Description: Changing the names of schools, instituting race-based affinity groups, and eliminating standardized tests are just a few of the actions that woke boards of education across the country are taking in pursuit of equity. The result is that schools are now focused on everything but academic instruction. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Nicole Neily , president and founder of Parents Defending Education (PDE). She says that lawsuits in places like northern Virginia and the su...
Mar 03, 2022•33 min•Ep. 57
Description: The recently stalled Build Back Better legislation contains $110 billion for universal pre-school for three and four-year-olds. Is a large investment in early childhood education universal pre-k necessary or beneficial for the academic and social development of American children? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Katharine B. Stevens , founder and acting CEO of the Center on Child and Family Policy and former director of AEI’s early childhood program. Katharine breaks dow...
Feb 16, 2022•37 min•Ep. 56
Description: Twenty years ago, education reformers on the right and left agreed that promoting charter schools and school choice were appropriate steps to close the achievement gap and improve kids’ educational outcomes. Today, feelings among the reformers about school choice are a lot more polarized. Moreover, the recent shutdowns of many schools during the pandemic may have jeopardized Americans’ decades-long relationship with public schools and shown that education is smack in the middle of t...
Feb 02, 2022•24 min•Ep. 55
Description: There are over 70,000 adoptions of children in the United States every year, with a majority coming from foster care. Despite adoptions being more diverse and 75% of adoptive parents having a positive relationship with the birth parents, some are calling for adoption to end because it is too traumatic for children. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Ryan Hanlon , the acting CEO and President of the National Council for Adoption. Ryan explains that many children have experi...
Jan 19, 2022•32 min•Ep. 54
Description: Young people who graduate from high school, get a job, and get married before they have children are less likely to live in poverty later in life. Given the importance of this information, some have suggested that this ordering of milestones—known as “the success sequence”—be taught in K-12 schools. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Nat Malkus, a senior fellow and deputy director of education policy at AEI. Using data from the August 2021 American Perspectives Survey, whi...
Jan 05, 2022•22 min•Ep. 53
Description: In March 2021, the California Department of Education approved the final version of the ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. In October 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill No. 101 into law, making California the first state to require an ethnic studies class for graduation. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Dr. Wenyuan Wu , executive director of the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation. Dr. Wu explains that, while seemingly benign, the objective of ethnic stu...
Dec 15, 2021•23 min•Ep. 52
Description: A student in Boston public schools recently knocked her principal unconscious during school hours. A girl was recently sexually assaulted in a Loudon County, Virginia, school, and administrators falsely denied knowledge of its occurrence. What is causing an increase in school violence and how can administrators use their resources to improve school safety and students’ lives? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Max Eden , a research fellow in education policy at the America...
Dec 01, 2021•26 min•Ep. 51
Description: The child tax credit (CTC) in the United States has always required its recipients to work. Yet the recent proposal from the Biden administration eliminates the work requirement in the CTC. Ensuring that parents earn a small amount of money benefits kids and helps lift families out of poverty. How can we ensure our policies align with what’s best for kids? In this special episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Robert Doar , President and Morgridge scholar at the American Enterprise In...
Nov 10, 2021•23 min•Ep. 50
Description: For decades, women have increasingly outnumbered men in higher education and the problem is getting worse. Men—generally speaking—prefer to work rather than go to school. Yet more traditional, blue-collar jobs now require advanced degrees. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Kay Hymowitz , the William E. Simon Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal. Kay explains how this trend has not been considered problematic because society is used t...
Oct 27, 2021•23 min•Ep. 49
Description: Educational institutions are supposed to serve the interests of children and their families. Yet parents are increasingly finding themselves coming up against a system that is turned against them. In some instances, they are even labeled by the National School Board Association as "domestic terrorists" for simply voicing their opinion. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Christine Rosen , a senior writer at Commentary magazine and chair of the Colloquy on Knowledge, Technol...
Oct 13, 2021•23 min•Ep. 48
Description: The American child welfare system is bent toward protecting adults, not children. Kids in danger are treated instrumentally to promote the rehabilitation of their parents, the welfare of their communities, and the social justice of their race and tribe—all with the inevitable result that their most precious developmental years are lost in bureaucratic and judicial red tape. In this special episode, Naomi discusses her new book, “No Way to Treat a Child.” She explains how the driving...
Sep 29, 2021•37 min•Ep. 47
Description: Oregon Governor Kate Brown recently signed a law eliminating the requirement that high school graduates be able to demonstrate an ability to read, do math, and write at a high school level. Proponents of the law claim it would promote “equitable graduation standards” that will benefit Oregon’s students of color. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Rick Hess , a Senior Fellow and director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Rick explains that sc...
Sep 15, 2021•21 min•Ep. 46
Description: Prior to 1972, putting up a child for adoption did not require the consent of an unmarried father. Despite a Supreme Court case changing the law, many birth fathers are still unaware that they must register on a putative father registry in order to have input in their child’s future. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Ericka Andersen , a freelance writer, digital marketing professional, and host of the podcast Worth Your Time. Ericka explains that the historical background...
Sep 01, 2021•16 min•Ep. 45
Description: Every year, 23,000 children will age out of the foster care system without a loving family to take care of them. How can child welfare agencies, government, and public policy help these kids achieve upward mobility and ensure that they learn the important skills needed to have a successful life? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Tim Keller , Senior Vice President and Legal Director at Gen Justice, an organization based in Arizona dedicated to fighting for foster care chil...
Aug 18, 2021•27 min•Ep. 44
Description: The way we frame conversations about race has significant implications for future education policies. Talking about “achievement gaps” draws attention solely to the differences between white and black students, which can perpetuate racial stereotypes. Maybe framing the issue as an “opportunity gap” instead would encourage us to consider policies that promote equity and excellence for all. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by David Quinn , Assistant Professor of Education at ...
Aug 04, 2021•30 min•Ep. 43
Description: Families are increasingly finding themselves trapped in a whirlwind of competition for their kids. From rigorous sports clubs to the college admissions process, parents are forced to concentrate more on what everyone else is doing as opposed to what is best for their family. This unhealthy dynamic has led to a decline in civic associations and other institutions that are critical for community and human development. How can parents better adapt to these changing times and attempt to...
Jul 21, 2021•23 min•Ep. 42
Description: The New York legislature has just passed a law that could bring $350 million of tax revenues to the state each year from marijuana sales. While the short-term benefits may be appealing, it Governor Cuomo and his lawmakers have not considered the far-reaching ramifications of such a law. The passage of this and other similar laws across the nation call into question several items: What has happened to bourgeois virtues such as honesty, integrity, temperance, and delayed gratification...
Jul 07, 2021•23 min•Ep. 41
A good education is a ticket to a good life, and high-quality mathematics instruction is growing rapidly in importance. However, an increasingly loud line of rhetoric threatens to weaken our public schools’ standards for high-quality mathematics programs. For example, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has supported a math curriculum taking the position that white supremacy is furthered by objectivity in mathematics. Will this divisive and demoralizing new approach offer any improvements to...
Jun 23, 2021•26 min•Ep. 40
Description: In the 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) became law — institutionalizing a sweeping set of race-based restrictions over how child welfare systems can treat Indian children. While the law was passed with the noble intent of protecting Native American cultures, its effects have been devastating, halting the protection of children in countless dangerous situations. Why is ICWA so harmful to children? How can lawmakers address the shortcomings of this law while supporting the pr...
Jun 09, 2021•27 min•Ep. 39
Description: Conversations about polyamory, same-sex parenting, and other alternative family arrangements have received increased national attention in recent years. But so often, these discussions focus primarily on the interests and desires of adults and pay very little attention to the wellbeing of children. What factors should serve as the impetus for change in policy and culture around child welfare? How should we balance the desires of adults with the needs of children when making decision...
May 26, 2021•25 min•Ep. 38
Description: A professor at Georgetown Law School was recently fired for remarks she made during a private zoom call about the academic performance of black students at Georgetown — raising several questions about the nature of and potential solutions to racial disparities in higher education. What are the root causes of racial disparities in schools? How much freedom should professors and administrators be given to explore explanations of disparities that move beyond institutional racism? Shoul...
May 12, 2021•31 min•Ep. 37
Description: Foster youth today face incredible challenges building a stable life when they age out of the child welfare system. Fewer than ten percent ever graduate college, and tragic reports have outlined crises of homelessness and poverty among these young adults. But some foster youth have found healing and restoration through caring foster parents, a deeply embedded sense of personal agency, and connections to strong networks of support. We can learn a lot from the stories of these individ...
Apr 21, 2021•30 min•Ep. 36
Description: The tragic death of George Floyd has sparked many important conversations about how Americans can pursue a future characterized by unity and equality around race. Yet, amid this national reckoning on race, a divisive and disempowering philosophy of “antiracism” has risen to the forefront of American culture. Is the solution to America’s racial disparities continuously reifying race in rhetoric and public policy? What are the potential consequences of training our children to see rac...
Apr 07, 2021•27 min•Ep. 35
Description: Many child welfare systems have abdicated their duties in the wake of the pandemic — failing to identify and protect children who have fallen victim to maltreatment. How can child welfare officials inspire a different approach that increases touchpoints with children, uses the resources of caseworkers and foster families more effectively, and offers faster, better care coordination for vulnerable children? What role should technology companies play in collaborating with states to im...
Mar 24, 2021•24 min•Ep. 34
Description: Specialized high schools for gifted students are receiving a lot of criticism these days because many tend to admit a disproportionate number of white and Asian students. But for many of these schools, admissions is based primarily on an unbiased entrance exam. If black and Hispanic students are performing less successfully on these entrance exams, does that mean the exams themselves are racist or does it point to a deeper problem? What is the role of specialized high schools in Ame...
Mar 10, 2021•18 min•Ep. 33
Over the past month, US family policy has captivated the attention of policymakers across the ideological spectrum. At the forefront of the family policy conversation: a universal child allowance. In early February 2021, Senator Mitt Romney proposed a sweeping plan to combine several tax credits and the major US cash welfare program into a universal child allowance, paid in cash to families on a monthly basis. Democrats responded with a plan of their own that would introduce a slightly smaller c...
Feb 24, 2021•22 min•Ep. 32
Description: Title IX was first implemented in the 1960s to rectify discrimination against women on the basis of sex in institutions receiving federal funding. In what can only be described as one of the quickest shifts in American culture, women began to outperform men in both enrollment and success in higher education. What role should Title IX play in promoting equal opportunity today? Are woke colleges and universities misconstruing the original intent of this rule and unlawfully discriminat...
Feb 10, 2021•21 min•Ep. 31
For decades, the NCAA’s Academic Performance Program has sought to hold colleges across the country accountable to provide a quality education to their student-athletes. Yet, today, this program has come under fire for the way it treats historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Is it racist to hold HBCUs to the same academic standards as other colleges? What role should institutions of higher education play in serving the long-term interests of their athletes? In this episode, Johnny...
Jan 27, 2021•21 min•Ep. 30
Schools across the country have begun to adopt practices around teaching and enforcing “woke” principles that raise concerns about the rights and wellbeing of children. In some instances, students are required to publically declare their support or opposition to certain ideologies and “corrected” later if their answers are not satisfactory. Are schools overstepping their bounds and infringing on students’ rights? How can educators generate healthy and productive conversations on race? Joining Na...
Jan 13, 2021•22 min•Ep. 29
In October 2020, the San Diego Unified School District board unanimously approved sweeping changes to the district’s grading system in an effort to become “anti-racist.” Among these changes: removing the requirement for all students to turn in their homework on time. Does altering the way students are graded really address the root problem of the achievement gap? How do “anti-racist” policies shape the way minority children view themselves? How will parents respond to this policy decision, given...
Dec 23, 2020•20 min•Ep. 28
