The State of Education with Melvin Adams

What is the role of government in education? And how do school board members, as a governmental body, make a healthy impact on their communities? It’s questions like these that Melvin Adams is passionate about finding answers to—and guiding people to make a difference in education. Listen in on today’s special episode from Melvin’s lecture at NWEF’s School Board Summit this year to learn more abou...

Do you ever feel alone in your desire to make change in our society? Well, ironically, you’re not alone in feeling alone; we all feel that way sometimes. And also, you’re not actually alone. Did you know that there are over 100,000 parents across America who are actively engaging with the school system? Our guests on The State of Education today are the cofounders of Moms for Liberty—a grassroots...

Since the early 1900s, parental rights have been disputed in America’s courts. From circuit courts to the U.S. Supreme Court, your right to direct the education and care of your child has been molded and shaped by various cases and legislation all over America. See how the Parental Rights Foundation, led by William Estrada, is fighting for parents and what you can do to help! Resources from Today’...

The math doesn’t add up—failing students doesn’t equal success. As we conclude our interview with Steve Newman, Melvin asks tough questions about how policy makers view school budgets and who the “assembly line” education system is leaving behind. Failing grades create battle lines, and Steve shares how lost accountability is creating space for the government he feels to use schools as a social ex...

The strength of a company lies with the quality of its leadership. Our guest, Steve Newman, learned this first hand while serving in the Virginia Senate and other elected positions, including his local city council. In 2010, he was instrumental in the Governor’s Higher Education Reform Commission  and coined the word “educrats” to describe those in government who are more interested in self-servin...

Navigating a child’s education is challenging for parents and teachers. Parents have the job of teaching their children values and character; teachers have the role of challenging children academically and broadening their view of the world. It’s not an easy balance. And today’s guest on The State of Education understands that. Debe Terhar advocates for the parent-teacher relationship and for the...

Today, Melvin’s guest on The State of Education, Debe Terhar, shares about the holistic nature of education—and each child’s need to be taught that every facet of their life matters. As a mother, the former Ohio State School Board President, and a former Montessori educator, Debe has some wise input for parents seeking to help their young ones achieve wholeness and fulfillment in life. GET CONNECT...

Today’s episode of The State of Education tells the story of KrisAnne Hall. She is an experienced author and speaker who champions the U.S. Constitution with a passion and fervor you don’t see everyday. Hall and her husband run an organization that focuses on educating American citizens about their government and the power of the people so that they can live well, vote well, and reclaim our cultur...

Schools everywhere are struggling after COVID, some more than others and each with their own struggles. Rural school districts have completely different needs than suburban or city districts. Bill Outlaw, school board member in Nottoway county, VA, shares about the needs and successes of his local district today on The State of Education. GET CONNECTED WITH NWEF Like us on Facebook: https://www.fa...

Education freedom takes a lot of work to secure, and Michael Benjamin isn’t afraid to do it. Over the past decades, he has served children in southern parts of the U.S. as he’s fought for school choice and helped create programs that assist low-income students get the education they need. His work as a choice-advocate has spurred on generational change and growth.  Resources mentioned in Today’s E...

Monica Gill, a highschool teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia, encourages other parents and teachers to bravely counteract the problems they see in education. In partnership with the Alliance Defending Freedom, Monica has successfully opened a lawsuit to sue her school district for the inception of school board policy 8040—a policy that forces teachers to use a student’s preferred pronouns. She do...

As a mother, educator, and State Senator, Patricia Rucker has learned a thing or two about education policy, community, and the hard work it takes to make practical dreams come true! Today she shares with Melvin Adams that as a student she was blessed with a great public school experience, and now in her legislative office, she seeks to make that a reality for all children in West Virginia. She do...

The state of education didn’t get this way overnight. And it won’t improve overnight—but those who stick with it and commit to making change will see it, little by little. That’s what Ian Prior reminds us of on The State of Education podcast today. He is closely involved in organizations like Fight for Schools and America First Legal that are fighting to correct the wrongs in the system and suppor...

When it comes to school budgets, where does all the money go? Today’s guest, Ted Lamb, tells us about constricting federal policies that are funneling funds from the classroom and into unnecessary things. But, as a school board member, Ted has had a front-row opportunity to speak out against poor spending. Follow along with today’s episode of The State of Education & learn what it takes to be...

You’ve heard of the 3 R’s… but what if we added a fourth? Resiliency. Ted Lamb — a high school history teacher — has noticed many declines in the school system throughout his 20+ year career. The purposeful formation of strong-minded students has suffered throughout time, causing kids to suffer as a consequence. Ted isn’t letting this stop him from giving his students a quality education, though....

As America continues to follow the growing LGBTQ movement, more and more adolescents are jumping on the trend. What are the consequences of pushing transgender ideology on children? The research is still new and tends to be slanted. Now more than ever, it is important for parents to be informed about what is going on at school and how it’s impacting their kids. This week’s episode features the con...

Dr. Kenyon Knapp, Lori Kuykendall, and Thomas Turner join Melvin Adams on The State of Education to discuss the impact of transgenderism on children. America’s schools are fraught with struggle over this issue. While some do a great job, some teachers and school boards are encouraging confusion among young people, and children are being led to make life-changing decisions before they even reach pu...

Are you worried that your kids aren’t receiving the discipline they need when they go to their dad’s house? Or maybe you don’t agree with the way their mom is choosing to schedule their free time? Split families are hard to navigate, but it’s not impossible. In today’s episode, Melvin Adams concludes his interview with Joel Hawbaker—a teacher, coach, and dad of a blended family. Joel has practical...

Where do our American ideas of Freedom come from? Interestingly enough, the Declaration of Independence never uses the word "freedom," but it mentions liberty. The famous Federalist Papers by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay use the word "liberty" 150 times! Marie Rogerson, Executive Director of Program Development of Moms for Liberty, believes that freedom is a...

Are you part of a blended family? Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, step-relative, or a teacher who interacts with these demographics, Joel Hawbacker has encouraging news for you! As a blended family dad and a teacher, he understands the nuanced and complex situations of blended family life. Joel shares data, stories, and practical tips with Melvin on The State of Education that will help you...

When America’s students brought the classroom to their living rooms, everything changed. The incredible wave of parental involvement collected momentum and formed a grassroots army. If you want to take part in education reform, it’ll never be a better time to dig in and fight. That’s what Josiah Gaiter tells our host, Melvin Adams, in today’s episode. It may feel like a giant weight, but with a li...

As a former homeschool and public school student, Josiah Gaiter has a well-rounded perspective on education choice. But his expertise doesn’t stop there—he’s also a teacher with experience in the classroom and one-on-one tutoring. In today’s episode, Josiah and Melvin explore the separate, yet complimentary, roles of parents and teachers. Understanding the distinction of each role helps parents an...

When Dennis noticed that more and more students were suffering from ignorance he had to do something about it. These students weren’t dumb—they merely weren’t being taught how to learn. Dennis, an experienced martial artist, made a discovery about the power of perfect practice and repetition in the process of learning. Today, he discusses with Melvin the importance of developing a plan to learn an...

In part two of our discussion with Vinson Palthingingal, we get a glimpse of the impact of immigration on a person’s education and career opportunities. The lonely insecurity most immigrants experience drives them to be hardworking and successful, Vinson says. As a STEM graduate and school board member, he also has unique insight into maintaining excellent education and pursuing more STEM opportun...

Vinson Palathingal is a serial entrepreneur and engineer who lives in Fairfax County, Virginia. Vinson immigrated to America from Kerala, India because he wanted to build a stronger, better business in a free market. He has watched America outsource many jobs in the IT industry due to this country’s deficiency in STEM education. His passion is to help America strengthen its approach to STEM and be...