Say It Even Louder – A CharterFolk Chat With Derrell Bradford

Weekend greetings, CharterFolk.

Today we’re happy to release a CharterFolk Chat with Derrell Bradford …

… wherein he expands upon the themes he explored in the Contributor Column he wrote to kick off 2025 …

… which, I have to say, has struck a chord with CharterFolk readers as much as any other column we have published over the last four and a half years.

You can access our discussion either here on our website or here at Youtube if you prefer video.

It was a conversation wherein, in addition to Derrell underscoring his piece’s connection to the famous James Brown tune …

… we dove into a number of timely subjects including:

• The fires in Los Angeles
• Derrell’s “origin story” about becoming involved in education reform and charter school advocacy.
• What prompted him to write “Say it Loud” now as opposed to some other moment.
• The importance of CharterFolk being able to speak the truths that others in education fear to say.
• The abject brokenness in places like Chicago Public Schools that require us being able to speak our truths.
• The importance of the charter school movement “leaning into its strengths.”
• Derrell expanding on why it’s important that we become more comfortable talking about public education funding. Why is it that billions are “put in the top of the school district funnel and still school sites don’t have enough chalk at the bottom of the funnel?”
• The importance of not letting our need to assert our public-ness supersede our need to demonstrate how we are different from district public schools.
• The futility of the belief that, if we say things in the right way, the status quo is somehow going to be more accepting of us.
• The struggles of the Democratic Party on education issues nationally and what CharterFolk should do in response.
• The sad reality that many states are lowering standards and withholding release of testing data.
• How CharterFolk should orient themselves toward Republicans given their current infatuation with ESAs and vouchers.
• The role of 50Can in the national advocacy landscape.
• Whether there is any comparability to Zuckerberg having his “return to first principles” moment and the charter school movement reconnecting with original purpose.

I provide links below to some of the articles, books, videos and organizations referenced in the conversation

• Give to Los Angeles schools.
• The New Yorker Article from 2007 depicting Michael Bennett being unapologetic for his aggressive reforms in Denver.
• No More Lines Coalition.
• Available to All.
• A Wizard of Earthsea.
• Chicago Mayor Johnson proposing the district take out a high cost loan.
• Full Metal Jacket Virgin Mary scene.
• Ezra Klein on Dems being the party defending what doesn’t work.
• New Mexico polling very supportive of charter schools.
• Chuck Todd on Latinos and school choice paying a big part in the election.
• 74 Million article on states lowering standards.
• EdWeek on states delaying release of test scores.
• 50Can.
• 50Can CEO Marc Porter Magee’s blog “The New Reality Roundup”.
• Zuckerberg announcing changes in content moderation policies.

I thank Derrell once again for his recent contributions at CharterFolk and for his ongoing efforts to say it loud on behalf of kids and families being served by our nation’s charter schools.