The Teachers Caucus Podcast

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...

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...

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 Carissa Twitter - @seejodee Follow Chris Twitter - @camcgilvery Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn & Rodney on Twitter Shawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan Rodney Robinson...

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 Lauren Twitter - @corboy303 The Teacher Salary Project Twitter - @teachersalary Follow Teacher Ca...

Author and 2020 Louisiana Teacher of the Year, Chris Dier, joins the Teachers Caucus to discuss education in his state and how he uses TikTok in his history classes. Follow Chris Twitter - @chrisdier TikTok - @chrisdier Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn & Rodney on Twitter Shawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan Rodney Robinson...

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 Ramon Twitter - R_Benavides2 Follow Autumn Twitter - msrivera114 Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn...

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. Rodney also takes a moment to celebrate his sister and her legacy of advocacy. Follow Kareem Neal Twitter - @kareem_neal Facebook - Kareem Neal Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @Teachers...

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 Movement Twitter - @Ed_CivilRights Facebook - @edrights Instagram - @ncy...

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 Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn & Rodney on Twitter Shawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA...

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 F...

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 Mic Podcast - Spotify or Apple Twitter - @toodopeteachers Follow Teac...

Rodney, Shawn, and special guest/Teachers Caucus Podcast Producer, Joel Deardorf, share some of their teacher stories that made them say, “Wow.” Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn & Rodney on Twitter Shawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA Follow and give us a rating on the app you use to listen...

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 Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCa...

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 Hayes Twitter - @RepJahanaHayes Follow Juliana Urtubey Twitter - @JulianaUrtubey3 Follow Teacher Cauascus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Faceb...

2019 Oklahoma School Counselor of the Year and American School Counselor Association Board Member, Sarah Kirk, discusses school counselor needs in 2022. Follow Sarah Kirk Twitter - @Counselor_Kirk Loving Kindness Meditation resources Sarah referenced in the episode. Kids script Kids video Adults video Adults handout Follow Teacher Cauascus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook -...

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 Caucus www.teachercaucus.co...

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 Jefferson National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn & Rodney on Twitter Shawn Sheehan - @SPShe...

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 Sherratt Twitter - @ellensheratt Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn...

Shawn & Rodney reflect on their teaching and advocacy experiences that helped establish the foundation and purpose of The Teachers Caucus. Follow Teacher Caucus www.teachercaucus.com Twitter - @TeachersCaucus Facebook - @theteacherscaucus Follow Shawn & Rodney on Twitter Shawn Sheehan - @SPSheehan Rodney Robinson - @RodRobinsonRVA Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow & Revie...