Episodes

  • Reimagining Education

    Reimagining Education
    Sep 24 2024
    Brittany Paknett Cunningham is an educator, activist, writer, award-winning podcaster, leader, mother, and friend. She is an NBC News and MSNBC Political Analyst and host of UNDISTRACTED, a news and justice podcast with an intersectional lens on the world. This series concluding episode of the inaugural season of this podcast invites listeners to the freedom dream with one of our generation’s most sought-after thought leaders, policy advisors, and public speakers. Brittany and Dr. Johns discuss how the game of politics is played, how to stand on business while building Black futures where all Black students thrive, and that there are no lay people in the work of defending democracy and getting everyone to freedom.

    Listen to Brittany Packnett Cunningham's Undisdtracted podcast.
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    55 mins
  • Education-A Colonizers Tool

    Education-A Colonizers Tool
    Sep 17 2024
    Can you imagine walking out of fourth grade in protest against white supremacy and racism? Dr. John B. Diamond did exactly that before becoming a sociologist studying race and education. He’s not alone, did you know about Barbara Johns and the 1951 student walkout in Farmville, VA? In this episode, we break down the relationship between social inequality and educational opportunity, revisit what DuBois described as the color line, and Derrick A. Bell noted as the permanence of white supremacy and anti-Blackness, describe what Brown and the NAACP got wrong, unpack the consequences of distortions and failures (including Black educators losing the ability to teach), discuss the cost of integrating Black students into hostile environments, and the value of what Dr. Jarvis Giving termed “Fugitive Pedagogy” and libratory spaces that are supportive of Black and other non-white, non-privileged students thriving. Educators, system leaders, policymakers, and legal-activist/scholars will want to bookmark this episode.

    • Despite the Best Intentions: How Inequality Thrives in Good Schools
    • 2022 Brown Lecture in Education Research https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqAC4GoBBww
    • Distributed Leadership in Practice (Critical Issues in Educational Leadership Series) by John B. Diamond and James P. Spillane (Editor), John B. Diamond (Editor), & 1 more
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    39 mins
  • #TeachTheBabies To Show Up As You Are (in conversation with a high school student and their mom)

    #TeachTheBabies To Show Up As You Are (in conversation with a high school student and their mom)
    Sep 10 2024
    This would only be a Dr. David J. Johns production if the perspective and experiences of a student were centered. This episode features Oceanne–a brilliant non-binary/gender fluid middle school student who talks about the reality of being othered and what it really means to be “normal,” the (un)learning unspoken school and societal rules, and finding your purpose and passion. Their mother, Christine Ruiz, an entrepreneur, business owner, and fierce defender of her babies' ability to thrive, talks about the importance of finding support, working through the desire to control, and allowing your children to challenge you to stretch and grow. This episode celebrates the power of Black women and their nurturing love, the importance of good therapy, and unschooling as a decolonizing movement.
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    40 mins
  • Dolls & Dreams

    Dolls & Dreams
    Sep 3 2024
    In this bonus episode, we dive into two significant stories that illuminate the complexities of race, identity, and possibilities for Black children. Our journey takes us back to the 1940s and then forward to the present, where we will explore the groundbreaking work of psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark, as well as the narrative of Black Barbie, brought to life by director Ava DuVernay. The experiences of Black children, both in the 1940s and today, are shaped by societal views of race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. We must continue to engage in conversations about racism, anti-Blackness, identity, orientation, and expression, and the importance of representation in all aspects of life—from education to play. Acknowledging this not only empowers children today but also sets the stage for a more equitable future. Let’s all get free!

    Credit: Emily Leugers and Niko Feliciano, with production support.
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    13 mins
  • #TeachTheBabies about (Public) Charter Schools

    #TeachTheBabies about (Public) Charter Schools
    Aug 27 2024
    Naomi Shelton is nationally known and respected as a vocal advocate for quality choice options for Black and Brown students and families. She currently serves as CEO of the National Charter Collaborative. Do you know what distinguishes a charter school from other public schools? Do you have questions about whether charter schools are public schools? Tap into this episode to grapple with these questions and more.
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    47 mins
  • Being Black in Americas Schools

    Being Black in Americas Schools
    Aug 20 2024
    This episode features a book talk conversation where Dr. Johns interviews author Brian Rashad Fuller about his latest publication, Being Black In America’s Schools. The conversation, which took place on James Baldwin’s Centennial Birthday draws inspiration from the prolific witness and writer, touches on the apologies that educators owe their students, the process of unlearning trauma taught in public schools, and the process of learning that teaching is political.
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Montessori Methods are African by Nature

    Montessori Methods are African by Nature
    Aug 13 2024
    Maia Blankenship is a mother, career educator, and proud Spelman University Alumna. She helped found Wildflower Schools in 2021 and is the co-CEO of Black Wildflowers Fund. Have you ever wondered what happens at Montessori schools and if they’re suitable for Black students? This episode answers these questions and more. Parent, family, and community engagement, the enduring legacy of lessons learned at HBCUs, and African-centered child-centered learning are unifying themes.
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    36 mins
  • The Trappings of Private School Privilege

    The Trappings of Private School Privilege
    Aug 6 2024
    Bobby Edwards is the director of community inclusion and external relations at the McLean School. His current role calls for constant engagement with our community to develop and implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. This episode describes the role that elite private schools play in preserving privilege, what privileged families seek to buy when playing the real estate for school access game, and the importance of supporting the unique needs of all learners.
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    49 mins