COVID and the Classroom

As parents face a second wave of large scale lockdowns and school closures, it's more important than ever to follow the facts. Teachers unions are pushing for public schools to close, private schools are fighting to stay open, and parents are growing increasingly frustrated with politicians who don't seem to prioritize education. When this is all over, will the public school system be able to regain the trust of American families? Inez Stepman, senior policy analyst at the Independent Women's Forum and contributor to The Federalist, joins Mary Clare today to discuss this unique moment in American education. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Americans are working through what the 2020 election will mean for the future of our country. But education, thankfully, is primarily a state and local issue. What impact will state policy have on the future of school choice? Mary Clare sits down the Jason Bedrick of EdChoice to discuss. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Identity politics and "woke culture" have taken over our schools. How did this start? Where is it going? And what can we do to stop this? Mary Clare is joined by The Manhattan Institute's Max Eden and The Heritage Foundation's Mike Gonzalez to discuss these tough issues. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Let's talk about real solutions. What can be done to fix our broken education system and offer real options to American families? On this episode Mary Clare is joined by Congressman Ted Budd (NC-13) to discuss the Republican Study Committee's new report, "Reclaiming the American Dream: Proposals to Empower the Workers of Today and Tomorrow." Then Mary Clare talks to The Heritage Foundation's Jonathan Butcher about the issue of disparate impact in our schools. Jonathan poses an important question: should public policy be based on political narratives or facts? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode of COVID and the Classroom Mary Clare sits down with two incredible moms, Bethany Mandel and Jenny Clark. Bethany is a homeschool mom and Jenny's children are doing pod learning at home and enrolled in Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship program. We tackle some homeschooling stereotypes. Are homeschooled kids, as they are referred to in the movie Mean Girls, homeschooled jungle freaks? Bethany and Jenny also offer advice for parents looking into homeschooling for the first time due to the pandemic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What are pandemic pods and why are school districts and teachers unions trying to stop parents from creating them? In this episode, we break down this unique moment for parental choice in education with two leading experts on school choice: Dr. Lindsey Burke and Dr. Corey DeAngelis. We also debunk some of the greatest myths surrounding school choice.Find more from Mary Clare Amselem.Follow Lindsey Burke on Twitter at @lindseymburke.Follow Corey DeAngelis on Twitter at @DeAngelisCorey.For more information on education in the COVID-19 pandemic, visit us at the Heritage Foundation's Center for Education Policy.Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to receive a new episode of COVID and the Classroom every other Monday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Public schools across the country are refusing to open their doors amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving parents with even fewer options than they had before. Parents are struggling to navigate the difficult world of remote learning, homeschooling, and “pandemic pods,” all while having to face down teachers unions, public school bureaucrats, revisionist history, and politically motivated teachers pushing their agenda onto America’s children. It doesn’t have to be this way. Parents need more options during this tumultuous time, not fewer. Let’s talk about what we can do to fix this broken system. “COVID and the Classroom” is a new biweekly podcast from The Heritage Foundation hosted by education policy analyst Mary Clare Amselem. Each episode features the most important updates in national education policy and interviews with policy experts, educators, and (most importantly) parents. “COVID and the Classroom” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, or your favorite podcast app. Find more resources at heritage.org/education. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.