WonkyFolk Vol 18 – Jed and Andy Want Freedom from Dysfunction

Happy Friday, CharterFolk.

As you’re heading into what I hope turns out to be a great weekend, Andy and I are pleased to release our latest WonkyFolk recording.

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Here is a link to the podcast.

You can also access it here on YouTube.

After having taken a hiatus over the summer, it was great to have so many meaty topics to dive into, including :

  • The remarkable unremarkability of Walz becoming Harris’s running mate, at least as it relates to education policy.
  • The dearth of reference to anything education at the DNC.
  • The challenge CharterFolk and ed reformers face attempting to get Dems to address education issues.
  • The possibility that the NEA not having a chance to hem Harris in during the primaries might result in her administration having greater flexibility on education matters.
  • Tim Daly’s piece showing few reformers being willing to go on the recording to give the Biden Administration a grade on education policy.
  • Dems moderating on a host of issues but not on education.
  • The significance of conventions happening while major urban school districts are imploding in many parts of the country.
  • Reps letting Dems off the hook by being themselves dysfunctional on education policy matters.
  • The failure of ed reformers to take advantage of the opportunity to bring forward a policy agenda that could begin to shape a new narrative.
  • The fact that support for universal vouchers has become the latest litmus test among Reps.
  • The discordant ideas about education and tax policy within the Republican Party.
  • An awareness that public discourse is not focused on the most important societal imperatives we face in the decades ahead.
  • Society evolving more quickly than public policy on racial matters.
  • The significance of Drew Barrymore’s “cringy” interview with Kamala Harris.
  • The legacy of the Milliken vs Bradley case and why it doesn’t garner more public attention.
  • Andy’s ending note of optimism that more focus on freedom in other policy areas will ultimately lead to a greater focus on the importance of freedom in education as well.

As ever, it was a fun conversation with Andy. Hope you enjoy it.

Links