This week, we’re covering one of the most explosive education controversies in American history, the 1974 Kanawha County, WV “Textbook Wars.” What began as a school board vote over new reading materials in West Virginia eventually escalated into boycotts, firebombings, and a national debate over who decides what children learn. From the cultural divides rooted in West Virginia’s founding to echoes of the Scopes “Monkey” Trial and the rise of outside agitators, this episode traces how faith and identity can collide in America’s public school classrooms.

02:10 Setting the stage: The Civil War and West Virginia’s history of division

04:15 The Scopes trial: How America’s first classroom media circus reshaped public discourse

08:44 Labor and identity: Kanawha County’s legacy of protest and class tension

09:40 Alice Moore & the textbook controversy

23:30 Outside influence: How extremist groups amplified local outrage

25:55 Aftermath & legacy: What this fight tells us about freedom, pluralism, and fear in public education

For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.

Culturally responsive teaching begins with the recognition that learning doesn't happen in a vacuum. Teachers must carefully navigate curricular needs while building a foundation of trust and respect with students, each of whom carries unique stories and experiences into the classroom. In this episode, we explore the work of scholars who study those intersections: between school and family, the individual and their culture, classroom lessons and the many other concerns crowding a young learner’s mind.

00:00 Intro + Announcements

03:30 The US Education System: A Pressure Cooker

05:00 Revisiting Social Learning Theory; Lev Vygotsky, Albert Bandura

06:30 Dr Luis C Moll & Funds of Knowledge

08:30 Research Contributions from Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Dr. Geneva Gay; culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy

11:20 Culturally responsive pedagogy and practical applications in rural classrooms

18:20 Culturally responsive teaching with varied student populations

21:30 Discussion Questions

31:10 What we learned

For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.

This week, our co-hosts (one a teacher, one a technologist) revisit ongoing discussions about the role of artificial intelligence in schools and classrooms with a focus on how institutions of higher education are addressing AI tools at a policy level. From Ohio State University's push for AI fluency to staunch opposition from other institutions over academic integrity concerns, we examine the varied approaches schools are adopting. The hosts also explore the personal impacts of these technologies within classrooms and the ethical considerations raised (think privacy, mental health, and the development of critical thinking skills in young learners) as AI expands its reach into academia and the workplace.

00:00 - Intro & Announcements

03:00 - 2025 AI Use Trends and Examples, Higher Education; Some Schools Enthusiastically Embrace AI Tools

09:00 - Skeptical Embrace: AI in College Admissions, Student Services, and Campus Safety

15:00 - Chat Tools and Mental Health Concerns

17:00 - Some Schools Reject AI Over Academic Integrity Concerns

20:00 Teacher Perspectives on AI: From Higher Ed Policy to Classroom Practice

30:00 Classroom Activities Using AI; The Educator's Role in AI Use Policy Discussions Discussions

37:20 What We Learned

For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.