Take Back Our Schools

In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew talk to two courageous mothers, Andrea Gross and Amy Gonzalez. They tell the story of how their children were expelled from their prestigious private school, Columbus Academy (Columbus, OH) because of their advocacy efforts. The two moms founded and organized a group of hundreds of parents, students, alumni, and teachers, called The Pro CA Coalition, to foster positive dialogue with the school and help the school return to a core focus on academic excellence. The school retaliated by expelling their children and even involving the FBI. Needing a new school for their children, Amy and Andrea decided to launch a new classical education school, Columbus Classical Academy, affiliated with Hillsdale College, and scheduled to open in August 2023.    We hope you enjoy this conversation with two mothers who are shining examples of how parents can not only speak up for their children’s education but help fix our broken system by starting new institutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Take Back our Schools, Beth and Andrew welcome social-emotional learning expert, Jason Littlefield. Jason is the founder of EmpowerED Pathways and co-designer of the Empowered Humanity Theory, a framework for life, leadership, and learning. He served as a public educator for twenty-one years and from 2014 to 2021 he was a Social and Emotional Learning Specialist for the Austin Independent School District. Jason is also affiliated with  Free Black Thought and The Institute for Liberal Values.   Jason begins by explaining what exactly is social-emotional learning (SEL) and how good SEL got transformed into the very bad “Transformative SEL.” Jason talks about the relationship between SEL, critical race theory (CRT) and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). We discuss what is the driving force for this ideology, and why it is so damaging to children and to our country. Jason describes his value-based alternative form of SEL, which he calls Empowered Humanity Theory, and explains why he is one of the exceedingly few practitioners of SEL swimming against today’s zeitgeist. Jason is raising money for his efforts through a Go Fund Me campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew interview Denisha Merriweather, a remarkable young woman who experienced the life-changing impact a quality education can have on a person’s life. Denisha is a former Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program student who is the first in her family to graduate from high school and college. Denisha currently serves as the Director of Public Relations and Content Marketing at the American Federation for Children and is the Founder of Black Minds Matter. She previously served as a confidential assistant/political appointee at the U.S. Department of Education led by Secretary Betsy DeVos. Denisha talks about her experience growing up and attending underperforming public schools in an impoverished neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida and how her life completely changed when she moved in with her Godmother and switched to a small private school with teachers who would not let her fail. Her experience with Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program led to her to become an advocate for school choice and she discusses her organization, Black Minds Matter, and her work with the American Federation for Children. Denisha, Beth and Andrew also discuss the recent Old Parkland Conference, a gathering of leading intellectuals including Clarence Thomas, Glenn Loury, Jason Riley, Ian Rowe, and Shelby Steele aimed at unearthing the best ideas to uplift black Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew talk to Jennifer Burns about classical education. Jennifer holds a master’s degree in Marketing from Northwestern University and is a mom to three sons. She left a career in marketing communications to homeschool her son and then in 2004, Jennifer created an enrichment program called H.E.A.R.T. and two years later created a classical hybrid school called Classical Consortium Academy in Illinois. Both H.E.A.R.T. and C.C.A. are going strong today and serve over 350 students. On the podcast, Jennifer walks us through the basics of a classical education, including the grammar, logic and rhetoric phases. We discuss how a classical education, rooted in the great books and in academic rigor, can benefit all kids, regardless of their career aspirations. Jennifer shares her views on the importance of a religious basis to the curriculum and we discuss some of the differences between Christian and secular classical schools. Finally, Beth and Andrew both share their optimism in classical schools being one of the shining alternatives to today’s politicized K-12 education system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew talk to Kim Hermann, one of the country's leading attorneys in the war against woke education. Kim is General Counsel at Southeastern Legal Foundation, one of the nation’s oldest conservative public interest law firms. In addition to representing clients, Kim testifies before state legislatures, has drafted several pieces of model legislation, and regularly publishes legal articles. Her work and that of Southeastern Legal Foundation is regularly covered by national media. On the podcast, Kim discusses some of the cases she is litigating around civil liberties in the classroom. She talks about some of the civil rights protections that parents, teachers and children have in our education system. We discuss issues of free speech, compelled speech and curriculum transparency, and Kim shares her advice to parents about what makes a good legal case and other avenues parents have to fight back against politicized curriculum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and new co-host Beth Feeley welcome Robert Woodson Sr. to the podcast. Bob is the Founder and President of the Woodson Center, 1776 Unites and Voices of Black Mothers United. He is an influential leader on issues of poverty alleviation and empowering disadvantaged communities to become agents of their own uplift. Bob is also a frequent advisor to local, state and federal government officials as well as business and philanthropic organizations. Bob discusses his experience in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and shares his views on how and why the movement went wrong. Bob talks about what led him to start the Woodson Center and illustrates the work his organization is doing to improve the lives of low income families in impoverished neighborhoods. He discusses what led him to launch the 1776 Unites curriculum as a counter to the New York Times' "1619 Project." Finally, we discuss Bob's disappointment with the divisive presidency of Barack Obama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On March 30, former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, president of Young America’s Foundation, and former Wall Street Journal reporter and parent activist extraordinaire Asra Nomani, joined Andrew Gutmann to record a live episode of “Take Back Our Schools.” The trio talked about battling a formidable collection of foes in the quest to right the ship: school boards, teacher unions, accreditation organizations and state legislatures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew welcomes in Corey DeAngelis to talk about educational freedom and school choice. Corey is the national director of research at the American Federation for Children, the executive director at Educational Freedom Institute, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, and a senior fellow at Reason Foundation. Andrew and Corey talk about legislation being pursued in many states to give parents choice in their children’s education by funding students rather than public schools. Corey gives advice on how to counter the teachers unions objections to school choice issues and shares his views on what parents can do to join the growing movement to break the public school monopoly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew speaks with Matt Beienburg, Director of Education Policy at the Goldwater Institute. Matt shares his views on the politicization of America's public schools, critical race theory, and the genesis of curriculum transparency legislation, which Matt helped draft. We discuss the key features of this legislation and learn how it will help parents understand what is being taught in their children's schools. We also talk about the intense pushback from the national teachers unions on this issue. You can follow Matt on Twitter at @MBeienburg  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew speaks with parent advocate Beth Feeley. We discuss Beth's journey from concerned parent in suburban Chicago to founding New Trier Neighbors, one of the largest and most active local parent groups in the country. Beth shares her views on the state of public school education and how the parent movement has changed in the five years she has been involved in her local school district. Beth also gives her advice to other parents fighting against identity-based indoctrination and for curriculum transparency and balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices