The Teachers Caucus Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Teachers Caucus
Join Rodney Robinson and Shawn Sheehan as they amplify educator voices and strengthen teacher advocacy by providing diverse perspectives and discussion on the latest in education policy, politics, and current issues that impact the profession. Learn more about the hosts and The Teachers Caucus at www.teacherscaucus.com.
In Part 2 of this conversation, John Arthur joins conservative teacher and Utah State School Board Member Cole Kelley to discuss SEL and DEI, educational equity vs. equality of opportunity, systemic racism, federal authority vs. state autonomy, and even a little Common Core.
Host John Arthur, who ran for office as a Democrat in 2024, sits down with Republican Utah State School Board Member Cole Kelley for a conversation across the aisle about controversial topics in education, including political agendas in the classroom, indoctrination, LGBTQ+ identities, and the roles of teachers vs. parents in our kids' education.
John welcomes Moe Hickey, Executive Director of the nonprofit Voices for Utah Children, to discuss the impacts new federal policies like H.R.1 are having on our students, the Trump administration rescinding guidance on English Learners’ rights, and low scores on the Nation’s Report Card.
John discusses immigration policies and their impacts on our students and schools with fellow 2021 Teachers of the Year Juliana Urtubey and Gerardo Muñoz. They also look back at the summer's federal education funding freeze and their visions for the future of public education.
Host John Arthur speaks with Abbey Clements, a survivor of the Sandy Hook tragedy and Co-Founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence. They discuss current school safety legislation and the role of teachers in advocating for change. John and Abbey also look at the recent bill passed in New York instituting a bell-to-bell cell phone ban in New York's public schools.
Public education is under serious pressure. The Supreme Court's Mahmoud v. Taylor decision allowing parents to opt students out of instruction featuring LGBTQ-related themes or materials, $6.8 billion in federal funds being withheld by the US Department of Education, and attacks on higher education all signal a new chapter for education in the United States. John Arthur breaks it all down this week with special guest Rebekah Cummings, librarian extraordinaire and 2024 candidate for Utah's Lieutenant Governor.
The Teachers Caucus is back! This time, 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year and Finalist for National Teacher of the Year, John Arthur, takes the lead as the show's new host. Guests and former Teachers Caucus Podcast hosts, Rodney Robinson and Shawn Sheehan, join John to discuss the latest in education and their predictions for what's in store for educators. *This episode was originally recorded in December 2024.
All good things must come to an end. Now, this isn't the end for sure, but it's definitely a break. Life just gets so busy! Shawn, Rodney, and show producer Joel hop on one more time to officially close things out and reflect on their favorite moments on the mic.
Shawn discusses the Educational Leadership Policy doctoral program at Texas Tech University with cohort colleagues Carissa Duran and Chris McGilvery.
Follow CarissaTwitter - @seejodee
Follow ChrisTwitter - @camcgilvery
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
Lauren Corboy with The Teacher Salary Project joins the Teachers Caucus to talk about their Midterm Election Guide, the work that went into it, and how current educators can use it before heading to the polls in November.
Check out the Teacher Salary Project's 2022 Midterm Election Guide.
Follow LaurenTwitter - @corboy303
The Teacher Salary ProjectTwitter - @teachersalary
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
Follow ChrisTwitter - @chrisdier
TikTok - @chrisdier
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
2022 Texas Teacher of the Year, Ramon Benavides, and 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year, Autumn Rivera, discuss school safety and some of the good stuff that awaits students and teachers as they head back to school.
Follow RamonTwitter - R_Benavides2
Follow AutumnTwitter - msrivera114
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
Kareem Neal, 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year and Arizona’s first-ever National Teacher Hall of Fame Inductee, shared his journey as a special education teacher and the latest in AZ education.
Follow Kareem NealTwitter -@kareem_nealFacebook - Kareem Neal
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
The Teachers Caucus explores the #TeachingTruth campaign led by the Education Civil Rights Alliance. Natasha Wilkins from ECRA and 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, Takeru "TK" Nagayoshi, walk us through the framework of "teaching truth" from educator and legal perspectives.
Follow The #TeachingTruth MovementTwitter -@Ed_CivilRightsFacebook - @edrights
Instagram - @ncylnews
LinkedIn - National Center for Youth Law
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
2020 Oregon Teacher of the Year, Mercedes Munoz, walks us through her journey to Teacher of the Year, her decision to change school systems, and her move to a public charter school.
Holla School website
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
Jena Nelson, 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, joins the Teachers Caucus to discuss why she's running for State Superintendent of Oklahoma. She shares her priorities for public education and answers a few tough questions about running as a Democrat in an overwhelmingly Republican state.
Follow Jena Nelson
www.nelsonforoklahoma.com
Twitter - @Jena4OK
Facebook - @Jena4OK
Instagram - @Jena4OK
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
We level up big time in this episode with our first-ever podcast collaboration with the Too Dope Teachers and a Mic Podcast. Hosts Gerardo Munoz and Kevin Adams join the Teachers Caucus to discuss education politics in Colorado, then we share teacher stories about "Times We Got It Wrong".
Follow Too Dope Teachers and a MicPodcast - Spotify or Apple
Twitter - @toodopeteachers
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
Rodney, Shawn, and special guest/Teachers Caucus Podcast Producer, Joel Deardorf, share some of their teacher stories that made them say, “Wow.”
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
We double up on the Virginia love and our guest, Anthony Swann, 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year, walks us through his journey to being the first currently-practicing teacher to be appointed to on Virginia's Board of Education. Then we learn about the fallout from political backlash that resulted in his removal from the Board.
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05) and 2021 National Teacher of the Year, Juliana Urtubey, discuss teacher recruitment and retention issues at The Teachers Caucus' first-ever live recording at SXSW Edu in Austin, Texas.
Follow Jahana HayesTwitter - @RepJahanaHayes
Follow Juliana UrtubeyTwitter -@JulianaUrtubey3
Follow Teacher Cauascuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen to our show.
2019 Oklahoma School Counselor of the Year and American School Counselor Association Board Member, Sarah Kirk, discusses school counselor needs in 2022.
Follow Sarah KirkTwitter - @Counselor_Kirk
Loving Kindness Meditation resources Sarah referenced in the episode.
- Kids script
- Kids video
- Adults video
- Adults handout
Follow Teacher Cauascuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
Tate Aldrich and Jeffery Burton of Arkansans Against School Paddling discuss the use of corporal punishment in the state and their call to end the practice. Arkansans Against School Paddling is a chapter of the U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children. Learn more about their work at BanPaddlingAR.com.
@BanPaddlingAR
BreakTheCycle, #BanSchoolPaddling
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
2020 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, Chanda Jefferson, gives us local and federal perspectives on the need for more mental health resources for students and educators in 2022.
Follow Chanda JeffersonNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
Ellen Sherratt, Board Chair for The Teacher Salary Project, introduces the organization's work and call to action to raise teacher salaries everywhere.
Follow Teacher Salary Project
www.teachersalaryproject.org
Twitter - @teachersalary
Follow Ellen SherrattTwitter - @ellensheratt
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
Kelisa Wing, 2017 Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Teacher of the Year & Chief of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, discusses her experiences working in the DoDEA system and being an author.
Follow Kelisa
https://kelisawing.com
Facebook - @kelisawingauthor
Twitter - @kelisa_l2teach
Instagram - @kelisa_javon
Youtube - Kelisa Wing
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
Shawn & Rodney reflect on their teaching and advocacy experiences that helped establish the foundation and purpose of The Teachers Caucus.
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
2019 North Carolina Teacher of the Year, Freebird McKinney, gives us the latest on education policy in his state and the Teachers Caucus discusses policy needs in 2022.
Follow Freebird
Twitter - @FreebirdsShire
North Carolina Public Schools - @ncpublicschools
EducatorDiplomats
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
Rick Joseph, 2016 Michigan Teacher of the Year, discusses the latest in Michigan education and addresses school safety policy needs.
Follow Rick
www.rickjoseph.com
Twitter - @rjoseph852
Follow Teacher Caucuswww.teachercaucus.com
Twitter - @TeachersCaucus
Facebook - @theteacherscaucus
Follow Shawn & Rodney on TwitterShawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan
Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Follow & Review on Spotify
Takeru Nagayoshi, 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, shares his thoughts on loan forgiveness for educators, addressing complacency in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) policy, and supporting LGBTQ+ students and educators.
Follow Takeru
Twitter: @tk_nagayoshi
www.teacherscaucus.com
Teach Plus Policy Fellow Alums Keisha Rembert and Kristen Rhodes Beland introduce Teach Plus and dive into "The Phoenix Project Report: Building an Equitable Educational System Beyond the Pandemic".
Links
The Phoenix Project
Teach Plus
Follow on Twitter
Keisha Rembert - @klrembert
Kristen Rhodes Beland - @RhodesBeland
Teach Plus - @teachplus
2019 Maryland Teacher of the Year, Dr. Richard Warren Jr., gives us the latest on ed policy in MD and dives into the need for partnerships between school districts and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Learn more about the Blueprint for Maryland's Future
www.teacherscaucus.com
Emmy Award Winner & 2018 Ohio Teacher of the Year, Jonathan Juravich, dives into arts education policy needs and self-regulation strategies.
Follow Jonathan!Twitter - @JJuravich
Drawing With Mr. J
www.teacherscaucus.com
Eric Hale, 2021 Texas Teacher of the Year, and the state's first Black man to earn the title, gives us an update on his week in Washington D.C. and ways to address teacher recruitment and retention issues.
Follow Eric Hale
Twitter @Erichale1979
www.teacherscaucus.com
2016 New Mexico Teacher of the Year, David Morales, gives us the latest on education in his state, supporting English language learners, and discusses his class ENLACE (Engaging Latino Communities for Education).
Gregory Boyle - Homeboy Industries
www.teacherscaucus.com
Education was on the ballot in 2021 and candidates ran - and won - campaigning against CRT in schools, masks, and more. Shawn & Rodney recap the election results in VA, TX, and elsewhere.
2016 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, Tim Royers, gives us the latest on education in his state and discusses anti-Critical Race Theory bills, gender identities in health standards, and staffing issues.
Follow Tim RoyersTwitter @MW_Royers
medium.com/@tdroyers
www.teacherscaucus.com
2019 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, Sydney Jensen, discusses the policy needs to support educator health and wellness.
Follow Sydney Jenson
Twitter: @sydneycjensen
Website: www.sydney-jensen.com
Check out Sydney's TED Talk referenced in this episode.
www.teacherscaucus.com
EduColor Movement Executive Director & Co-Founder José Vilson discusses education in NYC and introduces listeners to the #EduColor Movement.
Follow Jose VilsonTwitter: @TheJLV
Instagram: thejosevilson
Website: https://thejosevilson.com
Follow EduColor@EduColorMVMT on all socials
www.educolor.org
www.teacherscaucus.com
Shawn Sheehan, 2016 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, and Rodney Robinson, 2019 Virginia and National Teacher of the Year, introduce listeners to The Teachers Caucus Podcast and discuss its goals and mission.
Search for The Teachers Caucus Podcast on your favorite social network to connect with us.
www.teacherscaucus.com