025, we’re talking with special guest Jeremy C. Young, the director of state and higher education policy at PEN America, a nonprofit organization that unites writers and their allies to defend the freedom of expression nationwide. He oversees PEN America’s state policy and advocacy work across all US free expression programs and directs the Freedom to Learn program fighting government censorship of colleges and universities. His commentary on issues of academic freedom, higher education, and American democracy appears frequently in media outlets, and he speaks regularly on these topics before national and international audiences. A historian by training, Young is the author of The Age of Charisma: Leaders, Followers, and Emotions in American Society, 1870-1940 (Cambridge University Press, 2017). He holds a BA in history and music from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and an MA and Ph.D. in U.S. history from Indiana University.

We spoke with Jeremy about censorship and academic freedom, educational gag orders, the primacy of local communities in political communication, the role of charisma in political persuasion, and more. Thanks for listening, and please rate, review, and subscribe to help us grow!

Sources & Resources:

PEN America

Jeremy C. Young - PEN America

Kanawha County Textbook War - Wikipedia

Keyishian v. Board of Regents | 385 U.S. 589 (1967) | Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center

Karen M. Dunak - NYU Press

In our final episode of 2024, the 16:1 hosts share reflections and takeaways from the 2024 NCTE National Conference held in Boston, Massachusetts. The event was inspiring and energizing, featuring notable figures such as Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, comedienne Kate McKinnon, social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson, and beloved authors such as Jo Knowles. Though exhausting, the conference left us re-energized and brimming with ideas! Join us as we cover:

• Nationwide initiatives to protect intellectual and academic freedom, combat book bans and censorship, and prioritize student mental health.
• Classroom-focused discussions on the ethical and practical applications of artificial intelligence in education.
• Innovative uses of games, podcasts, and other “new” media to create compelling and accessible learning experiences.
• Solutions journalism as a tool to de-escalate political discourse and empower student journalists.

Thank you for listening to 16:1. Your ratings and reviews help us reach teachers and learners around the world, so please consider leaving a note for us in your favorite podcasting app. If there’s a story from your educational community that you would like us to cover in 2025, please write to [email protected] to get in touch with our editorial team. See you in the new year!

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science | Anderson's Bookshop Naperville

Bryan Stevenson | Equal Justice Initiative

The Supreme Court: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

Great Molasses Flood - Wikipedia

How to Fight Book Bans: Proactive Tips for Educators - PEN America

K. A. Keener Headquarters (NCTE Presenter on Narrative & Gaming)

News Literacy Project

Solutions Journalism Network

USS Constitution Museum

What Could a Trump 2.0 Administration Mean for Teachers and Students Across the Country?

This week we’re taking a hard look at the potential implications of a second term for former President Donald Trump on education in the United States. From funding overhauls to student safety, we explore how changes at the federal level could impact teachers, students, and educational institutions nationwide. We discuss new proposals for universal school choice programs, changes to student loan repayment programs, potential rollbacks of consumer protections and regulations for for-profit colleges and universities, and likely changes to Title IX.

We are also updating listeners on the substantial cost of cultural and ideological conflicts in education; recent reporting from the Guardian estimates that U.S. taxpayers are bearing billions in costs due to schools combating misinformation and addressing attacks from various activist groups. Potential appointments for the Secretary of Education—figures who support book bans and restrictive educational policies—could further challenge freedom of expression and access to diverse educational materials.

Significant changes to the Department of Education are complex and require legislative action. While a president cannot unilaterally eliminate a federal department, there is room for executive actions that can alter how the department operates. We discuss the mechanisms through which federal education policies can change and what that means for schools across the country.

Voices in Teaching: A Conversation with Educator Megan Helberg

This week we are very excited to kick off a new 16:1 series called Voices in Teaching, where we will interview educators who have been recognized for innovation and excellence in their craft. Our first featured educator is Megan Helberg, who hails from rural Loup County, Nebraska, where she taught 8th-12th grade English for 15 years. In 2020, Helberg received the prestigious honor of being named the Nebraska Teacher of the Year. 

Helberg is passionate about Holocaust and genocide education, having received a Fund for Teachers grant to visit Holocaust-related sites throughout Europe and to purchase Holocaust literature resources for her school. Megan was named a Museum Teacher Fellow for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) in 2016 and now assists the USHMM as a mentor for incoming teacher fellows. Helberg was selected as a Lowell Milken Center Fellow in 2021, to The Olga Lengyel Institute (TOLI) summer seminar in 2022, and recently was selected to study at the highly-acclaimed institution, Yad Vashem. She is also the 2024 Anne Frank Educator of the Year.

Megan recently accepted a job with the Anne Frank Center (the Anne Frank House's official partner in the USA), where she now travels the world to share resources, educational opportunities, and peer-to-peer trainings centered on the Frank family, the Holocaust, and the lessons of history that are still highly relevant to today’s learners.

In this episode, we explore Megan's journey as an educator in the classroom and beyond, including the story of a heartwarming surprise meeting with Dr. Jill Biden at the White House. We also explore the challenges and rewards of teaching in a small, rural community and how teachers might foster a sense of belonging, community, and shared values among students. Megan’s innovative approaches to education, including the founding of a travel club that has taken students and community members around the world, exemplifies her belief in the power of experiences to broaden horizons and strengthen communal bonds.

Join us for an inspiring conversation that highlights the profound difference one dedicated teacher can make.

New research from the National Center for Charter School Accountability and the Network for Public Education reveals troubling patterns in charter school longevity. Analyzing over 2 million Department of Education records, researchers found that 55% of charter schools fail by their 20th year, with a quarter closing within just five years of opening. These closures, often triggered by enrollment decline or mismanagement, create significant disruptions for millions of students annually—frequently with little to no warning.

The rise of premium college consulting services, like Jamie Beaton's Crimson Education, has sparked fresh debate about equity in elite college admissions. With consultants working with students as young as 11 to craft the perfect academic profile, and boasting acceptance rates 6-7 times higher than normal at prestigious institutions like Harvard and Yale, we're forced to question: Has college admissions become more about costly strategies than merit?

UK educators and teachers' unions are pushing for national legislation to ban smartphones in schools. A proposed bill introduced by Labour MP Josh MacAlister would require students to store phones in locked boxes until the end of the school day. Early adopters of similar policies report decreased drama and increased physical activity among students. Even Eton College, Britain's most elite boarding school, is joining the movement, having announced a phone ban that started in September 2024. Their approach? Allow simple Nokia phones for calls and texts while prohibiting smart devices—a move aimed at prioritizing learning and reducing distractions.

A lawsuit filed with the Oklahoma Supreme Court on October 17th challenges State Superintendent Ryan Walters' plan to spend $3 million on leather-bound Bibles containing the Constitution and Declaration of Independence for public schools. Parents and teachers argue this mandate violates religious freedom by favoring a specific Protestant interpretation.

The National Letter of Intent (NLI) system, a cornerstone of college athletic recruitment since 1964, has been eliminated as of October 2024. Athletes will now sign financial aid agreements that may include revenue-sharing contracts—a change following the 2021 Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) reforms. This shift could widen the gap between wealthy institutions and smaller programs, though its full impact remains to be seen.

Subscribe to 16:1 podcast for more in-depth analysis of education policy and reform. Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform or stream it directly from our website.

Stanton wins ALCS MVP as peers agree: 'This is what Big G lives for'

Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Comet appears on the western horizon

The Guru Who Says He Can Get Your 11-Year-Old Into Harvard - WSJ

Signings of the times: Banished letters of intent, shrunk transfer window equals more college chaos | AP News

NCAA approves elimination of national letter of intent program - ESPN

New students at Eton, the poshest of Britain's elite private schools, will not be allowed smartphones - CBS News

More than 25% of charters shutter within 5 years - K-12 Dive

New Report Reveals Startling Rates of Charter School Failures - WJBF

Texas AFT :‘Doomed To Fail’: New Report Shows How Charter School Churn Harms Students They Purported to Help ‣ Texas AFT

Oklahoma parents and teachers sue to stop top education official's classroom Bible mandate

Bibles that Oklahoma wants for schools match version backed by Trump | AP News

Oklahoma parents and teachers sue to stop top education official’s classroom Bible mandate | CNN

Supreme Court of Oklahoma - Ryan Walters Case

Doomed to Fail - NCCSA

New students at Eton, the poshest of Britain's elite private schools, will not be allowed smartphones - CBS News

First school to ban smartphones adds to pressure on Starmer to protect children | The Independent

Mobile phones in schools - GOV.UK

Fight begins to make mobile-free schools law

Smartphones could be banned in schools in England under new law

Election season is upon the U.S., and with it comes a tidal wave of information—some enlightening, some misleading. In our latest episode, we explore the impact of misinformation and disinformation on schools and communities of learning.

As educators, part of our mission is to help our students become informed citizens. But what happens when the channels upon which we rely are flooded with false or misleading information, fantastical conspiracy theories, and threats to health and safety? How do we equip our students—and ourselves—to discern fact from fiction when misinformation spreads like wildfire?

Discover how false information is creating challenges in classrooms and administrative offices nationwide, explore essential questions everyone should consider when consuming media (and tools you can bring into your classroom), and learn about strategies and resources including Media Literacy Week and initiatives by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) and National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).

Donate to Hurricane Helene Relief | American Red Cross

Here's how to help victims of Hurricane Helene

The Northern Lights - Discovering the Arctic.

What is Media Literacy Week?

Teaching Media Literacy in High School | Edutopia

NSPRA - From Distortion to Clarity Report

Media Literacy Now Policy Report 2024

Crash Course Media Literacy

Teenagers and Misinformation: Some Starting Points for Teaching Media Literacy - The New York Times

POSSE - IndieWeb

Here’s the 16:1 Education News Headline Roundup for September, 2024. Don’t forget to sign up for the 16:1 podcast email newsletter for the latest news, resources, workshop offerings, and more!

• We start with a touch of chaos in Columbus, where the State Teacher Retirement System continues its rocky 2024 trajectory. A controversial board member is out, as is the executive director who was subject of a workplace misconduct allegation.
• Columbus City Schools board members are facing mounting pressure to address leadership concerns after the leaking of a memo that encouraged district leadership to use “racial dynamics” to drive a wedge between the district’s unions.
• A new Pro Publica report has just been released highlighting Ohio’s unprecedented foray into using public, taxpayer funding for the construction and renovation of private religious schools.
• California may soon join a handful of other states in banning legacy college admissions at private educational institutions.
• Student loan servicer Navient has been banned from providing services for federal student loans after reaching a $120 million settlement “years of failures and lawbreaking.”

CFPB Bans Navient from Federal Student Loan Servicing

Here's which Navient student loan borrowers may qualify for relief under $120 million settlement

Navient banned from federal student loan servicing, will pay borrowers $100 million in compensation. - CBS News

Chaos-filled day at Ohio teachers' pension board leading to even more ethical concerns

Alleged ‘backdoor ties’ between retired teachers’ pension fund & investment firm

Ohio AG Yost files subpoenas in teachers pension scandal; investment firm responds

CCS - Investigation Report 06.04.24 | Download Free PDF | Communication

Columbus school board recordings show efforts to spin document leak

In an Unprecedented Move, Ohio Is Funding the Construction of Private Religious Schools

Takeaways from AP's report on churches starting schools in voucher states | AP News

California lawmakers vote to ban legacy admissions at universities like Stanford

Penalties Removed from California Bill to Ban Donor and Legacy Preferences in Private College Admissions

Big publishers think libraries are the enemy

Internet Archive Loses Lawsuit Over E-Book Copyright Infringement. Here's What to Know

Second Circuit Says Libraries Disincentivize Authors To Write Books By Lending Them For Free | Techdirt

The Boys in the Boat - The Book Loft

Major Publishers Sue Florida Over Banned School Library Books - The New York Times

2023 Bill Summaries - The Florida Senate

Penguin Random House, 5 Additional Publishers, & Authors Guild File Landmark Lawsuit Against State of Florida for Unconstitutional Book-Banning Provisions With House Bill 1069

Major publishers sue over law leading to book removals | The Capitolist

How to confirm your voter registration status | USAGov

[00:02:22]

Student well-being and strong mental health are essential for effective learning. This episode explores the growing mental health challenges faced by K-12 and college students globally. Rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues have surged, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent research from the U.S. Surgeon General notes a rise in mental health struggles among youth, including major depressive episodes and suicidal thoughts, compounded by increased screen time and social media use. In higher education, nearly 40% of students report conditions like anxiety or depression.

 [00:07:00]

We discuss key contributing factors to the student mental health crisis, including excessive academic pressure, economic uncertainty, political and environmental anxiety, and disrupted sleep patterns. Social media plays a significant role, as students grapple with the pressure to maintain curated online personas.

[00:15:45]

Our conversation also highlights helpful resources and organizations working to address these issues, such as HundreED’s Wellbeing in Schools project, Active Minds, and the Trevor Project. These organizations focus on integrating mental health support into education, providing vital resources, and advocating for policy change to improve student well-being.

[00:20:15]]

In the classroom, we explore trauma-informed teaching practices, mindfulness, peer support networks, and compassionate grading policies. Educators are finding new ways to balance preparing students for a tough world while creating a nurturing, supportive environment. Join us in this important conversation!

Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory

Surgeon General Advisory Raises Alarm on Youth Mental Health

FAFSA - Wikipedia.

Well-Being Assessment - ACHA

REFERENCE GROUP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Fall 2023 - PILOT American College Health Association Well-Being Assessment

Environments to Support Wellbeing for All Students - Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education - NCBI Bookshelf

LET GO AND LET GROW: AN ASSESSMENT OF A SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTION ENCOURAGING INDEPENDENCE IN CHILDREN

The impact of income on mental health - The Lancet Public Health

HundrED Global Collection 2024

Education Innovations - HundrED

The Jed Foundation

News Articles & Press Releases from The Trevor Project

Matthew Shepard Foundation

Let Grow Mission and Values | We Believe in Childhood Independence

The Evidence - The Anxious Generation

ChezaCheza

MARIO Education

QIC: Quality Interactions & Creativity CIC

Community Programs - Active Minds

Learn – TWLOHA

Gamingbible - TikTok

The Uncensored Library

Protective Behaviours - 'Cause I Ain't Got a Pencil

Teens have less face time with their friends – and are lonelier than ever

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is once again majorly delayed. On August 7th the U.S. Department of Education announced a rollout process for the 2025-2026 form that includes an October 1st date for limited testing, with the application set to open to all students on December 1 2024, two months later than the typical release date for the application. 
• A federal appeals court has allowed an Iowa law that bans books with sexual content from K-12 school libraries and restricts instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity before seventh grade to take effect. This overturns a previous injunction that had paused the law, signed by Republican Governor Kim Reynolds in 2023.
• An update to a previously discussed story: in the wake of former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse announcing his resignation from the University of Florida presidency, the UF student newspaper, the Independent Florida Alligator, has reported that Sasse may have been forced out over escalating tensions with the university’s board chairman, Morteza “Mori” Hosseini.

Social Learning Theory (SLT) seeks to explain how we learn behaviors by observing and imitating others. This episode explores SLT's unique position between behaviorism, which focuses on observable behaviors, and cognitive psychology, which emphasizes internal processes like memory and perception.

We’ll discuss how Albert Bandura revolutionized psychology by developing new theories on aggression and modeled behaviors, challenging the dominant behaviorist views of the time. We’ll cover Bandura’s famous Bobo Doll experiment and its groundbreaking findings on observational learning, and we’ll also introduce you to other key figures in the development of SLT, like Julian Rotter, who developed the concept of locus of control, and Walter Mischel, known for the marshmallow test on delayed gratification. We’ll also tease apart the core concepts of SLT (modeling, self-efficacy, and vicarious reinforcement) to show how they work together to shape behavior. Finally, we’ll discuss the broader applications and criticisms of SLT in areas like education, media, and even advertising, where the power of observed behavior is leveraged in both positive and controversial ways.

The rollout for the updated FAFSA application has been delayed again : NPR

After Botched Rollout, FAFSA Is Delayed for a Second Year - The New York Times

FAFSA Rollout Delayed Again: Here's What to Know | Paying for College | U.S. News

U.S. Department of Education Announces Schedule and New Process to Launch 2025-26 FAFSA Form

‘There’s nothing more important right now’: Cardona commits to fixing FAFSA disaster - POLITICO

Federal judges allow Iowa book ban to take effect this school year | AP News

Obama addresses healthcare website glitches - BBC News

Federal appeals court rules Iowa's book ban law can take effect

Sasse's spending, exit leave lingering questions at UF

University of Florida Pres. Kent Fuchs addresses Sasse allegations, plans for future

Sasse stepped down. Donors and top officials say he was forced out. - The Independent Florida Alligator

Ben Sasse Appears to Have Turned the University of Florida Into a Gravy Train for His Pals

Former UF President Ben Sasse defends spending after Gov. DeSantis raises concerns

Social cognitive theory | psychology | Britannica

Social learning | Secondary Keywords: Imitation, Observational Learning & Reinforcement | Britannica

Observational learning | Psychology, Behavior & Cognitive Processes | Britannica

Social learning theory - Wikipedia

Albert Bandura | Biography, Theory, Experiment, & Facts | Britannica

Albert Bandura, Leading Psychologist of Aggression, Dies at 95 - The New York Times

Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change - A. Bandura - APA PsycNet

Social learning and clinical psychology : Rotter, Julian B : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Julian Rotter - Wikipedia

Theories of Emeritus Professor Julian Rotter Still Relevant to Field of Clinical Psychology - UConn Today

Decision Making Individual Differences Inventory - Internal-External Scale

In Memoriam: Walter Mischel, Psychologist Who Developed Pioneering Marshmallow Test | Department of Psychology

Walter Mischel | Stanford Marshmallow Experiment, Cognitive Delay of Gratification | Britannica

How many users visit Wikipedia daily? - Quora.

The Bobo Doll Experiment - Psychestudy

Biological Mechanisms for Observational Learning - PMC

Albert Bandura's experiments on aggression modeling in children: A psychoanalytic critique - PMC

Remembrance For Walter Mischel, Psychologist Who Devised The Marshmallow Test

• Last week brought news of a long-simmering conflict within OpenAI, a dominant player in the generative artificial intelligence space, over whether or not the company should release to the public a watermarking tool that would leave a secret trail of encoded breadcrumbs in textual output from ChatGPT.
• Updates from ongoing literacy reform initiatives across the country:
  • A literacy reform bill in the state of Massachusetts failed to pass after pushback from the state’s teachers union and some school administrators.
  • Maryland’s State Board of Education is also in the midst of a comment period related to literacy programming changes, in this case having to do with a controversial retention policy that could hold back third graders who don’t score high enough on state reading exams.
• Katie and guest educator Allyson discuss their state-mandated Science of Reading coursework after completing 10 modules that may have missed the mark of preparing teachers to tackle literacy challenges.

Teachers serve as ethical role models, and their personal philosophies deeply influence their day-to-day decisions and interactions with students. In this episode, we discuss how teacher education programs prepare (or fail to prepare) educators to approach these responsibilities with sensitivity and moral understanding. 

Contemporary challenges in teaching ethics are also examined, including the importance of age-appropriate content, the legal and policy constraints public school teachers face, and the necessity for cultural and ethical sensitivity in diverse classrooms. We discuss strategies for educators to recognize and mitigate their biases, promote respectful dialogue, and prepare students to navigate today's ethical and moral dilemmas, particularly in the digital age.

Finally, we consider the influence of parents and community members on classroom ethics and how educators can involve these parties constructively in the project of education. The episode concludes with a discussion of the value of formalized ethics lessons versus the ethical lessons naturally woven into everyday classroom experiences.

• How do your personal philosophies as educators shape your daily actions in the classroom?
• In what ways do teacher education programs equip educators to handle ethical sensitivity and moral responsibility?
• How has the role of the educator as a moral and ethical exemplar evolved throughout history?
• Are formal ethics lessons more beneficial than the lessons students learn from everyday classroom interactions?
• How can teachers effectively tailor ethics-related content to different age groups while keeping it engaging?

OpenAI has the tech to watermark ChatGPT text—it just won’t release it | Ars Technica

There’s a Tool to Catch Students Cheating With ChatGPT. OpenAI Hasn’t Released It. - WSJ

Understanding the source of what we see and hear online | OpenAI

Massachusetts Literacy Reform Bill Dies, But State Spends $20 Million on Reading Education – Solondais

Literacy reform bill dies, but new reading program gets $20 million investment

Lost in a world of words: Key takeaways from Globe literacy investigation

Why It Is Called the Steeplechase and Why It Has Water Jumps. - Business Insider