Podcast appearances and mentions of washington teachers union

Neely Fuller Jr. checks into our classroom to expound on his tome on Racism, White Supremacy. Many already know his mandate: "If you don't understand how the system of RWS works and all that it entails, then everything else you think you understand will only confuse you." Before Mr. Fuller, we will preview Monday's start of school in Baltimore and The DMV. A Panel of teachers and the Head of the Washington Teachers Union will join us. First Time? Here's 5 Tips For Parents Sending Their Little Ones To School For The First Time Text “DCnews” to 52140 For Local & Exclusive News Sent Directly To You! The Big Show starts at 6 am ET, 5 am CT, 3 am PT, and 11 am BST Listen Live on WOL 95.9 FM & 1450 AM, woldcnews.com, the WOL DC NEWS app, WOLB 1010 AM or wolbbaltimore.com. Call 800 450 7876 to participate on The Carl Nelson Show! Tune in every morning to join the conversation and learn more about issues impacting our community. All programs are available for free on your favorite podcast platform. Follow the programs on Twitter & Instagram and watch your Black Ideas come to life!✊

One of the most sought-after authorities on Palestine, Professor Rashid Khaldi will explain what's going on in Palestine and discuss his book, "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine." Before Dr. Khaldi, former Washington, DC Teacher-of the Year, James Cunningham talks about some of the problems instructors face in the Classroom. Before James, the head of the Washington Teachers Union, Jacquline Pogue Lyons discusses the stalled contract talks with City Officials. DC activist Dyrell Muhammad will also join us. FAQS Answered: Read Our Israel-Palestine Battle Breakdown Text "DCnews" to 52140 For Local & Exclusive News Sent Directly To You! The Big Show starts on WOLB at 1010 AM, wolbbaltimore.com, WOL 95.9 FM & 1450 AM & woldcnews.com at 6 am ET., 5 am CT., 3 am PT., and 11 am BST. Call-In # 800 450 7876 to participate, & listen liveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the public weighed in on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's latest crime and policing bill. D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson was there for the hours of testimony. He joins us in the studio to give his thoughts about the issue and what comes next. Plus, the Washington Teachers Union is urging the school system to come back to the table for contract negotiations. We ask Chairman Mendelson what the Council can do to get the two sides to agree on new terms. A judge ruled earlier this week that a Montgomery County gun law that bans the concealed carry of a firearm outside of one's home or business is not allowed under state law.  The judge said he will issue a permanent injunction preventing the county from enforcing the provision. County Executive Marc Elrich joins Kojo and Tom in the studio to weigh in on the ruling. And a new council bill would loosen parking requirements for new housing developments. How might this legislation tackle two pressing problems at once? Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Facebook:facebook.com/thepoliticshour

The President/General of the Universal African Peoples Organization and Former Educator Zaki Baruti returns to explain why Jamaal can't read. Brother Zaki will expose the structural deficiencies in the Educational System that cause Black children to fail and talk politics. Before Zaki, the head of the Washington Teachers Union, Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, updates us on the readiness of her teachers for the opening of school. Author Ron Lacks will also check in to report on the fight to get justice for his grandmother Henrietta Lacks. Revolution! 10 Notable Black Uprisings Text "DCnews" to 52140 For Local & Exclusive News Sent Directly To You! The Big Show starts on WOLB at 1010 AM, wolbbaltimore.com, WOL 95.9 FM & 1450 AM & woldcnews.com at 6 am ET., 5 am CT., 3 am PT., and 11 am BST. Call-In # 800 450 7876 to participate, & listen liveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

K.C. Boyd is currently a school librarian with the District of Columbia Public Schools System.  She has previously worked as the Lead Librarian for the East St. Louis School District #189 in East St. Louis, IL., as an Area Library Coordinator for Chicago Public Schools, and as a District  Coordinator for the Mayor Daley Book Club for Middle School Students.  She is a second-generation educator and holds Master's degrees in Library Information Science, Media Communications, and Education Leadership.  Boyd is currently the national 2022 School Library Journal “Librarian of the Year.” Boyd currently serves on the executive boards for the District of Columbia Library Association and Washington Teachers Union. She is an active committee member for the American Library Association Chapter Council representing Washington D.C. and EveryLibrary Institute/Advisory Board. Boyd is also a member of the District of Columbia Public Schools Library Corps and serves on the AASL School Library Event Promotion Committee. Boyd currently is a National Ambassador representing the Washington D.C. area for Checkology Virtual Classroom and The News Literacy Project.  She is also the recipient of the American Consortium for Equity in Education 2022 Excellence in Equity Award and the 2022 National Association of State Boards of Education “Policy Leader of the Year Winner” A staunch advocate for school libraries, she is widely known and respected for her work in educating parents, teachers, and district officials on promoting leisure reading for children and teens. Additionally, she is a sought-after and popular keynote speaker and conference presenter at the local, state, and national levels.  It is Boyd's belief that all children, despite economic circumstances, have the right to read and should have access to books that reflect themselves and encourage inquiry.  Boyd can be reached through her website:  http://www.kcboyd.com/. To get professional development go to http://www.kcboyd.com/the-clubhouse.html

Educators in nation's capitol have gone three years without a contract.   Today's labor quote: Washington Teachers Union. Today's labor history: Dress workers shut down manufacturing in LA.   @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher #FairContractNow Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.

Educators in nation's capitol have gone three years without a contract.   Today's labor quote: Washington Teachers Union. Today's labor history: Dress workers shut down manufacturing in LA.   @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher #FairContractNow Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.

Democratic Gubernatorial hopeful Wes Moore will explain why he wants to become Marylands' first Black Governor. Before we hear from Wes Moore, Community activist Mollie Bell will check in to talk politics. Before Sister Mollie, Child Psychologist Dr. Denise Wright examines some of the problems facing our youngsters heading back to school. Getting us started The President of the Washington Teachers Union, Jacqueline Lyons. Text DCnews to 52140 For Local & Exclusive News Sent Directly To You! The Big Show starts on WOL 95.9 FM & 1450 AM, 1010 AM WOLB and woldcnews.com at 6 am ET., 5 am CT., 3 am PT., and 11 am BST. Call in # 800 450 7876 to participate & listen liveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Washington Teachers Union and friends will be distributing 40,000 free books on Saturday to Ward 7 & 8 residents. Today's labor quote: Joe Biden. Today's labor history: Truman orders U.S. Army to illegally seize steel mills to avert a strike.    @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher @_DCHealth @AFTunion @FirstBook @WCKitchen Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.

The Washington Teachers Union and friends will be distributing 40,000 free books on Saturday to Ward 7 & 8 residents. Today's labor quote: Joe Biden. Today's labor history: Truman orders U.S. Army to illegally seize steel mills to avert a strike.    @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher @_DCHealth @AFTunion @FirstBook @WCKitchen Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.

Celebrating the life and work of the president of Washington Teachers Union, AFT Local 6, who died recently. Today’s labor history: American Federation of Teachers founded in Chicago.   Today’s quote: Liz Davis. @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher @AFTunion @tweetelissa @trayonwhite Supported by our friends at Union Plus; founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.  

Celebrating the life and work of the president of Washington Teachers Union, AFT Local 6, who died recently. Today's labor history: American Federation of Teachers founded in Chicago.   Today's quote: Liz Davis. @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher @AFTunion @tweetelissa @trayonwhite Supported by our friends at Union Plus; founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.  

Why are basic needs of people in the United States being held hostage by a senate rule, which is not even a law or in the Constitution? Faith leaders say that the filibuster is immoral and speak out on Easter Monday. And more on that poison pill inserted into the proposed and highly promoted federal voting rights bill, The For the People Act, which will actually make it much harder for third parties to emerge and compete against the two corporate parties. Dr. Margaret Flowers talks about the poison pill, U.S. sanctions that are killing people in other countries, and she has the latest on COVID in the U.S. Plus headlines on Chauvin, the death of Elizabeth Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union and police in schools. Voices: Dr. Margaret Flowers, Professor Gerald Horne, Rev. Graylan Hagler, Rev. Jim Winkler, Rev. Liz Theo Harris, WTU President Elizabeth Davis. The show is made possible only by our volunteer energy, our resolve to keep the people's voices on the air, and by support from our listeners. In this new era of fake corporate news, we have to be and support our own media! Please click here or click on the Support-Donate tab on this website to subscribe for as little as $3 a month. We are so grateful for this small but growing amount of monthly crowdsource funding on Patreon. You can also give a one-time or recurring donation on PayPal. Thank you!

Davis had been “at the forefront of public education advocacy and reform, leading the Washington Teachers Union's transformation into a social justice, solution-driven organization.” Today's labor history: First slave revolt in the U.S.   Today's quote: Rose Schneiderman. @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher Supported by our friends at Union Plus; founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.  

Davis had been “at the forefront of public education advocacy and reform, leading the Washington Teachers Union’s transformation into a social justice, solution-driven organization.” Today’s labor history: First slave revolt in the U.S.   Today’s quote: Rose Schneiderman. @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO @WTUTeacher Supported by our friends at Union Plus; founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.  

Broadcast on March 11, 2021 Hosted by Chris Garlock and Ed Smith This week's show: What's been the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on DC-area workers and their unions? First-hand reports on the toll -- and the ongoing struggles -- from hotel workers (John Boardman, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, UNITE HERE 25), supermarket workers (Mark Federici, president, UFCW Local 400), DC teachers (Elizabeth Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union) and janitors, security guards and airport workers (Jaime Contreras, District Chair and Supervisor, SEIU 32BJ). PLUS: Workers helping workers: Sonte DuCote, Executive Director, MWC Community Services Agency. Music: Covid Vaccine - The Soulm8s Produced by Chris Garlock; engineered by Mike Nasella. @wpfwdc @aflcio #1u #unions #laborradiopod @UFCW400 @DCHotelworkers @WTUTeacher @32BJSEIU

Air Date 9/1/2020 Today we take a look at the concerns being weighed in the debate over returning to in-person learning as the beginning of the school year gets underway. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Trump Push To Reopen Schools: The Last Person We Should Trust With Safety Of Kids - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-8-20 There are a bunch of problems that have to be solved in order to open schools safely. But the president is incapable of solving them. He just wants them open, so that people can go back to work, and so things can be "normal,” so he can get reelected. Ch. 2: As COVID Infections Soar, Trump Attacks Dr. Fauci, CDC & Pushes Schools to Reopen at All Costs - Democracy Now - Air Date 7-13-20 As the world and the United States shatter the daily records of COVID-19 infections, President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos continue to push for public schools to reopen in the fall without a plan to adhere to CDC guidelines. Ch. 3: D.C. Teachers Fight for Distance Learning in the Pandemic - The Intercept - Air Date 8-3-20 After city officials in Washington D.C. weighed a plan to send teachers back to the classroom as part of a hybrid learning plan, the Washington Teachers Union mobilized a week of actions to push for virtual learning in the fall. Ch. 4: COVID-19 Will Devastate Schools... And Already Is... - Thom Hartmann Program - 8-4-20 After thinking they had COVID-19 under control, Israel reopened only to find out that schools are the perfect playground for such an insidious virus, schools spread to homes, to businesses, and created new epicenters. In America, it could be worse. Ch. 5: Kids Positive for Coronavirus After ONE DAY in School - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-7-20 Kids start testing positive for coronavirus after one day back in school as the entire school year is now in question. Ch. 6: The Long-Brewing Crisis in Higher Education - On the Media - Air Date 8-28-20 Over the past few weeks, colleges and universities across the United States have re-opened for the fall, despite the public health risks associated with doing so. And the risks have borne out Ch. 7: American civil society is not equipped to deal with a collective problem like Covid-19 - Jacobin Radio Weekends - Air Date 8-8-20 Ana Kasparian and new co-host Nando Vila dunk on the ludicrous arguments for reopening schools. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Mail-in ballots in Washington don't require a stamp anymore - Kate from Spokane, WA Ch. 9: The importance of understanding systems protecting themselves - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on Yascha Mounk’s incredibly ironic article preaching the importance of defending the falsely accused MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Waterbourne - Algea Fields Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Rapids - Grey River Minutes - Pacha Faro Dirtbike Lovers - Desert Orchard One Little Triumph - Piano Mover Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE "Iowa Teacher Drive for Lives" by Phil Roeder, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped & increased contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Biden’s VP pick is welcomed by Wall Street with open arms. We discuss school reopening with an educator/Washington Teachers’ Union leader. She didn’t just “survive,” Ilhan Omar dunked on her haters. No longer funny: Trump’s rants about showers lead the Department of Energy to lower environmental standards.

Today's guest hosts are Brent J. Cohen and Edwith Theogene, Executive Director and Organizing Director for Generation Progress. During today's episode, they discuss how school districts across the country are prepping for (or already in the thick of) back-to-school season. This year will look different for many schools as they attempt to navigate the threat posed by the pandemic—which has loomed even larger as the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have climbed in recent weeks. While Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos have pushed hard for in-person schooling to resume—even threatening to withhold funding from schools that choose to stay online—many experts are wary of the inevitable safety risks that will come from bringing students, teachers, and staff back on campus. Aside from the academic challenges of distance learning, schools are also working to figure out other challenges that will arise if students aren’t physically at school, such as how to get supplies and food that they normally provide students to children and families learning at home and what will happen with childcare for families with parents who are working. As always, many of the downsides of both returning to school during the pandemic and pursuing fully remote learning will disproportionately impact low income families and families of color. To talk with Brent and Edwith more about how COVID-19 will impact K-12 education this year, they’re joined by Elizabeth Davis, the president of the Washington Teachers’ Union in D.C, and Khalilah Harris, the managing director of the K-12 policy team at the Center for American Progress. Here are the Twitter handles for today's guests and their respective organizations: Elizabeth David - @davis704, Washington Teachers’ Union - @WTUteacher, Khalilah Harris - @Ed2BeFree, K-12 Policy Team at the Center for American Progress - @EdProgress The website for "Generation Progress" is www.GenProgress.org and their Twitter Handle is @GenProgress. Brent J. Cohen's Twitter handle is @BrentJCohen and Edwith Theogene's handle is @WhoIsEdwith.

Elizabeth Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union, and Joshua Harris, vice-president of the Baltimore branch of the NAACP discuss reopening schools, what this year might look like and how this pandemic might affect our public education system for years to come.

As we approach August, many of our young listeners and their parents are starting to think about going back to school. Usually, that might mean getting new notebooks and pencils, and the excitement of seeing classmates after a summer apart. But COVID-19 makes this upcoming school year different. Big districts, including Los Angeles and San Diego public schools, will be completely remote this fall. Other districts are looking at hybrid programs, with some time in the classroom and some at home. Still others want kids to return to the classroom full-time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says schools should adjust plans based on how many coronavirus cases are in the community. Schools with little transmission may be able to go back to the classroom, but with more sanitation efforts and no sports events. For communities with high levels of spread, the CDC says stronger measures are needed, like staggered arrivals and dismissals, kids staying in one classroom, or all-remote education. However, Vice President Mike Pence said this week that CDC guidance should not dictate whether schools open for in-classroom instruction. Joining Ira to talk about what to consider in back-to-school plans are Pedro Noguera, dean of the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and Laura Fuchs, a high school history teacher and secretary of the Washington Teachers’ Union in Washington, D.C. In just a few weeks, NASA is scheduled to launch its newest rover in the direction of Mars. Perseverance, the formal name for the Mars 2020 mission’s rover, is now safely at Cape Canaveral, strapped to its Atlas V rocket, waiting only for the launch window to open. If all goes well, Perseverance will begin roving Mars next February. Once on Mars, it will join its cousin Curiosity in combing through the dust and rocks of the red planet—but where Curiosity hunts inside a meteor crater for water and other signs of suitability for life, Perseverance will scour an ancient river delta for the traces left by potential microscopic life. Ira talks to two Perseverance masterminds, deputy project scientist Katie Stack Morgan and aerospace engineer Diana Trujillo, about the challenges of building for space exploration, and what it takes to conduct science experiments 70 million miles from Earth.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Liz Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union who has taught in DC public schools for 41 years, and Justin Flores, the vice president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee.Monday is Labor Day, the day set aside to honor the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is a national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country. But organized labor is facing acute challenges thanks to recent court decisions. Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline Luqman, the co-editor-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook and Sputnik News analyst Walter Smolarek, joins the show. President Trump on Wednesday reaffirmed his opposition to routine annual joint US-South Korean military drills, a move that has infuriated South Korean conservatives, but which was supported by President Moon Jae-in. Although the move will make the North Koreans happy, it could created a significant political backlash for Moon. Gareth Porter, a historian, investigative journalist, and analyst specializing in U.S. national security policy, and the author of “Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare,” joins Brian and John.Bank of America is facing a backlash after freezing the accounts of people who have not proven their US citizenship or permanent resident status. The bank says that it has always asked its customers about their citizenship. But it’s begun unfreezing accounts after admitting that there are no federal law or regulations that require it to do so. Brian and John speak with Richard Becker, the author of “The Myth of Democracy and the Rule of the Banks.” Over the past decade, New York City made steady reductions in the number of children in public housing who tested positive for lead. But that ended when the city stopped inspecting apartments for lead paint. Lead levels are on the rise not just in New York, but in cities across the country, including Washington. Yasmina Mrabet, a housing organizer with Justice First. Yasmina is also an activist with the organization LinkUp, joins the show. Yesterday, the city of El Paso dissolved an injunction, leaving a neighborhood in El Paso up for demolition to make way for an arena. Barrio Duranguito is now under 24-hour watch by Paso Del Sur, a community group, to protect the buildings. Rodriga, Cynthia, and Selfa, all organizers with Paso Del Sur, joins Brian and John.It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Jim Kavanagh, the editor of ThePolemicist.net, and Ted Rall, an award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist.Today marks the one-year anniversary of the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel. Mueller was supposed to investigate allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. There hasn’t been any such evidence, but the investigation has broadened into a case that has implicated dozens of people.On the regular Thursday series “Criminal Injustice,” about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country, the hosts discuss how to organize a prison strike. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News, and Nicole Roussell, producer for Loud & Clear, join the show.Twenty thousand teachers across the state of North Carolina have gone on strike, shutting schools in 40 districts to cancel classes for more than one million students. In a familiar refrain, the teachers want better benefits and higher salaries, which have declined 9.4 percent in the past decade. Brian and John speak with Liz Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union who has taught in DC public schools for 41 years.Dramatic changes are underway in Malaysia as new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad takes office. Police raided Mahathir’s predecessor Najib Razak’s home, and long-time opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been released from prison. Nile Bowie, a writer and journalist with the Asia Times covering Singapore and Malaysia, joins the show. President Trump and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin will meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to discuss trade. The meetings are meant to prevent trade tensions from spiraling into a trade war, a possibility since the Administration imposed sanctions on Chinese goods. John Ross, the first non-Chinese citizen to be appointed to a full-time post at a leading think tank in China--Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, joins Brian and John. A Ukrainian diplomat in Hamburg, Germany has been suspended after posting virulently anti-Semitic remarks on Facebook. Vasyl Marushchinets wrote that Jews were responsible for World War II and ended the post with “death to the anti-fascists!” Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko condemned the remarks, but he recently signed into law a measure that glorifies Ukrainians who collaborated with the Nazis. Alexander Mercouris, the editor in chief of The Duran, joins the show.The Senate yesterday passed a non-binding resolution nullifying the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rollback. The 52-47 vote is a symbolic blow to the FCC, as the net neutrality remains on track to take effect next month. Brian and John speak with web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, and Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News.Today, the weekly series “Criminal Injustice” continues, where the hosts discuss the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country, including the murder by NYPD of Saheed Vassell, a man known by cops and the community to be mentally ill. Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. After he was killed, there were uprisings in dozens of cities, though these powerful rebellions have been falsely portrayed as opportunistic and materialistic looting and rioting. What were the social movements at the time of the assassination of Dr. King and what kind of oppression caused the Black community to rise up after this assassination? Malik Rahim, a former Black Panther and a longtime housing and prison activist in Louisiana who gained widespread attention as an important community organizer in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, joins the show. Yulia Skripal, who last month was poisoned in the UK with her father, a Russian double agent, is finally recovering. She said she feels stronger each day, but is still disoriented. The British government has said the Skripals were poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok. Absent any proof, however, British scientists and politicians have backed off that claim. Brian and John speak with Dr. Piers Robinson, the chairman of the politics, society, and political journalism department at the University of Sheffield and the author of “Routledge Handbook of Media, Conflict and Security.” The Brazilian Supreme Court ruled last night that former president Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva can be sent to prison while he appeals his conviction on corruption charges. Lula said that the 6-5 ruling was an underhanded ploy to keep him off the ballot. He is currently leading in presidential preference polls. Earlier yesterday, a Brazilian general threatened a military coup if Lula was not imprisoned. Ada Siqueira, a member of Brazilian Expats for Democracy and Social Justice, joins the show. Major teachers strikes continue in Oklahoma and Kentucky, even though the Oklahoma state legislature has agreed to increase teachers salaries. The teachers are striking due to pensions, class sizes, classroom supplies, up-to-date textbooks, and respect. Liz Davis, President of the Washington Teachers Union who has taught in DC public schools for 41 years, joins Brian and John. Facebook executives announced yesterday that at least 87 million users had their personal data harvested secretly by data firm Cambridge Analytica. The number is far higher than Facebook had previously admitted. The company responded by saying that it would adopt Europe’s stricter privacy policies for the US. But Congress wants CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify. Dr. Robert Epstein, the Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, and Bill Binney, a former NSA technical director who became a legendary national security whistleblower, join the show.A group of retired veteran intelligence, law enforcement, and military professionals yesterday delivered a letter to the Ecuadorian Ambassador to the United States asking that his country allow Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to have internet access and permission for him to receive visitors. Assange has been cut off from the outside world for two weeks now after he commented on Twitter about Catalonian elections. Brian speaks with John about delivering the letter to the embassy yesterday.

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dick Nichols, the correspondent for Spain and Catalonia for Green Left Weekly, and Sputnik news analyst Walter Smolarek. Yesterday’s Italian elections are set to produce a deadlocked parliament, as the populist Five Stars Movement and the far right Northern League surge, leaving the Center-Left bloc of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in an embarrassing third place. The Trump Administration and Congress have been working to dismantle the Affordable Care Act despite their failure to outright repeal the law. While some states have embraced this effort, others are pushing back. Leo Cuello, an attorney and the director of health policy for the National Health Law Program, and Mary Gerisch, an organizer and member chair of the Rights & Democracy health care justice team, join the show. The leaders of West Virginia teachers unions say that they will remain out on strike after the state senate voted to cut the five percent pay increase they negotiated with the governor. Meanwhile, teachers in Oklahoma are discussing a strike, inspired by West Virginia. Is this the beginning of a wave of teacher activism? Brian and John speak with Liz Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union who has taught in DC public schools for 41 years, and Dr. Curry Malott, a professor of education at West Chester University of Pennsylvania where he is the mobilization chair of the faculty union.Today is the last day of the NAFTA talks between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. After intense anti-NAFTA rhetoric on the campaign trail, Trump has now taken the position that if what he calls “a new and fair NAFTA agreement” can be agreed upon, then he’ll exempt the two neighboring countries from the steel and aluminum tariffs. Pete Dolack, an activist and writer with Trade Justice New York Metro, and the author of “It’s Not Over, Learning from the Socialist Experiment,” and Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California and author of “Central Bankers at the End of Their Ropes: Monetary Policy and the Coming Depression,” joins the show. The Israeli extreme right has a high profile at the ongoing annual conference of AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel lobby in the country, with a seminar being held today headlining some of the biggest names in the pro-Settler movement. This comes hours before Netanyahu and Trump are scheduled to meet here in Washington, with confrontation with Iran high on the agenda. Miko Peled, the author of “The General’s Son: A Journey of an Israeli in Palestine” and a new book called "Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five," joins Brian and John. In the first visit of high-ranking South Korean officials to North Korea since Kim Jong Un took office in 2011, South Korean National Security Office director Chung Eui-yong and intelligence agency head Suh Hoona led a delegation to North Korea to discuss a potential historic meeting of the leaders of both Koreas. Simone Chun, a fellow at the Korea Policy Institute and a member of the Korean Peace Network, joins the show.Venezuela’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for late April, has been postponed until May 20 as a faction of the opposition breaks ranks and decides to participate. Will the country’s Bolivarian Revolution continue its streak of electoral success? Can the country overcome economic turmoil? Brian and John speak with Lucas Koerner, an activist and writer for VenezuelAnalysis.com.

The Supreme Court has entered the final phase in its deliberation of Janus vs AFSCME and is expected to announce its decision this June. If the decision is made against public sector unions, as is expected, it will be one more nail in the coffin of collective bargaining and protection of worker's rights. Union leaders and workers are taking this assault seriously. They recently held a national day of action, #UnrigTheSystem. Unions are educating their workers about the case to overcome billionaire-funded propaganda being aired in support of it. And in West Virginia, teachers and other public school employees are now in the eighth day of a wildcat strike for better pay and health benefits. Oklahoma teachers are planning to go on strike too. We speak with Elizabeth Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union and Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association. For more information, visit www.ClearingtheFOGRadio.org.

Anita R. Henderson is known by many as The Author’s Midwife. She is owner of The Write Image, and creator of The Genealogist's Writing Room, an online community helping genealogists write and share the stories of their ancestors and their journey to find them. Her work with professionals and family history researchers has resulted in multiple award-winning books and has helped them grow their overall confidence in their ability to write a compelling story that captures the interest and emotion of readers. Christine Easterling is a retired teacher and school administrator who served students in Washington, DC, for over thirty years. As a certified dean of Standard Leadership Schools in affiliation with the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., she’s responsible for accrediting church schools. She is the former president of the DC Retired Educators’ Association (DCREA) and author of Inspirational Treasures: Essays by Educators and the Students Reflecting the Joy of Teaching. She also wrote A Giant for Justice: Inspirational Biography of William H. “Bill” Simons III, which is a twenty-five-year history of the Washington Teachers’ Union.  Her latest book  is titled: You Can Move Your Mountains:  Keep Pushing with Your Mountain—Moving Faith. She teaches a Miracles of Jesus class for the Baptist Congress of Christian Education, Maryland, from  her book titled The Miracles of Jesus. 

The Three Black Dudes at Lunch open up the second season with a bang! Mike, Derrick, and have a conversation with the Washington Teachers Union president, Elizabeth Davis, about all things union! New contract, union strength, teacher participation! You don't want to miss this dialog!

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Liz Davis, president of the Washington Teachers Union; Jeff Bigelow, a long-time public sector union leader; and by Joe Jamison, who worked for many years at the New York State labor council, specializing in transportation union issues. Wall Street and Corporate America’s war against labor unions is moving into high gear.As Donald Trump settles into office with a shocking series of executive orders, his allies in Congress are looking to strike a catastrophic blow at unions in the United States? GOP lawmakers have rolled out national “right to work” legislation, but don’t let the name be deceiving -- this is an anti-worker bill. How high are the stakes for the labor movement and for the fate of unionization?

Teachers are the life force of any education system, which makes them easy targets. 2013 has been quite a year for teachers - from standardized testing protests to teacher evaluation showdowns and more.  This week's guest is Elizabeth Davis, an educator with 41 years experience as a classroom teacher and the new President of the Washington Teachers Union in Washington, D.C. She is lifting her own voice on behalf of teacher voices all over DC and the nation, and she'll talk to us about what 2013 has meant for teachers and what is to come for teachers in the new year. Host Allison R. Brown is a civil rights attorney and President of Allison Brown Consulting (ABC), which works with schools and non-profit organizations to create education equity plans and promote equity in education in compliance with federal law.