On this edition of Making Contact we’ll explore how the privatization of public education is playing out across the country and how students and teachers are fighting back. We’ll start in Philadelphia and see how students are faring after 23 schools were shut down and 3,700 teachers, counselors and administrative staff were laid off. We’ll learn about Teach for America and how sending thousands of young, intelligent, idealistic teachers into classrooms may be doing more harm than good. Then we’ll go to California, where community colleges are under threat.

Featuring:

• Nuwar Ahmed, Philadelphia Student Union member
• Joanne Tien, Teach for America alum
• Su Jin Jez, assistant professor at California State University in Sacramento
• Justin Fong, Teach For America’s Vice President of Internal Communications
• Kerry Kretchmar, Caroll University professor
• Wendy Kaufmyn, teacher at City College of San Francisco and Save CCSF Coalition member
• Leslie Simon, teacher at City College of San Francisco and member of Save CCSF Coalition member
• Itzel Calvo, former student of City College of San Francisco and member of Save CCSF Coalition
• Ron Galatolo, chancellor at San Mateo Community College District