Courageous Conversations About Our Schools Podcast
Our podcast brings people together for respectful conversations about today’s most contentious issues affecting our schools.
Episode Directory
Find your favorite podcast episodes by topic, guest, or category.
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The Future of California’s High School Ethnic Studies Course (Ep 47)
Are Your Schools Prepared for ICE Raids? (Ep. 46)
Crossing Divides: How Schools Can Help Close America's Perception Gaps (Ep. 45)
Bruce Wasser Helped Students Stand Up For Principle. Do We Want More Teachers Like That? (Ep. 43)
The Shoe Club: Walking Towards Empathy and Connection in a Michigan School (Ep. 42)
From Hate to Dialogue: A Conversation with Daryl Davis, “Klan Whisperer” (Ep. 41)
Character Education is Essential (and Unavoidable). How To Do It Well (Ep. 39)
The Transformative Power of Curiosity - A Conversation with Scott Shigeoka (Ep. 38)
Why These Students Are Rejecting Contempt and Embracing Dignity (Ep. 37)
Schools Are Abandoning DEI. How a Different Approach Can Preserve It (Ep. 35)
Teachers Are Afraid to Talk About the 2024 Election (Ep. 34)
Meet Aaron Stark - Almost a School Shooter (Ep. 32)
Rich Harwood Rocks My World! (Ep. 29)
Middie Rising - A City Unites and Defuses a School Culture War (Ep. 3 of 3)
Middie Rising - A City Unites and Defuses a School Culture War (Ep. 2 of 3)
Middie Rising - A City Unites and Defuses a School Culture War (Ep. 1 of 3)
Bridging Youth Divides Through Morning Classroom Conversations (Ep. 25)
A Conversation with Daniel Buck- Defender of the Education Culture Wars (Ep. 23)
When Homeschooling Fails Should the Government Step In? (Ep. 21)
A Courageous Conversation with a Transgender Educator (Ep. 20)
Can Educators Prevent Racism in Schools? Diverse Perspectives, Lively Conversation (Ep. 17)
Thriving in Turbulent Times: Why Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is Essential (Ep. 15)
The Latest Culture War Dustup: Balancing Parent Rights with Student Rights (Ep. 14)
Taking a Stand Against Antisemitism in Schools (Ep. 13)
Overcoming Toxic Polarization in our Schools with Peter Coleman (Ep. 12)
Political Opposites Square Off on Schools, Gender, and Sexuality (Ep. 11)
Book Bans Exposed: Who Decides What Students Can Read? (Ep. 10)
Calming the Culture Wars in our Schools with Journalist Monica Guzman (Ep. 9)
Weston Brown's Story: A Family and School Tragedy (Ep. 8)
Forbidden Topics: Are Schools Hiding the Truth from Students? (Ep. 7)
Taming the Culture Wars with Journalist Amanda Ripley (Ep. 6)
Gender and Sexual Identity in Schools: A Battle at the Epicenter of the Culture Wars (Ep. 4)
High School Students Weigh in on Race. Are their Elected Officials Listening? (Ep. 3)
How Students Learn about Race and Racism is Dividing Our Country (Ep. 2)
Are Your Schools Prepared for ICE Raids? (Ep. 46)
In this timely conversation, attorney Leo Tucker shares his expertise on preparing schools and communities for immigration enforcement actions that could separate children from their families. Tucker has developed a comprehensive, free guide called "Preparing for ICE Raids" that helps schools create rapid response plans to protect vulnerable students…
From Hate to Dialogue: A Conversation with Daryl Davis, “Klan Whisperer” (Ep. 41)
How many of us would have the courage to have a conversation with someone who hates us? My guest, Daryl Davis, has done just that, not once, but for decades, with members of the Ku Kluz Klan and other hate groups, and many have renounced their ideology after getting to know him. A Black musician, Davis shares his unbelievable story driven by one powerful question: "How can you hate me when you don't even know me?" Prepare to be challenged to rethink how we and our students engage with those who seem the furthest from us.
High School Students Weigh in on Race. Are their Elected Officials Listening? (Ep. 3)
High school students on Kentucky’s Student Voice Team discuss findings and recommendations in a report they produced called, Race to Learn. Their findings and recommendations reflect survey responses from nearly 11,000 fellow middle and high school students about how they want their schools to deal with race and racism. At least one of the students’ recommendations cannot be implemented because of restrictions in new state laws.
How Students Learn about Race and Racism is Dividing Our Country (Ep. 2)
Educators, parents, students, policy makers, and concerned citizens have become deeply divided about how history, current events, and controversial issues should be discussed in our public schools. At the center of these debates are questions about race and racism – what exactly students should learn about these concepts, how the concepts should be taught, and what the outcomes should be. These and a few related questions guide our conversation.

