The Reason We Learn

Parents: if you're looking to school choice to deliver your children from "woke" curricula and activist teachers, my guest wants you to understand these problems aren't a function of a given school as much as they are a function of the teachers in the classroom, how and why they came to teaching in the first place, and the pedagogy they bring with them. Dan argues that "Inactivist" teachers, or those who do not see themselves as organizers and liberators, adoptive parents, or therapists, not only aren't "made" in Ed school, they can't be "made," period. Instead, they are "born" and have a completely different mindset about education, the craft and responsibility of the teaching profession, and the role of parents in their children’s lives. Dan Clemens is a Canadian-born international teacher. As an undergraduate in Philosophy, he was a Marxist atheist. He is now in ‘recovery.’ He initially gravitated towards critical theory and The Frankfurt School and did his Masters thesis on Marcuse and Fromm. He went to teach in South Korea for two years then returned home to enter a PhD program but found it to be “woke” that is, focused on (Critique and Social Transformation, Ways of Knowing). He became disillusioned and had a different kind of political awakening. He lost faith in the program and several options. That exploration led him to voluntarily withdraw from the program. He went to Ed school, then back to teach in Asia. He is now in his fourth year teaching in China. Inspiration for this show comes from his two recent articles on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/unchang... https://open.substack.com/pub/unchang... Follow Dan on Twitter @Rieffian and on Substack at Unchanging.substack.com Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Jeremy Tate, founder and CEO of the Classic Learning Test speaks to us about standardized testing — is it still relevant, if so how, and what can parents do to ensure their kids are achieving? We also discuss why he (and I) think Classical Education is the optimal style of education for a self-governing people. Jeremy Tate is the founder and CEO of the Classic Learning Test. Jeremy is also the host of the Anchored Podcast, CLT’s top 2% global podcast that features discussions at the intersection of education and culture. Prior to founding CLT, Jeremy served as Director of College Counseling at Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, Maryland. He received his Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Louisiana State University and a Masters in Religious Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary. Jeremy and his wife, Erin, reside in Annapolis, Maryland with their six children. You can find Jeremy on Twitter @JeremyTate41. Classic Learning Test Website: https://www.cltexam.com/ Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

We’ve been told the low, LOW NAEP test scores out this year were so low because of Covid, and school closures, but is that accurate? Lynne Taylor, an expert on Common Core, and it’s long-term impact on learning outcomes joins me to assess the situation, and to explain how and why the “crisis” we perceive today was set in motion decades ago.Lynne Taylor has been recognized by her peers as an expert in Common Core, Career Tech Education, Career Pathways, workforce and competency based education reform, social emotional learning (child abuse) STEM/STEAM/STREAM from the UN, and federal overreaches into education and our families. Her work has been recognized and honored by Charlotte Iserbyt, legendary education whistleblower. Lynne humbly carries on Charlotte's mission to expose corruption in, not only education, but of our nation. Since 2002, she has been a featured speaker at small meetings and large conferences, and a multi media guest on several outlets, nationwide. Since 2009, she has served as a frequent guest on nationwide radio and multimedia shows based out of a dozen States (so far). Lynne also helped co-establish PIE NC (Preserving Integrity and Excellence in Education for NC) circa 2012. Lynne is a retired private (homeschool) teacher and regionally recognized support group leader, wife and mom. Lynne was also an adviser to the national grassroots campaign "Child Abuse in the Classroom,” where it is the campaign's belief that "Repealing ESSA and Restoring FERPA" are the best ways to help restore our nation's education system.business owner and children's ministry director (2 separate churches), board member for Heart for Homeschoolers Ministry, and leadership team member for US PIE (Parents Involved in Education). She has been awarded the 2011 Distinguished Educator from the National Society of High School Scholars, as well as the 2016 L&B Network's Torchbearer Award for educational advocacy. She has appeared several times before the NC General Assembly in efforts to preserve freedom in education, and has written researched articles for "Prevent Common Core" and the Patriot Institute.Lynne blogs at Common Core Diva and is currently, a weekly guest on The Sons of Liberty Media Show's Wednesday "Rotten to the Core" episodes. Most recently, Lynne has joined forces with another independent thinker, Suzanne Hamner (Hamner It Out on Brighteon) to create the Liberty Belles. "Catching Fire TV", a project of the American Policy Center (Tom DeWeese) has extended an opportunity for Lynne's own show. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

We're told "Equity Math" is what black students need to improve math skills, but is that true? With the recent dismal scores on the NAEP, especially for black students, this question seems more relevant than ever. I asked John Wilson to join me to address it, and to talk about how he thinks the black parents of his students feel about it. His answers will surprise you.John H. Wilson, III became the full-time Education and Enrichment Program (EEP) Director in 2006 at West Angeles Church after earning his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University and enjoying a 20-year career as an aerospace engineer and years of volunteer youth work in his church and community. Under his direction for over two decades, EEP has grown from modest math tutoring sessions to a noteworthy educational program that has provided year-round enrichment opportunities to thousands of youth, mostly non-members, from over 50 middle and high schools across Los Angeles County and serving more than 600 families. From 2004 until now, through his vision and work, over 2,000 youth in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area have attained an affordable college. Over this time, John has developed an expertise for admission, enrollment, financial aid and many other details of the college access process John’s vision to provide the best resources developed into a partnership with Princeton Review for SAT Prep classes; a CSU Summer Algebra Institute for 6th through 9th graders; a Summer Bridge Program to enhance math, science and language skills; and a College Readiness Program to equip students for higher-learning. He also established youth Life Skills Workshops and a Parent Institute to communicate vital information. Finally, John has mentored dozens of students to and through successful careers. His region-wide outreach includes coaching math teachers and consulting with charter school staff to help them build strong math curriculums. John has also served on several community boards at El Camino Community College, received the Vertie Blackwell Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, El Camino Community Service Award in 2007, and the NAACP Man of Valor Award in 2006 and 2010. John has 3 successful grown children and is married and lives in Long Beach. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Join Dr. Ping and me as we discuss his new book, A Spectre is Haunting America (available from the link below), and about how China's centrally-planned, micro-managed economy, complete with social credit scoring system, are increasingly lauded by our own elite as THE model to follow. Dr. Pingnan Shi, Ph.D., aka Dr. Ping, grew up during China’s Cultural Revolution. His father was imprisoned, and his family was kicked out of their apartment during the Big Purge after Mao used the Red Guards to overthrow the government under Liu Shaoqi. He experienced poverty and witnessed mass starvation and public execution. In elementary school, he and his classmates were brainwashed by political officers to criticize their teachers, parents, and classmates. Like hundreds of millions of Chinese people, he was traumatized by the Red Terror. After Mao’s death, China opened its door to the outside world. Dr. Shi went to Canada in 1984 for his graduate studies in Electrical Engineering. He wanted to help China become a democracy. But his dream was crushed when the Chinese government under Deng Xiaoping sent in tanks and soldiers with assault weapons to massacre college students protesting peacefully in Tiananmen Square. It was then he realized the evil of Communism. Dr. Shi immigrated to the US in 1995 and had worked as an engineer for 16 years before becoming a high school math teacher. He taught in a private Christian college preparatory school for seven years and realized the fundamental problems with America’s education. In 2018, he started a nonprofit to develop and advocate alternative education models. In May 2021, he was alarmed by the hiring of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officers in the Indiana State government and several large school districts. It reminded him of the political officers during the Cultural Revolution. He spent a couple of months researching the origin of DEI and found that Marxism has already controlled most of America’s higher education, especially in schools of education. He thought Communism died after the Tiananmen Massacre but was shocked to see that it is very much alive in America’s college campuses. Since then, he has published several articles warning the American people about the evilness and danger of Marxism. He also has a weekly YouTube show where he interviews teachers and parents to expose Communism in K-12 education and explore alternative education models. He is committed to speaking to as many Americans as possible of the imminent danger of Communism. Buy the bookPlease consider supporting my work with a paid subscription! Your support helps me produce as much free content as possible to help people fight back against woke agendas in schools! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

This is longer than my usual podcast, but we wanted to delve into this topic in depth. Professor of Linguistics, Alaric Naudé and I were watching a recording of a lecture at Rowan University in New Jersey during this show, and commenting on what we saw and heard, so my apologies for comments about visuals, you can watch the video here to see what we’re talking about. I tried to read the slides we were looking at so you wouldn’t miss anything in the audio version.The gist of their presentation is that ascribing gender can be an act of aggression if you don’t have the proper authority to do it, and that means you mom and dad! We didn’t get to the part of their lecture where they go into depth on second and third-person gendering, so I recommend listening to the full lecture, but we did our best to explain why all of this is, to put a fine point on it, kinda nuts. That said, don’t be comforted by how “nuts” it seems. Many people take it seriously, including their audience of would-be K12 teachers. You should know what teachers are being taught because whether public or private, schools share the same pipeline. Don’t assume their students reject these notions. In fact, for your children’s sake, assume they don’t. Alaric Naudé has written "everything is language, and language is everything." In this show, he explains why understanding this fact, and understanding how people use language to quite literally alter the way we think, about the world and each other, is more important than ever right now. If you're interested in the subject of ideological indoctrination, of children especially, or wondering how we got to the point where a nominee for the Supreme Court could say, under oath, that she does not know what a "woman" is, this is the show for you. Alaric is a Professor of Linguistics at Suwon Science College in the Republic of Korea. He is an expert scholar, researcher and free thinker in the fields of education, linguistics, social science and business. In 2020, during the global Covid19 pandemic he became Head Professor of the English Department. Due to this unique worldview, his extensive academic research network extends from Korea, Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, USA, Japan, China, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, India, Indonesia to Sudan. At present, his international collaboration includes increasing the quality and educational opportunities in Pakistan. The scope of his publications covers communication, business, linguistics, translation, education and social sciences to name but a few. You can read more of Professor Naudé's writings on his website.Please consider supporting my work with a paid subscription! Your support helps me produce as much free content as possible to help people fight back against woke agendas in schools! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

In this show, Dennis Noel Kavanagh, of the Queens Speech Podcast and Dennis Noel Kavanagh Substack walks us through the Mermaids UK charity scandal, unfolding as we speak. * He also helps us answer the following questions, answers we should take seriously, and treat as lessons we can use to prevent worse horrors being visited on American children:* How did charities like Mermaids get started and gain so much support so fast?* What do we mean when we talk about “grooming” and “misinformation” when it comes to “gender care?”* How do gender/queer theorists and groomers hide their toxic predation from average, everyday people, parents especially, and why is it legal when they do* How is gender theory homophobic?* What do we mean when we call the “trans” craze a “cult?”* Why are we so damn afraid to open our mouths and challenge gender and queer theory (and what IS “queer theory”)?* Why isn’t it enough to get gender theory out of the schools, and how can parents safeguard their children wherever they are?We are truly blessed to have Dennis speaking out on this topic, and I sincerely hope you will listen to this show and share it with at least one other person!Parents especially need to reclaim their role as #1 EXPERT in their child’s life, even when they don’t know what to do themselves. They should hand-pick ALL the other adults who have any access to their children, especially when they are confused and hurting! As Dennis says, if you wouldn’t hire them to babysit your kids while you go out to dinner, you shouldn’t allow them to “treat” your child’s mental illness!Dennis Noel Kavanagh is a former criminal barrister and now legal commentator, he is one of the three directors of the "Gay Men's Network", a not for profit organization fighting modern forms of homophobia. He joins me to discuss the willful manipulation and conversion of vulnerable children by the Mermaids "charity in the UK. We'll discuss what if anything we can take from this scandal in our fight to protect American kids from the same fate. Subscribe to Dennis's Substack at Please consider supporting my work with a paid subscription! Your support helps me produce as much free content as possible to help people fight back against woke agendas in schools! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Last week was “Banned Books Week,” which in itself is predicated on a lie, but it’s just one of many lies told by librarians in the United States.Dan Kleinman and I discuss how the American Library Association trains its members to lie to parents, and the public, even if it means violating state law. We also talk specifically about what a book ban “is” and isn’t, and what really motivates librarians to engage in this subterfuge (hint: it’s not just politics). Dan Kleinman is the owner SafeLibraries® brand library educational services. For over almost a quarter Century he has raised public awareness of crime, sexual harassment in libraries, and inappropriate books and web sites in schools due to American Library Association policy. ⚖️ See SafeLibraries Also follow him on Twitter @SexHarassed or email [email protected] consider supporting my work with a paid subscription! Your support helps me produce as much free content as possible to help people fight back against woke agendas in schools! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: “They’re teaching kids WHAT to think, not HOW to think!”Sounds about right at first, until you look more closely at what’s happening in schools. Kids are being taught HOW to think — like social justice activists—but more importantly, they’re being taught WHAT TO FEEL. Teaching kids to evaluate every situation based on how it makes them feel, and evaluating every person based on how that person feels, or makes them feel, is very dangerous. Most frightening of all, teaching kids which feelings they should have is downright abusive, and a violation of their personal boundaries and individual autonomy. ”Empathy” has been weaponized, and schools are making sure your kids will be “carrying” when they come home to your values.Paul and I explain why this is a problem, and what you can do about it!Paul Rossi is a high school mathematics teacher, tutor, writer, and musician. He has been tutoring since 2007 and taught math at Grace Church School from 2012 to 2021. His essay "I Refuse to Stand by While My Students are Indoctrinated" [link] was published in April 2021. He's done a bevy of podcasts with hosts such as as Jordan Peterson and Megyn Kelly. He graduated with a B.A. in French Literature from Cornell in 1992, and got an M.A. in Educational Psychology at Hunter College in 2010. He's currently writing a Guide to free expression for K-12 students. Follow Paul on Twitter here: @pauldrossiPlease consider supporting my work with a paid subscription! Your support helps me produce as much free content as possible to help people fight back against woke agendas in schools! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

When is a school really “open?” Is it when kids aren’t forced to do virtual school, or is it when they don’t need to show proof of vaccination to enter the building, or participate in before/after-school activities?What if you’re a teacher, who can’t go to work (or keep your job) because you aren’t vaccinated, and refuse to get vaccinated? These are some of the questions we tackle in this show.Stephanie Edmonds has been a tireless fighter for medical freedom for students, and to restore childhood and parental rights and autonomy. She's a creator at Chalkboard Review, a mom, and a former teacher. You can follow Stephanie @teachingliberty on Instagram and @TeachingLiberty1 on Twitter.Please consider supporting my work with a paid subscription! Your support helps me produce as much free content as possible to help people fight back against woke agendas in schools! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

In this show, Alvin Lui and I go over how woke ideas get into school, and why they’re so hard to combat, or get out. We also unveil Courage is a Habit’s latest explainer about the different kinds of abusers in and around your child’s school, and how you should deal with them!Listen and learn about the Activist, the Liar, the Troll, and the Spineless, how they behave, and how (or if) you should engage with them.Alvin Lui, President of Courage Is A Habit, is a political refugee from California. He moved his family to the mid-west only to find the same ideologies that ruined his old home are now spreading across the country. Courage Is A Habit is an organization that creates tools and strategies for the average parent, school board candidate, and legislator to take action in defending children from indoctrination in K-12. Follow Alvin @CourageHabit on Twitter, and visit https://courageisahabit.org for everything you need to subvert the woke agenda in your school!Please consider supporting my work with a paid subscription! Your support helps me produce as much free content as possible to help people fight back against woke agendas in schools! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

If you think supporting School Choice is a no-brainer, you need to hear from Nicki. Before you leap to embrace this supposed salvation from the public schools you think you're "stuck" with, take the time to fully understand what the government's definition of "choice" is, and how that affects you, and the future of education in America. Nicki is a second-generation homeschooler, author of the book Anyone Can Homeschool, homeschool blogger for 13 years, and a 22-year veteran homeschooling mom. She also speaks at homeschool conferences and publishes a series of American history books from primary sources. Website: http://Nickitruesdell.comBookstore: http://knowledgekeepersbookstore.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/nickitruesdellof... Instagram: http://Instagram.com/Nickitruesdell Twitter: @nickitruesdell1I do try to make as much of my content free as I can, for the benefit of parents who need it, however it is paid subscribers who make this work possible, and to whom I am profoundly grateful. Please consider becoming one today! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Mercedes Grant is a former public educator that founded Path of Life Learning, a microschool in Yorktown, VA. She is a military spouse who has worked in the public school system in four states, and decided to break away to offer an exciting and exceptional learning experience for her daughter and her students. She can be reached at [email protected], and you can follow her journey on Facebook @facebook.com/pathoflifelearning. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Ray Raymond has a teaching career spanning 29 years in both public and private schools from the kindergarten to the university level. He is still employed in the California public schools system. He's also spent 10 years as Master Teacher (teaching education students who are finishing their degrees by having them internship in his classroom). He has numerous teaching and tech awards, served on numerous curriculum adoption committees, and is a Math and Science Coach Credentials: Bachelor's in Child Psychology Master's in Educational Philosophy He is currently writing his dissertation.Thanks for listening, sharing, and subscribing! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Frank McCormick was back at The Reason We Learn today to catch us up about what he’s been doing since he took a stand last year in his district of Waukegan, Illinois. A former History and Civics teacher, Frank tried to fight critical theories from inside his school quietly, inside his classroom, but outside the school, he built a platform at Chalkboard Heresy, and told the truth about what was going on behind the schoolhouse doors. For that truth-telling, he paid dearly. After being harassed, bullied, defamed, and then ignored by his union, Frank recently decided to take a job offer elsewhere, and left. In this broadcast, he explains what why, how he sees the landscape of public education in America now, and what parents can and should do to protect their own kids.Thanks for listening, sharing, and subscribing! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Shelly is a Homeschooling mom and YouTuber whose channel, There’s No Place Like Home, helps new and experienced homeschooling parents alike learn and grow as they customize their children’s educations. In this show, she joins me to talk about the following:* What homeschooling is and isn’t, debunking a couple of myths along the way.* What new homeschoolers need to do, and not do, to maximize their success.* Why homeschoolers should be wary of School Choice initiatives.Whether you’re thinking about homeschooling, or already doing it, you’ll get something out of this show!Thanks for listening! Be sure to follow Shelly on her channel, and on Twitter @redheadmom8.Your paid subscription makes this work possible! Thank you for subscribing. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Josh Daws is the host of the Great Awakening podcast (available wherever podcasts are), where he talks about how woke ideas are infiltrating churches, and Christianity in general, and what to do about it.We talked about this topic, his story, and how he and his wife decided to homeschool their kids, and how that's going. I asked him what common ground he thought there was between secular homeschool families and Christian, and together we came up with some ideas for joining forces to homeschool our kids and provide exit ramps from schools!Check it out!Follow Josh @JoshDaws on Twitter, and check out his podcast, The Great Awakening wherever podcasts are available, and his YouTube at Josh Daws.Your paid subscription makes producing this content possible! Thank you for your support! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Barrington Martin, II was born and raised in the great city of Atlanta, GA. After qualifying for a the 2020 Congressional primary in Georgia’s 5th District, he’s become a formidable political thought leader in the nation with writing credits in Newsweek, Fox News, Breitbart, ScoonTv, and appearances on various international news media sources including RT News and Sky Australia. He is the host of ‘The Barrington Report” on ATL Talks radio, on iHeart radio. During this conversation, we discussed the influences that made Barrington into the successful, confident man he is today, the most important of which was his family. We talked about racial “achievement gaps,” disaggregation of data by race, and what he thinks of that, and I asked him what’s missing from education today. Finally, we discussed how well (or poorly) government solves problems in education.This was a great conversation, full of something all too rare today: common sense and honesty. Enjoy, and please share!Contact Barrington: @_Barringtonii -Twitter @bdmii_ -InstagramThank you for supporting my work! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

“Tranpa” Buck Angel stopped by The Reason We Learn today, and we had a great conversation!Here are the questions I asked, and he answered, with grace and humor, passion, and wisdom:Who is Buck Angel, and what would you like us to know about you?* What can you tell us about feeling like the opposite sex, if you can describe it to us, what is that like?* What do you think of “wrong-body” theory?* What do you think there was about living as a man you wanted in your life?* What do you think of that change from “gender dysphoria” to “gender identity?”* Do you have any theories about why so many kids today think they are trans?* What do you think is the real distribution of people whose gender dysphoria is organic?* In school, feeling as you did, do you think it would have been appropriate for your teachers to affirm you, or counselors to socially transition you, or help you medically transition?* Do you think your struggle was, in any way helpful to you?Let’s talk about the “affirmation” model of care…* Do you think the adults working in and around kids right now adequately understand what they’re teaching kids?* Proponents of affirmation claim they are helping the kids be “safer” in the world, that they’re saving lives (from suicide) and preventing hate. Do you agree with these claims?What’s your advice?* What would you like to say to these teachers, counselors, and therapists, most of whom probably think they’re doing good, and are well-meaning?* What’s the best argument in your opinion for waiting until adulthood?* What would you say to the kids, especially teenagers, who would probably say they feel exactly the way you did about their bodies, about feeling like they’re in the wrong body, etc? * What about well-meaning parents? What would you tell parents today who are struggling to love and support their children, but who don’t want them making permanent decisions about their bodies until they’re physically and emotionally more mature?Many thanks to Buck for coming on the show, and for the audience for participating! Please share this show with parents, teachers, counselors, and anyone else you think would benefit from hearing it!Please follow Buck on Twitter @BuckAngel, and check out his website too.Buck stuck around with me on Patreon for 30 minutes of “bonus” material for Patrons only, including questions about his background in the porn industry, and his reaction to those who blame porn for a host of different societal problems, including problems our kids are having.Thanks for checking it out and supporting me! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Most parents don’t receive any formal education in child development, and the educators pushing toxic ideologies in American schools are benefitting from their ignorance. As someone committed to helping parents protect their children, I asked Professor Alaric Naudé to help me explain exactly how children’s brains develop, and how they actually learn, so parents can better understand why the threat posed by critical social justice, and gender ideology is so great. In this broadcast, Alaric we discuss child development stages, what is and is not appropriate in terms of material at each stage, why respecting childhood innocence matters, and how normalizing language and behaviors that assault this innocence is evil. Our kids are in very real danger, cognitively, as well as emotionally, and ultimately, in many cases, physically. It is up to us to learn all we can about what they need so we can properly protect them from adults who do not have their best interests at heart.To that end, I hope you will listen to this show, and share it with other parents as well!You can follow Alaric on Twitter @AlaricNaude or on his website. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Fellow Gen-Xer David Krae joined me for a conversation about the current cultural trends known collectively as "Woke" culture, looking at them (and "interrogating" them, as the kids today say) through the lens of our Gen-X childhoods. We covered TV, movies, education, parenting, working in corporate America, Hollywood, and the government, and so much more! If you’re Gen-X, or a fan of Gen-X culture, and just want to be a fly on the wall of a relatable conversation, check it out!David Krae is a film director, actor, producer and author. After years working on both sides of the camera as an actor and crew member on various film and television projects, in 2006 he directed the independent feature film The House, which was featured as an Official Selection of the Canadian Filmmakers' Festival. Find him via his website, and on Twitter @DavidKraeFind his historical fiction on Amazon. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

This show is essential listening/viewing if you want to better understand why Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is so popular amongst progressive/woke educators today (and ed-tech firms, and the Federal Department of Education). This show began as a collaboration between ScioSophia, Lisa Logan and I, and rapidly turned into a panel discussion featuring James Lindsay of New Discourses, and Paul Rossi of Legal Insurrection when the two joined us not long after we started!The “paper” we reference throughout the broadcast, which you can read for yourself because it’s publicly available, is titled Psychodata: disassembling the psychological, economic, and statistical infrastructure of ‘social-emotional learning’.One thing we all agreed on: this is the creepiest paper we’ve ever read about education. Whether you’re a parent or not, you need to understand where the few want to take the many in the future, and how they’re using children to take us there. Even we would wonder where our tinfoil hats were if we hadn’t verified the information presented in this paper ourselves. It’s legit, and the people writing and promoting these ideas, think we are the “problematic” ones for opposing them. Have a listen, and decide for yourselves. I welcome all comments to this one, it’s that important. Thanks as always for your support! When you become a paid subscriber, you help make this work possible.Follow me on twitter @deb_fillman Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Love is powerful stuff. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Ada Akpala was one of my first guests ever on The Reason We Learn, but it’s been a while since we’ve talked. We try to get together as often as we can just to talk about current events, historical events, and culture to compare notes. She shares what she’s seeing and hearing in the UK, and I share my American perspective. Our conversations are always spontaneous, honest, and fun!In this episode, we discuss:* The Queen’s Jubilee, and perceptions of the monarchy in the UK.* Identity markers, and how they don’t work.* Gender Ideology.* Perspectives on Gun Control, hers, mine, and our respective cultures.* Character education, and who’s responsible for it.Ada is the host of her own YouTube channel, Different Voice Initiative where she provides alternative perspectives to historical events and current events, and challenges false narratives and mainstream beliefs in relation to the two. She’s also active on Instagram and Twitter, @Ada_Akpala. I hope you’ll follow and subscribe to her there too!Enjoy, and as always, thank you for your support! It makes this work possible. Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Today, I sat down with Dennis Noel Kavanagh to discuss an issue that keeps me up nights: the gender ideology dominating the places where our children — as young as 3 — go for daycare, school, socializing, and interaction online. I asked Dennis to talk with us today because of his experience and background fighting against this ideology, and for gay rights, in the UK. If you’re unfamiliar with Dennis, he is former criminal barrister and now legal commentator, he is one of the three directors of the "Gay Men's Network", a not for profit organization fighting modern forms of homophobia. You can read his writing, and learn more about him on his Substack.If you’ve been thinking something is seriously wrong with the affirmation-model of care pushed by the mainstream, including the Biden Administration, the medical and psychiatric community, and even the Department of Education, you need to hear from Dennis.He covered things you won’t be hearing much about elsewhere:* the ahistorical nature, top-down nature of the “Trans” movement* the cult-like/pseudo-religious nature of the ideology * the EX-clusion (excommunication) of de-transitioners* the impact of “tolerating” trans ideology on gay children and adults* how the U.S. has gone farther down the rabbit hole than the UK, and Dennis’ theory of why that is* how the LGB individuals are targeted, abused, and punished for speaking out* what we can, and must do ASAP to protect our kids, and our families from this dangerous ideologyThank you for listening, and sharing this broadcast. Please also consider becoming a paid supporter of this Substack. I’m fully independent, and your support makes it possible for me to bring you content like this! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Posting this out of order because it’s that good, and I wanted to get it out ASAP. Many thanks to Freddie deBoer for joining me today, and sharing his common sense, straightforward wisdom with me and my audience!This episode was inspired by his April 27th Substack, Nobody Walks Around Feeling Valid, which I loved, and you should read if you haven’t already. There is so much in there to think about, but was what made me realize I wanted to do a show for my audience of mostly parents of school and college-aged kids:“The first and most obvious point is that nobody knows what it means to be “valid.” It’s entirely unclear to me what the boundaries are for this notion of validity, which is not true for more durable concepts like happiness. To be “valid” means whatever people find convenient at the time, making the condition a moving target. And if we recognize “happiness” as the simplest expression of the emotional state humans desire, there’s an essential way in which being happy is very different from being valid: happiness can come from within, at least theoretically, but being valid always implies some sort of exterior criteria.” [Emphasis mine]Now consider the self-esteem movement pushed into schools, and then the anti-bullying campaigns, and finally, Social Emotional Learning programs, or SEL…What are we teaching our kids, and more to the point, WHY?! Does it make any sense at all, or are we not only in denial about our true nature as humans, but hurting them by forcing them to externalize their self-worth, while at the same time making them feel even worse if they aren’t walking around loving everything about themselves all day?I’m a firm believer in making sure we don’t do anything in our teaching and rearing of kids that isn’t based on evidence that it works, and by “works,” I mean “benefits them.” We should always be gut-checking to make sure we aren’t projecting our wishes, hopes, dreams, fears, and insecurities onto them, never mind using the equivalent of junk-science woo-woo, with a chaser of snake-oil, because it makes us look or feel good to “do something.” Very often, it’s the “doing” of “something” that causes the problems we later want to “do something” more about…Maybe we should step back, take a good long look at reality, and embrace that, even if it’s a little uncomfortable? Just a suggestion.Enjoy the show! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Mark Ousley, aka "Unwokable” and I sat down to talk about the politics of fighting woke ideas, and warned us not to make blanket assumptions based on political party affiliation. We also talked about how more conservative states may be accidentally promoting very bad ideas because of what he calls the “innately corrupt” system of education we have now.Using his home state of Oklahoma to illustrate his point, he explained the way lawmakers and other public officials don’t know what they don’t know, and are resistant to changing course even once they find out how things really work. Objective data be-damned, preserving political power is job-one, and the price of taking a bold stand will be too high for them.At the same time, Mark is careful not to impugn intentions. These otherwise “conservative” politicians are not actively trying to promote the woke ideas, but they are loath to go after the administrative state, which includes DEI Directors and their departments. Conservatives tend to go after teachers, rather than these administrators, but even like-minded, conservative teachers are at their mercy.Mark’s beef? Politicians appoint the people who appoint these people, and yet refuse to hold them accountable for political reasons. So nothing stands in the way of the funding for these unelected bureaucrats who are responsible for implementing the umbrella policy for all woke curricula: DEI.This is the second show Mark and I have done together, and I’m grateful to Mark for joining me because he has deep knowledge of both sides of this subject. I encourage you to watch our other show, and to subscribe to his YouTube and Substack, and follow him on Twitter @AcsAgainstCRT0:00 Introductions5:00 The innately corrupt system16:00 Why DEI is the real problem27:00 “Enforcement” is really what the “E” stands for43:41 A solution in search of a problem55:00 Destroying the truth1:08:00 The rise of the administrative state1:22:00 The Republicans have a huge hand in this problem1:36:00 People have forgotten what “conservatism” really is1:52:51 The system has its own immune system1:59:00 We have to hold our own accountable, and the devil is in the detailsInterested in learning more about alternatives to institutional K12 education, and want to get more direct interaction with other people who are?Join The Reason We Learn Locals Community!Try Subscriber features for one month FREE using code SUBSTACK Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I sit down with Rhyen Staley, a former teacher and coach, turned researcher with Parents Defending Ed. to discuss his findings about ethnic studies, or more specifically “Liberated Ethnic Studies,” which is not your mom or dad’s “Multicultural” education at all.Sadly, it, like so many allegedly “must-have,” DEI-focused curricula, is just another way for activists to infuse the K12 curriculum with Marxist ideology.Rhyen explains how the concept of “Radical Love,” from Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, takes the word “love” itself, and turns it upside down, and inside out. With this concept, Freire takes the traditional Marxist dogma that self-sacrifice is an obligation, and connects it to liberation. Therefore, it is impossible to “love” unless you are fighting for the liberation of “marginalized people.” The problem is, his definition of “liberation,” as Rhyan explains, simply means “free from all traditional norms and societal expectations,” especially those we value (even treasure) from the Western Enlightenment.Rhyen has written about this himself on his Substack in his article entitled The NEA, Ethnic Studies, and Socialism, and I highly recommend reading his full report too as a companion to this show.My goal is to help Rhyen, and others like him, disseminate this information to people who may still be stuck on CRT (or what James Lindsay more accurately calls ‘Race Marxism’), because ultimately we have to realize how intentional the effort is to subvert, and rewrite our cultural mores and values, for the purpose of (quite literally), rewriting (or eliminating altogether) our Constitutional principles. You can follow Rhyen on Twitter @DunedainRanger9Here on Substack at The ReconnaissanceAlso check out past interviews with Rhyen on The Reason We Learn about What Your Kids are Not Learning in School, and The Lessons We Teach When We Don’t Discipline in Schools.2:21 Acknowledging the contributions of the Jewish Community.4:22 In there own words: what is “Liberated Ethnic Studies?”6:58 Translating the vocabulary of Marxist Educators.10:40 Paulo Freire’s “Radical Love.”17:11 Why the word “Groomer” is accurate.22:00 Challenging “hegemony,” and redefining “normalcy.”32:45 Ascent of the “Freirians.”46:00 Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Freire and Fromm.58:00 How reality gets labeled “conspiracy.”1:20:00 “Submit, or else…” The religious overtones of Liberation Ethnic Studies.1:35:25 Real world application: analyzing “The Slap” through a Freirian lens.Interested in learning more about alternatives to institutional K12 education, and want to get more direct interaction with other people who are? Join The Reason We Learn Locals Community!Try Subscriber features for one month FREE using code SUBSTACK Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Last week I was a fortunate enough to interview Dr. Ping, a child of Mao’s Cultural Revolution who managed to educate himself (he was always naturally good at math, he explains), and go onto college and graduate school.In 1995, he moved to Indianapolis to work as a senior engineer, and later became a US citizen. In 2011, after retiring from engineering, he became a math teacher, and began to notice similarities in the American Schools to those he experienced during the cultural revolution. Not seeing reform of the existing system as a solution, in 2018 he started a non-profit organization, Poema Institute, to research and promote alternative education models. During this conversation, we talk about what those eery similarities are, why they’re harmful to our kids right now, and how dangerous they are for the future of the country, and Western civilization as we know it. More optimistically, we talked about what we can do right now to improve education for our kids, while protecting them from the damage of the Marxist/Maoist ideas dominating K-12 in America right now.Dr. Ping deserves our full attention. Who better to raise the alarm, and help us understand why it’s essential to use our freedoms while we can, lest we lost them? I’m grateful he took the time to do this interview, and hope not only to have him back again soon, but to work with him on building alternatives in the near future!Read Dr. Ping's Book, Our Children Are Not Prepared https://www.amazon.com/Our-Children-A... Read his article Education 4.0: Transforming Students to Masters Instead of Slaves https://www.patreon.com/posts/19306338 You can find Dr. Ping on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/TakingBackEducation7:19 The Four Olds20:29 Marxism is a religion22:20 What’s wrong with math right now?30:09 Dumbing us down42:57 We don’t teach reason49:04 Building a “new” world requires destruction1:16:21 “Education 4.0: The Lost Tools for Learning, and the Microschool Initiative Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Robert Pondiscio is someone I’ve followed, and admired, for years. The author of How the Other Half Learns, he has been a consistent voice of reason in the public school reform, and education press for going on twenty years. His commitment to understanding, and advocating, for what works, especially where literacy is concerned, is what I admire most about him, and we talked a lot about his views on literacy in this interview.An on-again, off-again Elementary school teacher himself, he talked about his time in the classroom, how he got there (it wasn’t his intention originally to become a teacher), and what he’s passionate about as he approaches his milestone anniversary of working in the field of education. I will confess, I approached this interview with some trepidation; as many of you know, I am a government compulsory school abolitionist. That means I have almost no hope we can reform the current system. Robert not only has more hope than I do, he is a supporter of public schooling, and believes it not only will always exist, but that it must. I wasn’t sure how our conversation would go when we came to that topic, but I’m pleased to say, as you will hear, Robert opened my eyes to my own blindspots where this subject is concerned, and I’m grateful.One thing you can count on from me is a commitment to empiricism; I am very opinionated, and not shy about sharing those opinions, but I’m also open to new information, and have no trouble admitting when that new information reveals I was either wrong about, or misunderstanding a topic or situation. It’s a matter of personal pride and integrity to admit that Robert made me realize while reform will be extraordinarily difficult, and may well (as I predict) involve decentralizing the system, and decoupling it from federal purview, abolishing it completely is probably as much of a utopian fantasy as the goals of the “woke” educators he and I challenged in this conversation.Robert and I are both big E.D. Hirsch fans, and for those of you who are unfamiliar with Hirsch, let me commend to your reading (as a companion to this video and podcast), his book How to Educate a Citizen: the Power of Shared Knowledge to Unify a Nation. My Locals community and I read this book for our bookclub, and had a great discussion about the importance of knowledge-based, or content-based curriculum, and how the current (for the past 30 years and counting actually) trend of relying on student-led and inquiry approaches, has contributed significantly to the poor outcomes we are seeing.Another thing Robert and I discussed at length is the problems we have in our schools with the teaching of reading, especially reading comprehension. His thoughts on that alone will likely alarm, and motivate most parents to become more vocal, and involved in their child’s education. We agreed, if schools did nothing else but effectively taught kids to read proficiently, with comprehension, we’d already have improved education in America 100%.It wasn’t all serious; there were lots of funny moments in this discussion too, like when Robert and I discussed our mutual revulsion for “uptalk” and “vocal fry!”Finally, Robert shared his thoughts on teacher education, what he thinks is wrong with it, and why he worries about the future of public education because of the direction it’s taking. I so enjoyed this conversation, and we hope to have follow-up about early childhood education sometime soon as well!Follow Robert @rpondiscio 0:04 Welcome, introductions.9:09 What’s going on with reading?14:37 “Reading is not a skill…we are unaware of the verbal water we are swimming in.”16:01 The importance of knowing stuff: “Hirsch was right.”19:47 This is how language works23:14 “Do you want to change the world for children, or do you want to prepare children for the world?”29:43 “We have a moral obligation to get kids invested in something; if they’re not feeling bought in, excited and engaged in the world, then we’ve failed.”45:42 Teachers: “It’s not about you!” We need a teacher code of ethics.51:02 The culture of education.57:43 A crisis of trust.1:07:52 “Choice is a meaningless construct when you live in rural America.”1:19:35 “In my perfect world…”1:24:47 “You go to school with the teachers you have, not the teachers you wish you had…You have to make this job doable with the men and women you have.”1:30:26 “We will know that we are serious about education when most of our energy goes to early childhood education….It’s easier to keep up than catch up.”Join The Reason We Learn Locals Community for homeschool-specific resources, access to LIVE Zoom calls each week, and two private live shows per week created for subs, based on your questions and requests! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe

Last week, I sat down with Keri Smith, a self-described “former SJW,” writer, the host of Deprogrammed with Keri Smith, and the founder of Civility Dinners. We talked about how she grew up in South Carolina, attended an excellent specialized school for math and science, and attended Southern Baptist church, but despite her traditional upbringing, like so many young adults today, she went “woke” in college.In this conversation, she explains how it happened rather gradually. She was exposed to ideas in her women’s studies classes that seemed aimed at helping people, and making progress for human beings, but she was never presented with alternative ideas about how to go about achieving these goals. Everything was one-sided, but she wasn’t really aware of it until after long after she’d graduated, and built her life and identity around being the kind of person who subscribes to the ideas she learned in college without questioning them. Keri and I decided to have this conversation on behalf of parents who may be wondering their kids can be indoctrinated into ideas that aren’t good for them, or don’t make sense (yes it can), how it can happen (could seem to be overnight, or it could happen gradually across years), and what if anything they can do to prevent it from happening, or maintain their relationships with their children if it happens anyway, despite their best efforts.We also wanted to have an open, frank discussion about the grieving process and loss that comes with deprogramming, so everyone can understand it’s not only a long process, much like leaving a cult, it’s a process that takes courage, because it generally includes the loss of friendships, a sense of purpose and belonging, and even sometimes of jobs or careers. Keri is one of the most open, caring, and insightful people I have had the pleasure of speaking with, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and that you will find hope in her story. Whether you’re dealing with a “Social Justice Warrior” in your own family, or if you are someone who’s trying to break away from the “Woke” culture, but afraid of the unknown, or of rejection on the other side, Keri has wisdom to offer!Many thanks to Keri Smith for her generosity in taking the time to talk with me, and for her courage in speaking out about these issues when she’s already gone through so much!Please also subscribe to Keri’s podcast, Deprogrammed on YouTube and Spotify.Deprogrammed started as a series of interviews intended to better understand and make sense of her old belief system, Social Justice ideology. Deprogrammed and Civility Dinners are also committed to fostering conversation, creating a culture that respects freedom of speech, and making space for both reason and faith. Follow Keri @RealKeriSmith on Twitter0:48 Welcome, introductions3:20 Falling into “woke” culture6:47 Confronting “white privilege” for the first time19:08 Outsourcing “identity”35:01 Outsourcing judgment and virtue44:42 The gnostic faith-based cult of “woke”58:00 The High Priests and Priestesses of the “woke” church1:03:59 Why deprogramming is so hard1:39:01 What the deprogrammed lose, and what they gainJoin The Reason We Learn Locals Community! Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/debf/support Get full access to The Reason We Learn at thereasonwelearn.substack.com/subscribe