Podcasts about state superintendent

Interest and grave concern have been mounting over the impact of agriculture and the food choices we all make on the environment, particularly on climate change. With natural weather disasters occurring much more frequently and serious threats from warming of the atmosphere in general, it's natural to look for places to make change. One person who has thought a lot about this is our guest today, Dr. William Dietz of George Washington University. He's been a prominent voice in this space. Bill, you're one of the people in the field I respect most because our relationship goes back many years. Bill is professor and director of research and policy at the Global Food Institute at George Washington University. But especially pertinent to our discussion today is that Dr. Dietz was co-chair of the Lancet Commission on the global syndemic of obesity, under nutrition and climate change. Today, we'll focus on part of that discussion on beef in particular. Interview Summary Bill, let's start out with a basic question. What in the heck is a syndemic? A syndemic is a word that reflects the interaction of these three pandemics that we're facing. And those are obesity, under nutrition, and we've also called climate change a syndemic insofar as it affects human health. These three pandemics interact at both the biologic and social levels and have a synergistic adverse impact on each other. And they're driven by large scale social forces, which foster clustering and have a disparate impact on marginalized populations. Both in the developed and equally important, in the developing world. Here are a couple of examples of syndemics. So, increased greenhouse gases from high income countries reduce crop yields in the micronutrient content of crops, which in turn contribute to food insecurity and undernutrition in low and middle income countries. And eventually the reduction in crop yields and the micronutrient content of crops is going to affect high income countries. Beef production is a really important driver of the climate change, and we're a major contributor in terms of the US' contribution. And beef production drives both methane and nitrous oxide emissions, and in turn, the consumption of red and processed meat causes obesity, diabetes, colon cancer, and cardiovascular disease. And finally, obesity, stunting and nutrition insecurity occur in the same children and in the same population in low- and middle-income countries. Okay, so we'll come back to beef in a moment, but first, help us understand the importance of agriculture overall and our food choices in changing climate. Well, so I think we have to go back to where this, the increase in mean global surface temperatures began, in about 1950. Those temperatures have climbed in a linear fashion since then. And we're now approaching a key level of increase of 1.5 degrees centigrade. The increase in mean surface temperature is driven by increased greenhouse gases, and the US is particularly culpable in this respect. We're it's second only to China in terms of our greenhouse gas emissions. And on a per capita basis, we're in the top four with China, India, and Brazil and now the US. And in the US, agriculture contributes about 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, and about 30% of fossil fuels are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. But when you look at the actual contribution of car use among the fossil fuel use, it's pretty close to the contribution of greenhouse gases from agriculture. The important point here is each one degree increase centigrade in air temperatures associated with a 7% increase in water vapor. And this is responsible for the major adverse weather events that we're seeing today in terms of increased frequency and severity of hurricanes, the droughts. And I learned a new term from the New York Times a couple of days ago from the science section, which is atmospheric thirst. I had trouble understanding how climate change would contribute to drought, but that same effect in terms of absorbing moisture that occurs and drives the adverse weather events also dries out the land. So increasingly there's increased need for water use, which is driven by atmospheric thirst. But that increase in air temperature and the increase in water vapor, is what really drives these storms. Because in the Pacific and in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, this increase in air temperature is associated with an increase in water temperature, which further drives the increase in the severity of these storms. Thanks for that background. Now let's get to beef. You and I were not long ago at the Healthy Eating Research conference. And you gave what I thought was a very compelling talk on beef. We'll talk in a minute about how much beef figures into this overall picture, but first, tell us how beef production affects both climate and health. And you mentioned nitrous oxide and methane, but how does this all work? Cattle production is a big driver of the release of methane. And methane comes from cow burps. The important thing to understand about methane is that it's 80 times more powerful than CO2 in terms of its greenhouse gas emission. And that's because it has a very long half-life when it gets up into the atmosphere? Well, actually it's interesting because the half-life of methane is shorter than the half-life of nitrous oxide. So, it's an appropriate target for reduction. And the reduction has to occur by virtue of reduced beef consumption, which would reduce beef production. The other piece of this is that nitrous oxide is derived from fertilizer that's not absorbed by plants. And the application of fertilizer is a very wasteful process and a huge percent of fertilizer that's applied to crops is not absorbed by those plants. And it washes into the Mississippi River and down to the Gulf of Mexico. But also, increases the genesis of nitrous oxide. And nitrous oxide is an even more powerful greenhouse gas than methane. About 260 times more powerful than CO2 with a very, very long half-life. So, as a target, we really ought to be focused on methane, and if we're going to focus on methane, we need to focus on beef. You could imagine people who are opposed to these views on climate change making fun of cows burping. I mean, are there enough cows, burping enough where the methane that's coming out is a problem? Yes. Maybe a better term that we can use is enteric fermentation, which is in effect cow burps. But enteric fermentation is the major source of methane. And nitrous oxide, the same thing. The agricultural system which supports cattle production, like the feedlot fattening from corn and wheat. The genesis of nitrous oxide is a product of fertilizer use and fertilizer use is a real important source of nitrous oxide because of the amount of fertilizer which is not absorbed by plants. But which washes into the Mississippi River and causes the dead zone in the Gulf, but also generates an enormous amount of nitrous oxide. So, between those two, the enteric fermentation and the origin of nitrous oxide from fertilizer use, are a lethal combination in terms of increasing greenhouse gas emissions. And it's important to know that those greenhouse gas emissions are associated with important declines in crop yields. Crop yields have declined by about 5% for maize for wheat, for soybeans, and somewhat less for rice. These crop yields have yet to affect the US but are clearly a problem in the Global South. In your talk, you cited a paper by Scarborough and colleagues that was published in the Journal Nature Food that modeled the environmental impact of various diets. Could you please explain what they found? This was a really nice study of four diets in the United Kingdom. Actually it was five diets. They looked at vegans, vegetarians, low meat eaters, medium meat eaters and high meat eaters. And looked at the contribution of these diets to the genesis of methane, nitrous oxide, and also importantly, land use and water use. And the most expensive, and the most detrimental environmental impact of these diets, were the among the high meat eaters. These were substantially greater than than the genesis of for example, methane by vegans. For example, high meat eaters generated about 65 kilograms per day of methane compared to vegans, which generated only four kilograms per day of methane. And when you reduce beef, and there were two lower categories, these measures come much more into line with what we'd like to have. The low meat eaters generate about half of methane that the high meat eaters generate. This is also true for their genesis of nitrous oxide. And importantly, the land use among vegans and vegetarians is about a third of the land use required for the production of beef. And water use by meat production is about twice that generated by the water use by the production of plant-based diets. I think these are important data because they, they really reflect the importance of a lower meat consumption and higher plant-based diet. Not just in terms of greenhouse gases, but also in terms of land use and water use. Not to mention health. Not to mention health. Yes. I think it's important to continue to remind ourselves that beef consumption is associated with a variety of chronic diseases like obesity, like diabetes, like colon cancer and like cardiovascular disease. So, there's this double whammy from beef consumption, not only on the climate but also on human health. In your talk that I heard it was interesting to see how you interpreted this information because you weren't arguing for no beef consumption. Because you were saying there could be tremendous benefit from people going from the high beef consumption category to a lower category. If you could take all the people who are consuming beef and drop them down a category, it sounds like there would be tremendous benefits. People could still have their beef but just not have it as often. Right. I think that's an important observation that we're not talking about the elimination of beef. We're talking about the reduction in beef. And the Eat Lancet Commission pointed out that protein consumption in the US was six times what it should be in terms of human needs. And a lot of that protein comes from beef. And there's this belief, widespread, popular belief that beef is the most important source of protein. But comparisons of plant-based diets and plant-based proteins have an equivalent impact and equivalent absorption pattern like beef and are equally nourishing. That's a really important thing to make prominent because people are thinking more and more about protein and it's nice to know there are various healthier ways to get protein than from a traditional meat diet. Well, one of the, one of the important reports from the dietary guidelines advisory committee was to reclassify lentils, beans and peas as proteins rather than vegetables. And I think that's a, something which has not been widely appreciated, but it gives us a real important area to point to as an alternative protein to beef. Bill, on this calculus, how important is the way the cattle are raised? So, you know, you have big cattle farms that might have a hundred thousand cattle in a single place being raised in very close quarters. And it's industrial agriculture, the kind of the epitome of industrial agriculture. But more and more people are beginning to study or experiment with or actually implement regenerative agriculture methods. How much would that help the environment? That's kind of a complicated question. If we just start with beef production, we know that grass fed beef has a healthier fatty acid profile than feedlot fat and beef. But the total generation of greenhouse gases among grass fed beef is greater because they're fostered on land for a longer period of time than those cattle which are committed to feedlots. My understanding is that most of the cattle that go to feedlots are first raised on grass and then moved to feedlots where they're fed these commodity products of corn and wheat and, and maybe not soy. But that feedlot fattening is a critical step in beef production and is associated with overcrowding, antibiotic use, the generation of toxic dust really. An enormous amount of fecal material that needs to be adequately disposed of. It's the feedlot fattening of beef is what adds the adverse fatty acid content, and also contributes to the local environment and the damage to the local environment as a consequence of the cattle that are being raised. Appreciate you weighing in on that. Let's talk about what might be done. So how do we go about increasing awareness, and the action, for that matter, in response to the contributions of beef production to climate change? It begins with understanding about the contribution of beef production to climate change. This is not a well understood problem. For example, there was a study of 10 major news sources a couple of years ago which asked what the major contributions were of climate change. And they surveyed a hundred articles in each of 10 sources of information, which were popular press like New York Times, Washington Post, etc. And, at the top of that list, they characterize climate change as a consequence of fossil fuels. Whereas a recognition of the contribution of the agricultural system was at the bottom of that list and poorly covered. It's no surprise that people don't understand this and that's where we have to start. We have to improve people's perception of the contribution of beef. The other thing is that I don't think we can expect any kind of progress at the federal level. But in order to build the critical mass, a critical focus, we need to look at what we can personally change. First in our own behavior and then engaging family, peers and organizational networks to build the political will to begin to generate federal response. Now, this brings up a really critical point that I'm not sure we have the time to do this. I don't think we are facing the whole issue of climate change with the kind of emphasis and concern that it deserves. I mentioned at the outset that the mean surface temperature is increasing rapidly. And the expectation was, and the goal was to achieve no greater than a 1.5 degrees centigrade increase by 2050. Well, in 2024, there was already a report that the mean surface temperature had already increased in some places by 1.5 degrees centigrade. So there has to be an urgency to this that I don't think people, are aware of. Youth understand this and youth feel betrayed and hopeless. And I think one of the important characteristics of what we can personally change, in engaging our family and peers, is a way of beginning to generate hope that change can occur. Because we can see it if it's our family and if it's our peers. Another important and critical strategy at the institution and state level is procurement policies. These, I think, are the most powerful tool that we have to change production at the municipal or local level, or at the state level. And we were part of an effort to get the HHS to change their procurement policy for their agencies. And although at the very last minute in the Biden administration, they agreed to do this, that's been superseded now by the changes that Trump has instituted. Nonetheless, this can be a local issue and that's where local change has to occur if we're going to build political will from the ground up. Bill, tell me a little bit more about procurement because a lot of people don't even think about that term. But it turns out that the federal government and local and state governments buy lots of food. How is it that they buy lots of food and how they could have sway over the food environment just by their purchasing decisions? So, let's take schools. Schools are a logical place. They have large contracts with vendors and if they set standards for what those vendors were supplying, like insisted on alternative proteins in at least some of their meal services that would have a big impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from school meals. And would have a positive impact on the health of students in those schools. This is known as value-based purchasing. Purchasing of products related to values that have to do with not only greenhouse gases, but also animal husbandry and fair workers' rights, and strategies like that. These are possible. They should be beginning in our universities. And this is an effort that we have underway here at George Washington University. But there are even better examples where universities have used plants as a default option in their cafeterias, which has, shown that when you do that and when you make the plant-based option the only visible choice, people choose it. And, in three universities, Lehigh, Rensselaer at Polytech, and Tulane, when they made plant-based options the only visible option, although you could ask for the alternative, the choices went up to 50 to almost 60 to 80% when the plant-based option was offered. And these were things like a lentil olive and mushroom spaghetti, which has a very low greenhouse gas emission. In fact, the net effect of these choices was a 24% reduction in greenhouse gases on days when the default was offered. These are practical types of initiatives. We need to increase the demand for these options as an alternative to beef. Bill, I like how you're approaching this from kind of the big top level down, but also from the ground up. Because you talk about things that the federal government could do, for example, but also how important individual choices are. And how people can work with their families and friends and have an inspirational effect by changing their own behavior. Those sorts of things make me hopeful. But let me ask, how hopeful are you? Because I'm hearing from you this sort of dire picture that we might be too late, and that the climate change is happening so rapidly and that the social change needed to overcome that is painfully slow. But on the other hand, you're speaking some optimistic things. So how do you feel overall about where this is going? I'm moderately hopeful. And moderately hopeful because I think young people are engaged. And we need to address the hopelessness that many of them feel. They feel betrayed by us. They feel like the adults in this country have let them down and have not focused enough. That's understandable. Particularly now given the distractions of the new administration. And I think we're in a real crisis and things all of a sudden are very fluid in terms of national initiatives. They've been dominated by the Trump administration, but I think that's changing. And I think that the kind of despotism that led to the station of troops in California, in Los Angeles, is a case in point of overreach of the government. The kind of ICE activities really deserve resistance. And all of that, I think, plays into this notion that we're in a fluid time. This is not a time that people are necessarily going to focus on beef consumption. But the fact that all of these climate changes, clearly a major issue at least for those who admit it, means that we need to begin and continue to build the political will for changes in beef consumption as well as changes in transportation policy. I think that actually beef consumption is an easier target then changes in transportation policy, which is driven by the way our communities are constructed. And in many cases, the only way to get from one place to another is by car, which means that we're going to have a continued dependence on fossil fuels. I don't think we can say the same thing about beef consumption because if we institute reductions in beef consumption, I think we can have a very immediate and longer-term impact on greenhouse gas emissions and therefore on climate change. Bio William (Bill) Dietz is the Director of Research and Policy for the Global Food Institute and a Professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences. Dietz is a member of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) and serves as a consultant to the Roundtable on Obesity Solutions. He also is the Director of the STOP Obesity Alliance at The George Washington University. He served as Director of the The Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention & Wellness until June 30, 2024. He is Co-Chair of the Washington, DC Department of Health's Diabesity Committee, a Commissioner on the Washington, DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education's Healthy Youth & Schools Commission, and Chair of its Subcommittee on Physical Activity. Dietz is also Co-Chair of The Lancet Commission on Obesity.

Tom Horne has an opponent in the primary. Are you surprised that Kimbery Lee is challenging you in a primary?

A Mesa school district is changing their graduation dress code policy, we talked to Superintendent Tom Horne on why the decision was made to change it. 

On this week's episode of Tying it Together, host Tim Boyum is joined by former state superintendent of public instruction Dr. June Atkinson. She made history as the first woman elected for the position and held it from 2005 through 2016. This month, after six months of court drama, the nation's final 2024 race ended with State Supreme Court Associate Justice Allison Riggs being sworn in.  While many people today might think it was one of the longest delayed races ever, think again. It was 20 years ago that Dr. June Atkinson had her own race, but she didn't take office until August of that following year. On top of that, it ended up being decided by the General Assembly.  They were very deliberate because they realized that this could happen again. So they wanted to make sure it was fair,” she said. “In the law, it was stipulated that there would be a paper ballot. You'd have to have a convening of the Senate and the House, and they would declare the winner.” But, as she explains in the podcast, the bill had to be ratified, or made official, by the Governor first. The N.C. State alum tells us the incredible story with all kinds of behind-the-scenes details. Later, they discuss the future of education governance and the U.S. Department of Education.

How does english emersion play a role in education of Arizona students?

URSULA'S TOP STORIES: Federal investigation launched into WA OSPI // GUEST: WA State Superintendent Chris Reykdal reacts to Trump administration investigation of OSPI // WE NEED TO TALK. . . 

Federal agencies are investigating Washington's OSPI over gender identity policies and parental rights, including actions involving the La Center School District. Read more at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/feds-launch-title-ix-investigation-into-wa-state-superintendents-office/ #TitleIX #studentprivacy #ClarkCountyWa #localnews #LaCenterSchools #genderpolicy #Washingtonstate #OSPI #FERPA #ChrisReykdal

In this episode, Dr. Tony Sanders, Illinois' State Superintendent, discusses how ​the Illinois State Board of Education is engaging stakeholders in the redesign of its system of assessment, accountability and statewide support. ISBE is currently conducting a Listening Tour to gather feedback. Click here to view dates and locations.

Washington Parents Network has filed a Title VI complaint against State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, alleging his DEI programs violate civil rights laws. DOJ investigations into multiple education-related violations may soon follow. Read more at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/washington-parents-network-files-title-vi-complaint-against-state-superintendent-reykdal/ #localnews #ClarkCountyWa #ChrisReykdal #WashingtonParentsNetwork #TitleVI #DEI #educationrights #civilrights #OSPI

April 8, 2025 ~ Michigan's State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Michael Rice, announced he will be retiring in October. John Bernia, Superintendent of Warren Consolidated Schools, joins Kevin to discuss what this means for Michigan.

Liberal candidate Susan Crawford won the open seat for Wisconsin's Supreme Court. State Superintendent Jill Underly is reelected. And, Wisconsin is suing the Trump administration for abruptly ending about $11 billion in public health funding.

Wisconsin voters chose our next State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tuesday. Here's what to know.

Earl begins the program by addressing Election Day, highlighting the crucial race for State Superintendent, a Supreme Court seat, and various local school board elections. We focus on Susan Crawford's achievements as a judge and explore how her candidacy in the Supreme Court election may be affected by advertisements designed to tarnish her reputation. Earl underscores the significance of being well-informed about voting and discusses the merits of taking the day off to vote compared to opting for early voting. The Earl Ingram Show is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 8-10 am across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook and X to keep up with Earl and the show!

Earl revisits the previous conversation centered around Election Day, highlighting the crucial race for State Superintendent, a Supreme Court seat, and various local school board elections. Amid significant healthcare job reductions occurring during this election period along with mental healthcare facilities being shut down, Earl stresses the importance of effecting change. He devotes the entire show to callers, allowing them to express their concerns and opinions regarding Elon Musk and the major elections taking place in Wisconsin. The Earl Ingram Show is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 8-10 am across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook and X to keep up with Earl and the show!

The most expensive Wisconsin Supreme Court election in state history takes place April 1, as do elections for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and a host of school board and city council seats. Votebeat Wisconsin's Alexander Schur brings us up to date on election eve. The post Wisconsin Spring Elections Loom Large appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

This week we have a full episode with our old friend, State Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim! In the first segment, they are joined by State Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford. The three talk about what is at stake for this race, and Judge Crawford gives a candid response about her thoughts over redistricting. We've got a lot of work to do as a state to make sure people are represented.Judge Susan Crawford Then, Mark and Kristin go into detail on how we work with the division that exists. Sen. Alfheim discusses some frustration she has over the divide in Madison, and how to get it right. People want us to work together, its what we've all heard but we're not allowed to.Sen. Kris Dassler-Alfheim In the final segment, Mark and Sen. Alfheim talk about the race for State Superintendent and the differences with the two candidates. It's a can't miss! This is not about private school. ….I have a problem as a resident of Wisconsin, (a) tax paying resident of Wisconsin, that some kids are worth more in this society than others.Sen. Kris Dassler-Alfheim Rational Revolution with Mark Becker is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays at 2 across the network. . Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook and X to keep up with Rational Revolution with Mark Becker. Guests: Judge Susan Crawford, Senator Kris Dassler-Alfheim

The spring election is April 1 and several races are heating up across Wisconsin with millions of dollars pumped into campaigns on both sides of the aisle. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigator Bryan Polcyn invites FOX6 political reporter Jason Calvi on to talk about the impact these races will have on issues in Wisconsin and across the country. Jason explains specifically what's at stake in the races for State Superintendent and Wisconsin Supreme Court. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The state is up to about $900 million in ESA awards a year. According to the latest figures, more than 87,400 students participate in the ESA program. How do you effectively police such a massive program without massive oversight or massive fraud?

Can Congress get away with taking away health care from millions to fund huge tax cuts for the rich? We preview Medicaid Town Halls in Wausau, La Crosse and Eau Claire that will help organize resistance to proposed slashing cuts to Medicaid. Meanwhile, Rep. Van Orden continued to hunker down in his basement bunker, holding a virtual town hall where he can avoid answering tough questions after misleading his own constituents about Medicaid cuts he rubber stamped in Congress. We cannot win by surrendering in advance. We continue to encourage Governor Evers to veto any budget the Legislature produces that fails to expand BadgerCare. The Spring Election is around the corner and Brad Schimel rehashes voter fraud conspiracies about Milwaukee that he knows are false. So much for his phony stance as a high minded judge above politics. This week the only debate in the State Superintendent of DPI election was held by WPEN and other allies. This race remains about Jill Underly's dedicated support for improving and properly funding our public schools vs. her opponent who is a supporter of siphoning even more money to private unaccountable voucher schools. Robert educates us on a legal case against Greenpeace who was found liable for $645 million for Dakota Access Pipeline protests that has huge implications for the Constitutional right of free speech and protest. Will this be the beginning of a legal strategy to bankrupt progressive nonprofits to silence free speech and assembly? We close with a soul-searching discussion with James Causey, a longtime columnist with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on adults forcing police officers back into Milwaukee Public Schools without ever listening to the kids.

We hear from the two candidates for state superintendent. We learn about some of Milwaukee's best restaurants. We explore some of Wisconsin's weirdest museums.

Wisconsin's top K-12 education official, Jill Underly, is facing a challenge from Brittany Kinser on April 1.

Earl begins the segment by posing the question, "What are your fears?" He suggests that Republicans are employing fear-based strategies to mislead voters and discourage them from participating in elections. Earl asserts that the Trump administration is leveraging fear to present themselves as protectors against the Democratic Party, exploiting victims of rape and other crimes to create a facade of compassion, while, in truth, they show little concern for the victims' well-being. Earl takes calls in regards to the question speaking to those about the upcoming election for State Superintendent and Supreme Court. The Earl Ingram Show is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 8-10 am across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook and X to keep up with Earl and the show!

On today's program, the Southern Baptist Convention says the Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into the denomination's handling of sexual abuse cases by its pastors and leaders. We'll take a look. Also, evangelical ministry leaders hold a vigil to protest the Trump Administration's defunding of foreign aid. Plus, one ministry whose funding was canceled…then reinstated…but its operations remain in limbo. We'll have details. But first, Oklahoma's state superintendent of public instruction is asking Americans to donate money to send Bibles into public school classrooms, though the Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked his efforts. Oklahoma's State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is asking Americans to donate money to send leather-bound Bibles into Sooner State public school classrooms, now that the state legislature nixed a funding request. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Jack Jenkins, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Tony Mator, Bruce Buursma, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.

GUEST: WA State Superintendent Chris Reykdal // GUEST: Spike O’Neill on the loss of a brother and friend // WE HEAR YOU! and WORDS TO LIVE BY

On March 17, 2025, WisconsinEye’s Newsmakers host and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Director of Strategic Partnerships Erin Richards sat down with Brittany Kinser, Milwaukee-based education consultant, who is running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Spring Election is April 1, 2025.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former House Democratic Leader Emily Virgin about an announcement from Governor Stitt concerning a partnership with Oklahoma and the federal government over immigration enforcement, a lawsuit against Stitt over his order for state employees to return to in-office work and State Superintendent Ryan Walters asks for a legal opinion from Attorney General Getner Drummond regarding a Trump executive order on federal funding for undocumented students.The trio also talks about a report from the Oklahoma Tax Commission showing more than 20% of private school tax credits went to families making more than $250,000 and the 2026 races for Attorney General and State Superintendent get their first candidates.

What Wisconsin's state superintendent does and why it matters. A strategy Milwaukee is using to capture stormwater and prevent flooding. The documentary "American Reckoning" investigates the unsolved murder of a civil rights activist in Mississippi.

Head of WisDems, Ben Wikler, joins the Revolution this week to discuss the state of all things political! Ben gives thoughtful insight on his recent run for DNC Chair, and opens up about uncertainty over his own future. They touch on what is at stake in the State Supreme Court race, and how that race can tip the balance of power for the House of Representatives in 2026. Ben and Mark also discuss the races for State Superintendent, and how damaging vouchers have been for public education in Wisconsin. We don't need to have as much money as them to defeat them.Ben Wikler Mark then wraps up with a powerful question: Are we great yet? We've abandoned our best friends. Insulted our closest allies. We've negotiated with tyrants over victims. Told sovereign nations to give up their own land. We've broken up ironclad unions of nations. Destabilized the fragile network of order. All in just over a month. Are we great, yet?Mark Becker Rational Revolution with Mark Becker is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays at 2 across the network. . Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook and X to keep up with Rational Revolution with Mark Becker. Guest: Ben Wikler

The WIsOpinion Insiders, Chvala and Jensen, consider the spring primary election outcome and how the Wisconsin Supreme Court race may affect the race for state schools superintendent. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Counties Association and the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership.

We review the Spring Primary victory by Jill Underly in the State Superintendent of Public Instruction election and the real challenge to public education that is posed by the well-funded voucher advocate who also advanced to the April 1st General Election. Both the DPI and Supreme Court elections will be won by talking directly to voters throughout the state on phones, doors, and one-on one conversations. We urge you to sign up and volunteer with Citizen Action to make calls from home in support of Susan Crawford and Jill Underly in our weekly phone bank starting next Tuesday, February 25th at 5pm RSVP HERE The state budget battle commenced this week with Governor Tony Evers releasing his budget. We review some highlights, including BadgerCare expansion, Prescription Drug affordability Board, and a sweeping set of new regulations on health insurance abuses, including a first in the nation audit of claims denials. This Tuesday, Citizen Action joined Wisconsin Public Education Network (WPEN) and WISDOM in calling for the Governor to leverage his potent constitutional power to veto any state budget produced by the Legislature that fails to finally secure BadgerCare Expansion, include sufficient funding for K-12 public schools, or lacks reforms needed for Wisconsin's troubled corrections system. We urge you to contact Governor Tony Evers and tell him to fight for his top budget priorities by threatening veto of any budget that fails the public on these key public priorities and others that the governor also deems essential. We encourage listeners to RSVP for our Capitol State Budget Lobby Day on Tuesday March 4th. We close reviewing the week 5 of the Trump assault on the republic, including mounting bipartisan opposition to House Republican leadership's plan announced this week to gut Medicaid funding to fund a massive tax cut for the wealthy. UW Madison's research is threatened by NIH funding cuts and we expose the fake energy emergency Trump has declared to ram through an expansion of Wisconsin fossil fuel projects.

The governor released his executive budget on Tuesday night. State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jill Underly, survived a primary on Tuesday and also reacted to some budget plans. She tells Stephanie Hoff that she's advocating for a $60 million investment in Career and Technical Education programs also known as CTEs. Wisconsin is one of six states that doesn't have ongoing funding dedicated to these programs, which include agricultural education. The money would also fund Career and Technical Student Organizations. Jill Underly says these dollars were a priority for her in the Department of Public Instruction budget proposal. She says she sees the value in investing in ag education and other CTE programs as both of her children are members in FFA. More bitterly cold weather on the way today, but a change is on the horizon according to Stu Muck.Auction pace is starting to pick up! Ashley Huhn with the Steffes Group tells Pam Jahnke that they're picking up momentum in Wisconsin with some key sales slated before March. Paid for by Steffes Group.Senator Howard Marklein, co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee reacts to the governor's proposed budget. Marklein says he's open to funding for farmer-led watershed projects. Are you still shopping for groceries the same way? During the pandemic many people opted to use delivery services or apps to secure their groceries. Has that changed how beef moves to consumers? Angie Horkan, marketing director with the WI Beef Council, says new research shows that e-commerce sales of beef are at a high not seen in the past 27 years. Paid for by Equity Cooperative Livestock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At a time of massive federal spending cuts, Gov. Tony Evers argued last night that it's time to invest in Wisconsin. A private school advocate will compete against incumbent State Superintendent Jill Underly this April. And, state lawmakers introduced a bill to make a special observance day to honor a local civil rights icon.

Wisconsin voters have narrowed the field of candidates for the state's top education job. But what does the state superintendent of public instruction actually do?

Division of Extension Dean and Director Karl Martin tells Stephanie Hoff that Extension has lost about 20 percent of its staff in the past decade. He points to funding challenges as the reason for the loss of agents. Most recently, Iowa County has had to cut Extension funding. Martin says this is often because essential services, such as EMS, take precedence in a county's small budget. To reverse the trend, Martin says the Division of Extension is actively seeking out more funding opportunities. Extension has also been restructured to reduce the need for local general educators and instead has statewide or regional specialists. Soon, Extension will post a position for a specialist to guide rural entrepreneurs in Southwest Wisconsin. This short-term, pilot position is funded by a $300,000 donation. More subzero weather for Wisconsin today. Stu Muck explains the gritty details to Pam Jahnke. That weather didn't stop about 200 FFA members from across the state from gathering at the state capitol to advocate on behalf of agriculture education. Stephanie Hoff chatted with Joshua Capodarco, ag teacher and FFA advisor at Sun Prairie East High School. East and Sun Prairie West each have about 300 FFA students. They brought a handful from each chapter to talk about the importance of FFA and ag education in front of lawmakers. We also hear from two students in the group. Lydia Statz is the FFA President at Sun Prairie East, one of the very few students in FFA who grew up in production agriculture. Jada Danielson from Sun Prairie West serves as her FFA Chapter’s student advisor. While she doesn't have a background in ag, Jada is still passionate about FFA's role in developing young leaders, and she's working hard to bring FFA to local middle schools. Today there's a primary election for the State Superintendent. Three candidates are on the ballot. Jill Underly, current State Superintendent, was at the FFA rally Monday. She's supporting a budget that earmarks about $60 million for Career and Technical Education or CTEs. That would include additional support for FFA advisors and student activities. John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend joins Pam Jahnke. Today, a compromised Chernobyl drives wheat. South America still struggles to get beans to the marketplace, and John's simple explanation on why eggs will remain expensive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State Superintendent Jill Underly is requesting $60 million in the state budget for Career and Technical Education programs in public schools - aka CTE. Wisconsin is one of six states that doesn't have ongoing funding dedicated to CTE. The budget request would also fund each of the state's six Career and Technical Student Organizations, including FFA. Dr. Underly says she sees the value in ag education as both of her children are members in FFA and they have a small hobby farm in Southwest Wisconsin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our second hour, we're Recombobulating....ON A WEDNESDAY!! That's right, Civic Media Political Editor and Founder of The Recombobulation Area, Dan Shafer joins us to talk about the races for State Superintendent, as well as Supreme Court (spoiler, it's all about the money...again) and Summerfest is coming and the lineup is out! And we wouldn't leave you empty handed, it's time for This Shouldn't Be A Thing - Step This Way Edition As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 10 am - noon across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice, they go a long way! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and YouTube to keep up with Jane and the show! Guest: Dan Shafer

A growing body of research shows that cell phones inhibit learning and distract students in class. But should they be banned in schools? It’s a question that districts across Washington state are struggling with. Last year State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal issued guidance that basically said… yes. It encouraged districts statewide to adopt policies that would restrict cell phone use by students. But many districts have yet to adopt these kinds of uniform restrictions, leaving parents, students and teachers in the dark about how this issue will be handled. We speak with some of the lawmakers tangling with this and physician and documentarian who thinks this is a crisis we need to face head on. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Guests: State Rep. Stephanie McClintock, State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Dr. Delaney Ruston Relevant Links: WA bill would limit cellphone use in schools Banned from school? Teens picture life without cellphones Screenagers documentary series Away For The Day See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Join Gretchen as she speaks about the Crisis Response in Education and what you can do to make it better. Throughout the episode, Gretchen gives you resources and tangible action steps to make your school more prepared in a crisis situation. Quotables "We can't just prepare for crisis itself. We have to prepare for what happens after the crisis." "You don't have to be a leader in the school to have a game plan and bring it to the table. " "Develop plans that are thorough enough to handle a lot of things." Resources 332: Clear Communication: Effective com w/ Ss and Ps 207: From Crisis to Calm https://alwaysalesson.com/episodes/207-from-crisis-to-calm/ Office for victims of crime: https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/publications/bulletins/schoolcrisis/pg3.html Office for victims of crime 2:  https://www.schoolcrisiscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/School-Crisis-Response-Initiative.pdf PBIS:   https://www.pbis.org/crisis-recovery NEA:   https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/NEA%20School%20Crisis%20Guide%202018.pdf Office of State Superintendent of Education: https://osse.dc.gov/page/responding-school-crisis Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter Join here and grab a freebie! Connect with Gretchen Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com Blog: 

Superintendent of Instruction Tom Horne joined the Mike Broomhead show to talk about AIMS testing and his teacher retention plan for 2025. 

A bill passed by lawmakers last year would have enacted presumptive Medicaid eligibility for pregnancies. But legal hurdles have delayed the start of that program.Then, many areas in Mississippi lack access to healthcare providers according to the American Heart Association. A new program could help close that gap in coverage.Plus, Mississippi's State Superintendent of Education is asking lawmakers to help address absentee rates in schools. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Arizona State Board of Education voting unanimously to put Isaac School District under a state reciever. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne tells Arizona's Morning News this is an isolated situation.     

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is among Republicans reintroducing a bill to ban transgender athletes in school sports. There will be a primary election next month for Wisconsin's top education post. And, if you have an electric vehicle, fast chargers came online last month at some Kwik Trip locations.

We now know who is running in nonpartisan elections across Wisconsin and whether any of the races will require a primary in February before a general election on April 1. We'll update the choices for State Superintendent of Public Instruction and an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court—both races with major implications for the state. And in this week's Homeroom, we'll review what kinds of legislation will be considered by the Assembly and Senate that could impact the education of Wisconsin kids. UpNorthNews with Pat Kreitlow airs on several stations across the Civic Media radio network, Monday through Friday from 6-8 am. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X, and Instagram to keep up with Pat & the show! Guests: Salina Heller, Bryn Horton

Montana State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen 12-03-24

12/06/24: Joel Heitkamp is joined by North Dakota's State School Superintendent for the first time after her win in the November Election. Superintendent Baesler was first elected to the office in 2012, and she and her 86-person team oversee the education of public and nonpublic school students in more than 480 buildings across the state. Joel asks her on "News and Views" to talk about Superintendents in North Dakota resigning, and gets her take on a new South Dakota proposal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of "Healing Her Halo," we're joined by Certified Trauma Recovery Coach and keynote speaker Priscilla María Gutiérrez. Known for her powerful approach to "healing out loud," Priscilla opens up about her personal journey and her work as the CEO and Founder of Cycle Breakers Club. Through her coaching, Priscilla empowers others to break cycles of people-pleasing, self-doubt, toxic relationships, and more, guiding them toward true healing and transformation. We'll dive into her experiences partnering with organizations like a popular alcohol-reduction app and the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education's scholarship program, which supports first-generation Latinx college students. Priscilla also shares her perspective on overcoming trauma, building resilience, and using her voice to support those struggling in silence. Join us for an inspiring conversation on the strength it takes to heal out loud and the courage needed to break generational cycles.Connect with PriscillaWebsite: priscillamaria.comInstagram and LinkedIn: @cyclebreakercoach Link to my new song “Alchemy”https://linktr.ee/PaemurraySupport Our Healing Her Halo Platforms:Be Sure to Follow & Share our Episodes, available on all podcast streaming platforms. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1491109 Instagram - @Healingherhalo : https://www.instagram.com/healingherhalo/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/healing-her-halo/id1540565841Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0IgJzkLJ3oxncfG6MWSN1L#BreakingCycles #HealingOutLoud #TraumaRecovery #PriscillaMariaGutierrez #CycleBreakers #MentalHealthMatters #OvercomingTrauma #PodcastInterview #HealingHerHalo #TraumaSurvivor #Empowerment #GenerationalHealing #SelfLoveJourney #CycleBreakersClub #LatinxMentalHealth #Resilience #MentalHealthAwareness #PersonalGrowth #TraumaHealing #PodcastCommunity #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #TransformYourLife #TraumaInformed #WellnessPodcastSend us a text

In this episode, Ryan Walters, Oklahoma's State Superintendent of Public Instruction, speaks to Kelly Wright about his efforts to improve the state's education system. He highlights the implementation of universal school choice and the introduction of Bible curriculum in schools. Plus, Dr. Jameson Taylor talks to Kelly about the pro-life versus pro-abortion debate, highlighting Vice President Kamala Harris's stance on abortion and former President Donald Trump's pro-life policies. He also discusses the rise of fatherlessness in the United States. Watch America's Hope with Kelly Wright. ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters breaks down the latest that is known on Election Day terror suspect, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, and reports that he had a co-conspirator that was a student in an Oklahoma public school. Additional interview with Arizona U.S. Senate Candidate Kari Lake that her Democratic opponent Rep. Ruben Gallego was trying to distance himself as far away from association with Vice President Kamala Harris “like she was Covid” during a debate Wednesday night.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump's actions during his presidency were within constitutional power. The prosecution of his role in the January 6, 2021 insurrection will be delayed until after the election this November. The Left, Right, and Center panel discusses concerns about presidential power and what this would mean after the election. In Oklahoma, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters released a memo saying the Bible will be taught from grades 5 to 12. Walters said numerous Bible references are in political documents, therefore they are part of history. Similarly, Louisiana has made it the law to include the Ten Commandments in classrooms. School systems have become the battleground of church and state separation.This week's installment of our 50 states series looks at anti-masking laws. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, along with leaders in North Carolina and New York, are looking to ban masks in light of protest clashes over the conflict in Gaza. Would these laws encroach upon the rights of demonstrators? What about medical concerns in light of the COVID pandemic?