An Introduction to the Mess
Episodes Coming Soon!
Introduction to the Mess: We Don’t Need Another Hero (Part I)
In the first episode of the hosts introduce their mission to create a teacher-led space to address systemic issues in K-12 education. They emphasize that the podcast is apolitical, welcoming diverse perspectives from public and private K-12 teachers nationwide. The hosts highlight several critical 'messes' in the education system, such as the teacher shortage crisis, inadequate teacher pay, excessive teacher preparation requirements, the canned curriculum mess fueled by corporate greed, and the broader K-12 governance failures. They assert that these problems are bipartisan and require urgent attention from policymakers by amplifying teachers' voices and expertise. The episode serves as an introduction to their investigative journalistic series aiming for a national professional governing board of teachers to fix these entrenched issues in the education system.
Introduction to the Mess: We Don’t Need Another Hero (Part II)
In this episode of the podcast, the hosts continue their introduction to the series, discussing various 'messes' within the K-12 education system in the U.S. They stress the need for a national K-12 educator governing board to address issues like poor literacy rates, ineffective reading curriculums, inequitable working conditions, and the lack of teacher autonomy. The episode highlights the systemic flaws exacerbating these messes, such as income inequalities, special education inadequacies, and mental health crises among teachers and students. Upcoming episodes will feature stories from guest teachers sharing personal experiences and solutions, aiming to empower educators to advocate for substantial changes to sustain democracy and improve public education.