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 week with special guest Rebekah Cummings, librarian extraordinaire and 2024 candidate for Utah's Lieutenant Governor.

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 in December 2024.

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.