This week, Steph and Eddie begin by recapping Steph’s experience at the EDUVOTER conference and then diving into a recently released study: “Bullied, Threatened, and Exhausted: Florida School Board Members’ Struggle to Defend Public Education.” Afterwards, they welcome the head of EDUVOTER, Crystal Etienne. Crystal opens up and shares her background in teaching and why protecting public education is so important for her (14:15). We dig into the reasons why teacher unions are attacked so vociferously (22:01) and the impact of the culture wars on the fight for public education (30:17). Crystal weighs in on whether people are paying more attention lately and the role Schools of Hope played in getting the public’s attention (44:14). Finally, Crystal shares what voters should be asking of candidates (1:02:20) and how folks can support EDUVOTER (1:20:12).

Study mentioned at the top of the show: Bullied, Threatened, and Exhausted: Florida School Board Members’ Struggle to Defend Public Education

We’re back! After a couple of weeks of the summer cold, the Countdown Improv Festival, and Steph’s oldest daughter heading to the Swamp, Eddie and Steph are back at it. In this episode, they welcome Orlando Sentinel Columnist Scott Maxwell (10:13). Scott talks about his journalism journey and how he strives for accuracy, thoroughness, and fair warning in the issues he tackles and people he holds accountable (16:25). Scott shares his take on the Orange County School Board Chair race (21:55) and on statewide races (30:25). They then discuss one of Steph’s favorite (non education) topics: the race for Florida’s Attorney General and Jose Javier Rodriguez’s campaign to unseat James Uthmeier who may be “the most dangerous man in the state” (36:18). Scott shares his opinion on the recent mayoral primary and his aspirations for Orange County (40:27). They end the episode talking about Scott’s most memorable columns (50:33) and how to support local journalism (55:27).

Maxwell Column: Orange County’s school board race showed this community’s values

Eddie and Steph start the show by going through some of the hottest topics at OCPS: the banning of e-bikes and e-scooters, the new AI Policy, and the retirement of Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez. Afterward, they welcome Joe McGehee, the Director of Advocacy & Legislative Services at the Florida School Board Association (FSBA) (20:10). We begin by outlining how Joe came to this work, what FSBA does, and how important it is for FSBA to find common ground amongst its membership. Joe then dives into what it’s like to be in meetings with legislators when things go well and when things don't go his way (29:29). They then talk about playing the long game in public education advocacy and some of the highlight/lowlights of Joe’s first year in the position (33:22). Next, Steph and Joe discuss how it works when there’s honest disagreement and then what’s coming up in the next legislation session for FSBA (47:50). Finally, Joe gives advice on how anyone can become a more effective advocate and what Joe’s takes are on The Odyssey (1:02:20).

SEE Alliance Founder, Zander Moricz, and Orange County Organizing Coordinator, Koulson Fry, join Eddie and Steph to inspire us all and talk about the work of the SEE Alliance (Social Equity Through Education Alliance) (9:54). Zander opens the episode by talking about how the SEE Alliance originated and grew during COVID by mobilizing quickly and providing local civics education and information about school board organizing to students (11:52). The group evolved while the “Don’t Say Gay” bill moved through the Florida legislature in 2022 (14:44). Initially composed only of young people, the SEE Alliance made an intentional decision to become a youth-led multi-generational organization (21:50). As it grew, its leaders recognized the importance of working beyond individual campaigns or candidates and that young people yearned for a year round group and infrastructure that was working towards a positive vision. (27:00). They also recognized that having fun while doing the work is essential to the group’s sustainability and recruitment (30:50). Zander and Koulson talk about how the SEE Alliance focuses on school board organizing and participating in public comment (37:45) and the success of bottom up organizing (46:35). The group discusses how young people are navigating the political space today and how political conversations happen differently now than in the past (56:40). Zander opens up about the evolving nature of his relationship with social media (1:08:00) and his feelings about being described as an influencer and content creator. Koulson and Zander end the episode sharing how you can connect with SEE Alliance and be a part of this incredible movement. 

Eddie and Steph welcome Orange County School Board Member and current Candidate for School Board Chair, Angie Gallo, to the pod (18:32). Angie talks about how she first became engaged in public education advocacy and how she had to advocate against a bill she had spent two years pushing for (politics is complex!). The group then discusses how public education has evolved since Covid and theorizes the origin of those changes (30:04). Angie shares why she decided to make the move from advocacy to running for office in 2018 (35:48) and why, after serving two terms, she is running for School Board Chair (41:55). They end the show talking about how Angie recharges and she offers some advice to Eddie (52:30).

Eddie and Steph welcome Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet to the pod! Felipe talks about his work as the Executive Director at Hope Community Center and what drew him to helping immigrants navigate life in Central Florida (12:43). He then unpacks two Supreme Court decisions from this week relating to immigration issues (Mullin v. Al Otro Lado and Mullin v. Doe)(17:04). He shares his very personal reaction to attacks on immigrants (28:00) and what he is hearing from people on the ground as he knocks doors and leads the Hope Center (32:12). Steph and Felipe discuss how immigration policy has impacted OCPS students (35:42). Felipe then talks about his candidacy (43:46), the impacts of attacks on immigrants here in Florida (52:55) and his priorities once he is elected as State Representative (59:55).

Eddie and Steph recognize and reflect upon ten years since the Pulse tragedy here in Orlando. They then discuss Equal Ground’s excellent tour stop in Orlando and the overwhelming number of audience questions relating to public schools and public education.  

The guest this week is Dr. Hector Maestre, a wonderful human and OCPS graduate who also happens to be the principal at Boone High School. Like Steph, he was on the podcast unofficially and not in his professional capacity as an OCPS employee. Dr. Maestre begins by sharing his journey to becoming a teacher and then principal (16:17) and why the Class of 2026 is a special one to him (25:28). He discusses how he helps students who are struggling (29:31) and the importance of building relationships (35:16). He shares what a day in his life might look like (38:32) along with some misconceptions about his job (44:09). We learn how he manages the power of being a principal (51:04) and how he responds to the climate surrounding public education right now (55:18). Dr. Maestre then dismisses the notion that the purpose of school is to prepare students to become workers, and reiterates that his goal is to prepare students to be responsible, civically engaged, impactful people in the real world (1:02:01). They then talk about how OCPS can better support all schools (1:06:24) and how he responds to and works with concerned parents (1:08:36). Finally, Dr. Maestre shares he rests and recharges (1:11:28). 

It’s June, graduations are (nearly!) done, and Steph and Eddie are back to the work of podding. They begin the show talking about fundraisers, bittersweet improv shows, and the AT&T corporation.

This week, they welcome Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents back to the podcast. Jason starts out by giving an overview of the opaque budget process in Tallahassee and then a primer on how devastating the new property tax ballot initiative could end up being if it is passed (13:46). Next they walk through some of the items that made it through this year’s budget and how it speaks to the broken/corrupt nature of our state legislature (36:05). They also touch the slow degradation of higher education in the state of Florida and how a bipartisan consensus on protecting our top universities has seemingly gone by the wayside (53:07). Finally, Jason fires off a couple of book recommendations and explains how he isn’t recharging but he really should (1:03:01).

Should this podcast become a food podcast? Eddie and Steph debate as they recount their visit to Francesco’s. They decide against it and Steph provides some clarity on the one mil referendum vote and shares some of her graduation remarks before welcoming special guest, Elizabeth Vanos (16:48). Elizabeth talks about how it feels to be a nearly 18-year-old in this world (18:00) and how she often finds that a basic knowledge base and factual arguments are missing in debates with her classmates (21:09). She touches on the unresolved impact of Covid (26:41) and gives us a young woman’s perspective on what’s going on with the boys (29:14). Eddie and Steph learn what a FOID is (33:11) before Steph steers the conversation to how Elizabeth would improve the student experience in high school (40:00). Elizabeth shares what it’s like to have a mom who is a School Board Member (57:29) and contextualizes current events from a historical perspective (1:01). They then discuss A.I. (1:14:17) and Elizabeth provides predictions for herself (1:25:32).

This week, Steph and Eddie power through their intro because Steph is busy! They do get a little time to talk about weddings, work retreats, daughters, and movie clubs, but it’s all business after that.

Today’s guest is Genesis Robison, the Executive Director of Equal Ground Education Fund and Action Fund, Florida’s preeminent Black-led voting rights organization. Genesis began by explaining the work that Equal Ground does in fighting for voting rights and how Genesis himself got into the work (11:28). Then, we jump right into what is happening now with Florida’s egregious gerrymander and how Equal Ground is using the courts to fight back (17:27). We also walk through a few of the other ways Florida is suppressing the vote with the newest legislation coming out of the most recent legislative session (28:55). We then look through the national lens at the gutting of the Voting Rights Act in the Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court Decision, and how state-based voting rights legislation may be the next move (37:11). Finally, Genesis shares how folks can support the work of Equal Ground and fight back against these relentless attacks on voting rights in Florida and across the country (51:06).