Podcast – Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create a brighter future for every Washington student.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Dr. Brent Jones, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, about his priorities for Seattle Public Schools and how he measures success, how the district is supporting student mental health, his personal education journey, and what he would change if he were in charge of Washington state’s education system and there were no budgetary constraints.

 

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker

Listen:

Read More

Podcast – NPR’s Anya Kamenetz on How COVID Changed Children’s Lives

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create a brighter future for every Washington student.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews former NPR Education Correspondent Anya Kamenetz about the impacts of keeping students out of school as long as we did during the COVID pandemic, why this past school year was so challenging for students and educators, and why it’s so important for schools to prioritize relationships and social-emotional well-being moving forward.

Anya’s new book is The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now.

 

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker

Listen:

Read More

Puget Sound Educational Service District 2023 Regional Teacher of the Year Shane Monroe on Elevating Student Voice Within Classroom Communities

Shane Monroe

As the Puget Sound Educational Service District 121 Regional Teacher of the Year, serving as a spokesperson and representative for teachers and students, my message is a call to action to elevate student voice. Stuvoice.org, the by-students, for-students nonprofit advocating for student-driven solutions to educational inequity, defines student voice as: “recognizing and acting upon the fact that students are the primary stakeholders of our education and should be partners in shaping it.” Student Voice’s work is guided by the belief that “equity and justice within our schools will only be achieved when power is meaningfully shifted towards young people, particularly toward students with identities who are most marginalized by our nation’s education system.”

When reflecting on stuvoice.org’s mission statement as an elementary educator, the initial thought of giving our youngest students the power to make decisions within our classroom communities is… startling at best. However, it is important to pause and recognize the word power should not directly translate to full and total control, in any capacity of its context. Within the classroom, power should be thought of as emphasizing continued elevation of ideas and feedback from our students. Read More

Podcast – Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create a brighter future for every Washington student.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Mark Follman, National Affairs Editor for Mother Jones, who discusses which supports and warning signs could prevent mass shootings, how to keep bias out of the threat assessment process, and how to know when is the right time to intervene. Mark’s new book is Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America.

 

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker

Listen:

Read More

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Joe Hunter, Jr. and Tony Allison, founders of RARE (Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity)

Joe Hunter, Jr. (L) and Tony Allison

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Joe Hunter, Jr. and Tony Allison. They were classmates at Roosevelt High School fifty years ago. But looking back all of these years later, they and many of their peers realized we have not progressed in truly creating schools that are equitable. They created RARE (Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity) to give parents and community members everywhere – not just at Roosevelt – a chance to face these difficult issues together, creating a documentary and participating in discussions such as this one.

 

Listen:

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

Watch:

Read More

Podcast – Luma Mufleh on Her Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create a brighter future for every Washington student.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman interviews Luma Mufleh, the founder of Fugees Family whose TED Talk on educational justice for refugee families has been viewed more than 1.7 million times. Luma discusses what it’s like being dropped into a classroom when you don’t know English, what supports we should provide to students who are refugees, and how we can focus on the assets that refugees bring to our schools and our society. Luma’s new book is Learning America: One Woman’s Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children.

 

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker

Listen:

Read More

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Nicky Wilks and Alex Craighead, founders of Journeymen

Nicky Wilks (L) and Alex Craighead

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Nicky Wilks and Alex Craighead, founders of Journeymen. Journeymen cultivates transformational experiences for boys and men through nature-based rites of passage, mentorship, training, and community events. They discuss helping kids detox from social media, the challenges facing boys today, and what Journeymen does to give boys a connection through nature.

 

Listen:

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

Watch:

Read More

Letter from the Every Student Counts Alliance to the City of Spokane

By Kenji Linane-Booey, Spokane Regional Field Director

 

On March 11th, Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl sent a letter to Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Adam Swinyard stating that he believes teachers across the district are not serving in their roles as mandatory reporters. He then said that this violation can be charged as a gross misdemeanor. League of Education Voters (LEV) and their partner, the Every Student Counts Alliance (ESCA), believe this letter was written to sway the court of public opinion in order to decrease trust in the school district administration and to increase funding for the Spokane Police Department. Because LEV and ESCA believe in the work the school district is doing, we decided to respond to Chief Meidl’s letter directly. Read More

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Regina Malveaux of the Washington State Women’s Commission

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Regina Malveaux, Director of the Washington State Women’s Commission. Lauri and Regina discuss the Women’s Commission, childhood poverty, early learning for kids, and International Women’s Day on March 8th.

 

Listen:

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

Watch:

Read More

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Frank Abe on the Day of Remembrance

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Frank Abe, author of the graphic novel We Hereby Refuse and longtime advocate for Japanese-Americans. He shares about the upcoming Day of Remembrance and a presentation he will be giving February 19, 2022 at 4pm on Vashon Island about the day President Roosevelt directed the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

 

Listen:

Listen on SpotifyApple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

Read More