This week Beth and Andrew speak with geophysicist Dorian Abbot, an outspoken activist for academic freedom. Abbot discusses his views on the state of free speech and academic freedom in elite universities in the United States and talks about his own high profile experience of being cancelled from a speech he was supposed to give at MIT because of his outspoken activism against the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) regime. Abbot also shares his scientific views on climate change and whether t...
May 06, 2023•50 min
On this episode Beth and Andrew speak with Chicago radio host and former Illinois gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft. Proft shares his views on the polarized media environment and how radio has changed in the decade plus that he's been a talk show host. Moreover, Proft also talks about how the parent’s movement has used media to get the story out on the insanity that is happening in our nation’s schools. Proft gives his take on the recent Chicago mayoral election, what it means for the city and t...
Apr 29, 2023•47 min
This week Beth and Andrew speak with Pastor and community leader, Corey B. Brooks of Chicago. Pastor Brooks discusses the fight against violence gripping the city's poorest neighborhoods. He talks about how progressive policies over the past 60 years have led to a deterioration of black neighborhoods and the destruction of the traditional family. Moreover, Pastor Brooks explains how the loss of religion and the deterioration of schools has impacted the community and how that adds to the allure o...
Apr 22, 2023•42 min
This week Beth and Andrew speak with attorney and activist Will Estrada, who explains what is meant by the term “parental rights” and gives a history of legislation and the important court cases that have impacted the rights of parents. Estrada also discusses his organization’s work fighting for curriculum transparency in our nation’s public schools and the importance of fighting for parental rights at all three levels of government: local school boards, state legislatures and at the federal lev...
Apr 15, 2023•53 min
On this episode, Andrew and Beth speak with journalist and author Karol Markowicz, who discusses her brand new book, Stolen Youth , which details how our nation’s children have been under siege from Covid restrictions and the left’s political indoctrination in schools. She also shares her view on what parents must do to raise their own children given today’s political climate and how they can help the fight within their kids’ schools. Karol talks about her own upbringing in the Soviet Union and ...
Apr 07, 2023•47 min
On this episode, Beth and Andrew speak with evolutionary biologist Colin Wright. Wright walks us through the controversies around gender and trans ideology from the perspective of an evolutionary biologist and discusses the difference between sex and gender and explains why there are only two sexes: male and female. He shares his views on why so few scientists and doctors are willing to speak up on these issues. That leaves it to the parents and we talk about what they need to know about gender ...
Apr 01, 2023•51 min•Ep. 46
This week Andrew and Beth speak with Eric Cohen, author and founder of The Lobel Center for Jewish Classical Education where we discuss the importance of classical education for the Jewish community, the differences between classical and progressive schooling and the relationship between classical education and academic rigor. Cohen shares some of the initiatives of his new organization, including partnerships to train Jewish classical teachers and launching a Jewish version of Teach for America...
Mar 25, 2023•47 min•Ep. 45
On this episode, Andrew and Beth speak with author and education expert Lance Izumi about his new book, The Great Parent Revolt, which highlights the stories of ordinary people that stood up to the against critical race theory and woke indoctrination in their children’s schools. We discuss how these new American heroes come from all walks of life, geographically, politically and socioeconomically. Lance talks about how many of the parents he profiles share one thing in common – an immigrant stor...
Mar 18, 2023•46 min
On this episode Andrew and Beth interview professor Eric Kaufmann on his new Manhattan Institute report, “School Choice Is Not Enough: The Impact of Critical Social Justice Ideology in American Education." Eric shares the findings of his comprehensive report and details how critical race theory and radical gender ideology are rampant in American schools, including public, private and religious schools. Eric discusses how this ideology in schools is influencing political beliefs and how it is ass...
Mar 11, 2023•44 min•Ep. 43
On this episode Beth and Andrew speak with philosophy professor and author Jason D. Hill. Jason talks about his life as an American immigrant from Jamaica, what led him to the study of philosophy, and his rejection of leftist social justice ideology. He discusses the state of today’s woke college campus, including what is motivating impressionable students, and why most professors are so reluctant to speak up against illiberal trends. We talk about whether higher ed is savable and Jason shares h...
Mar 04, 2023•42 min
In this powerful episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew speak with Mom and children’s advocate, Erin Friday. Erin shares her emotional journey rescuing her own teenage daughter from the cult of transgender ideology. She speaks about the role of sex ed curriculum in schools in introducing children to concepts of gender ideology, and how the isolation from extended school closures during Covid encouraged girls to become lost in a sea of toxic social media and susceptible to social conta...
Feb 25, 2023•52 min
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth speak with author and anti-woke activist, James Lindsay, known on Twitter as @ConceptualJames. James shares his views on how America’s education system was overtaken by revolutionary ideologies based in Marxism and how these ideologies, including critical race theory and queer theory, are manifested in the classroom. We discuss how parents can recognize this transformation of their children’s schools and what can be done to reclaim our co...
Feb 18, 2023•47 min
Andrew and Beth speak with Dr. Elana Yaron Fishbein, founder of the organization, No Left Turn in Education. Elana tells her story of how she became an activist in the parents movement and founded a national “boots on the ground” grassroots organization. She talks about the issues that motivated her to begin speaking up about the crises of K-12 education, including critical race theory and the sexualization of children. She also shares her views on what has changed in the parents movement over t...
Feb 09, 2023•42 min•Ep. 39
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth welcome teacher and author, Daniel Buck. Daniel talks about his new book, What is Wrong with Our Schools, and shares his own experiences as a student in the progressive echo chamber of education schools and as a teacher. Daniel describes his journey away from progressive education and towards knowledge-based traditional education, especially classical literature. We discuss the importance of student behavior in the classroom and the delet...
Jan 21, 2023•46 min•Ep. 38
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth welcome classical education innovator Jeremy Tate who talks about his experiences teaching in inner city New York City and what led him to found the Classic Learning Test, a standardized test for classical education that aims to compete with the SAT and ACT. We discuss the differences between classical education and progressive/modern education and Jeremy shares his views on the history of progressive education and of standardized testing...
Jan 14, 2023•50 min•Ep. 37
Beth and Andrew welcome family physician and author, Dr. Leonard Sax, who shares his views on how both parenting and children have changed over the 30+ years he has practiced family medicine, particularly how the scourge of cell phones, social media and pervasive pornography have impacted our nation’s youth. He also talks about the exploding social contagion of gender dysphoria and trans ideology, especially among girls. Sax passionately implores parents to reclaim their proper role vis-à-vis th...
Dec 20, 2022•54 min•Ep. 36
On this episode Andrew and Beth interview “Britain’s Strictest Headmistress,” Kathrine Birbalsingh. Kathrine speaks about the state of education in the U.K., which we compare with our own experiences in the U.S. She discusses what led her to a career in teaching and to forming her own school in London, Michaela Community School. She also shares her views on woke education and how a culture of victimhood is harming children, especially lower income and inner city children. She explains what being...
Dec 13, 2022•47 min
Beth and Andrew welcome former teacher and dissident, Frank McCormick. Frank shares his reasons for why he went into teaching and what led him to become disillusioned with the ideological indoctrination happening in his public high school in Illinois. Frank talks about what critical pedagogy and critical race theory look like in the classroom and the role of teachers unions and school administrators in pushing these Marxist ideologies. Frank also shares his views on what role parents can play in...
Dec 09, 2022•58 min•Ep. 34
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew speak with the Nathan Hoffman, one of the leaders of the school choice movement. Nathan talks about how the issue of school choice fared in the recent midterm elections. We discuss the parent movement’s role in the march for school choice and some of the various criticisms of school choice from both woke and non-woke camps. Nathan talks about what a hypothetical Republican presidential administration could do to in 2024 to further school ...
Nov 29, 2022•51 min•Ep. 33
In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth speak with parent activist, Betsy Hart. Betsy was, along with our own Beth Feeley, a co-founder of the group Parents of New Trier (now New Trier Neighbors). Betsy and Beth share their stories about being pioneers of the parents rights movement. Betsy talks about what prompted the group's founding more than five years ago, and shares her views on how the parents movement has evolved. We also discuss the recent expose in Mother Jones magazi...
Nov 15, 2022•46 min
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth speak with award-winning teacher and author, Jeremy Adams. Jeremy shares his views on why students have rejected the wisdom, culture, and institutions of Western Civilization and have given up on the American Dream. He talks about the breakdown of families and the loss of family-time that his own students are experiencing. We also discuss the damage that cell phones and social media are doing to children and how they have led to isolation...
Nov 09, 2022•51 min
On this episode Beth and Andrew speak with education innovator Stephanie Saroki de García about her formative experiences as a Teach for America member and teaching in one of the most dangerous schools in Oakland, CA. She discusses the network of Catholic charter schools she helped found that combines optional faith-based education along with an academically rigorous curriculum. Stephanie also discusses the challenges today of hiring teachers that are not social justice activists and the difficu...
Nov 03, 2022•52 min
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth speak with educator Tony Ortiz about his school, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, which has an innovative work study program which allows low income students in Chicago to get a high quality college preparatory education by working one day per week. Tony discusses the origins of the program, how it has developed and changed over the years and how it inspired a national network of work study schools. Tony talks about the impressive graduatio...
Oct 21, 2022•45 min
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew speak with education policy analyst, author and former teacher Robert Pondiscio. Robert talks about what led him to make a midcareer switch to teaching and opines on the proper role of schools America. We discuss whether equity and excellence in schools can be reconciled or should be considered opposing ideals. Robert shares his views on why some charter school networks have embraced social justice and why others have not, and talks about...
Oct 12, 2022•52 min•Ep. 29
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth talk to fellow parent activist, Alvin Lui. Alvin is the founder of Courage Is A Habit, an organization that creates tools and strategies for the average parent, school board candidate, and legislator to take action in defending children from indoctrination in K-12. Alvin discusses his organization's work exposing aspects social-emotional learning (SEL) in our schools and explains how SEL is a gateway to teaching critical race theory (CRT)...
Sep 29, 2022•43 min
In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew welcome psychotherapist and author Stella O'Malley to talk about the exploding number of teenage girls with gender dysphoria. Stella shares her own difficult childhood experiences growing up thinking she should be a boy and describes her journey to a career in psychotherapy. She talks about why she thinks girls are susceptible to social contagion and the role that both schools and social media play. Stella also illustrates why so few psyc...
Sep 21, 2022•49 min•Ep. 27
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Andrew and Beth welcome education innovator and author Ian Rowe. Ian shares his own personal story coming from an immigrant family which ignited his passion for education. He discusses his framework F.R.E.E. - family, religion, education and entrepreneurship - which serves as an alternative to the toxic and divisive victimhood narrative currently ascendant in our nation's schools. Ian also talks about the charter high school he cofounded in the Bronx, NY...
Sep 08, 2022•49 min•Ep. 26
On this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew welcome Ramona Bessinger, a teacher who bravely spoke out about the racialized curriculum in her school district. Ramona talks about what prompted her to speak up and the push back she got from her school, other teachers, parents and students. She discusses the article she wrote for Legal Insurrection exposing her school's divisive CRT based curriculum and the retaliation she received for writing it. Ramona also shares her views on why it...
Aug 25, 2022•37 min•Ep. 25
In this episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew welcome back former math teacher, journalist and educational hero, Paul Rossi. Paul discusses his seven week purgatory from Twitter for exposing videos of toxic racial literacy curriculum that has infiltrated private schools across the country. Paul also talks about his recent expose of his former school, Grace Church, where a drag queen was invited to perform in bi-weekly chapel, and students were pressured to dance along. We also discus...
Aug 09, 2022•54 min•Ep. 24
On this free-flowing episode of Take Back Our Schools, Beth and Andrew speak with author, activist and social commentator, Charles Love. We speak about Charles's involvement in the recent, "Open Letter Denouncing the Attacks on Justice Clarence Thomas." Charles shares his views on why black progressives are silent on the racist attacks against Justice Thomas, and what Republicans need to do to engage with the black community and encourage them to join the culture war. Charles also shares his own...
Jul 27, 2022•49 min
