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Students Over Systems
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos: Hostages No More
On this week's episode of Students Over Systems, former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos discusses her belief that education must be about students, rather than the special interests that control the K-12 education system. We talk about her decades of working with governors and state legislators to create school choice programs and the current momentum to expand education options in states across the country. Secretary DeVos explains her belief that education freedom can counter the existing industrial-era, conformity-driven K-12 education model—a topic central to her book, Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child.
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The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.
You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect.
Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day.
Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org.
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30. Whitney Marsh: Unlocking the Extraordinary Potential of Every Kid
33:22What does it mean to truly empower and trust families to make education decisions for their children? Whitney Marsh, Director of Policy Operations at yes. every kid. Foundation, joins Students Over Systems to discuss removing boundaries that restrict where families can send their kids to school, supporting edupreneurs, and implementing effective education savings account (ESA) programs. Whitney advocates for a shift away from excessively regulating education freedom programs to trusting parents’ judgment.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
29. Chris and Christine Stigall: Making the Leap from the Status Quo
35:19Chris and Christine Stigall, hosts of the Herzog Foundation's Making the Leap podcast, join Students Over Systems to share how they encourage and equip parents to make choices best suited for their families. Chris and Christine (a former public school educator) discuss both their family's education choices and concerns they hear from other parents, including how some public schools have become "fancy rec centers." The Stigalls also describe the Herzog Foundation's extensive training resources for churches and educators interested in expanding or opening schools.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
28. Corey DeAngelis: Funding Students and Exposing Radical Teachers Unions
40:28Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at the American Federation for Children, joins Students Over Systems to discuss the educational industrial complex, the pernicious influence of teachers unions, and the recent growth in school choice programs. Corey explains why he advises leaning into the culture wars in his upcoming book, The Parent Revolution. He also dispels a number of education freedom myths, including the assertion that school choice defunds public education.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
27. Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey: Creating and Protecting Universal Education Freedom
29:33Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, pioneer of the universal education freedom model, joins the Students Over Systems podcast as we celebrate National School Choice Week. We discuss Arizona's reputation as the Wild West of school choice, the growth of the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, and the wide array of education options in the state. Governor Ducey tackles school choice myths and describes why teachers unions relentlessly attack programs that provide students, parents, and educators with freedom and opportunities.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
26. Tera Myers: Mom on a Mission
26:58Tera Myers joins the first Students Over Systems episode of 2024 to discuss how school choice empowers parents of students with disabilities. Tera describes her successful advocacy for the Ohio special needs scholarship program that enabled her son to receive an education that met his complex needs. She advises parents to tune out teachers unions' fear-mongering and to seek, research, and embrace education opportunities in their states. --The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
25. Nicole Solas: The Education Freedom Center's 2023 Naughty and Nice List
48:27Nicole Solas joins Students Over Systems to review the IWF Education Freedom Center's 2023 Naughty and Nice List. Teachers unions that closed schools with strikes top the naughty list. Union leaders Randi Weingarten, Becky Pringle, and Chicago's Stacy Davis Gates, as well as Baltimore Public Schools, Providence Public Schools, PEN America, and school districts that forced teachers to lie to parents were also quite naughty this year. The nice list features governors and states that expanded education freedom by creating education savings accounts (ESAs) and universal school choice programs, as well as states that passed the Given Name Act. The conversation concludes with our hopes for 2024 and Nicole dispelling a persistent school choice myth.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
24. Derrell Bradford: Should We Be Hostile to Teachers Unions?
32:32On this episode of Students Over Systems, host Ginny Gentles talks with Derrell Bradford, president of 50CAN, about school choice and teachers unions. Derrell views prolonged school closures in highly unionized areas as "one of the great domestic policy failures of our lifetimes" and believes allowing funding to follow children reduces unions' outsized power to disrupt the lives of students and parents. He shares his insights from years of advocating for policies that provide opportunities and leverage to low-income families and describes the benefits of universal education freedom. The conversation concludes with a discussion of steps policymakers can take to address learning loss and empower families.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
23. Ryan Walters: A War for the Souls of Our Kids
27:11Ryan Walters is a former high school history teacher who currently serves as Oklahoma's Superintendent of Public Instruction. He joins Students Over Systems to share his views on teachers unions, parental rights, and protecting children from indoctrination and sexually explicit materials. Superintendent Walters, who is a strong advocate for empowering parents by increasing transparency and offering universal school choice, concludes the conversation with good news: the launch of Oklahoma's new refundable Parental Choice Tax Credit.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues
22. Gerard Robinson: The New Frontier in School Choice
28:48Gerard Robinson helped pave the way for universal education freedom with the 2017 book he co-edited entitled Education Savings Accounts: The New Frontier in School Choice. On this week's Students Over Systems episode, he provides a historical overview of the early days of school choice, describes the steady growth of the movement over three decades, and addresses the lack of education freedom in Virginia, where he previously served as Secretary of Education. Gerard also shares his concerns about the emergence of click-bait-for-debate and calls for healthier conversations about the merits of school choice.--The Students Over Systems podcast features conversations that celebrate education freedom and brighter futures. Host Ginny Gentles, director of the Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, is joined by the parents and policymakers who empower families with leverage and options.You can listen to the latest Students Over Systems episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you’re equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women’s issues. IWF promotes policies that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn’t just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women’s Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF’s YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SOSPodcast #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues