Up Close Podcast with Sara Sneed

Cindy Marten is the United States Deputy Secretary of Education. She was appointed deputy secretary in May 2021 under President Biden and works with Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to shape national education policy. Her background, however, is not in politics but in the classroom. Her 35-year-long career as an educator took her from classroom teacher to superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District in California and finally to where she is today in the U.S. Department of Education. In this episode, she discussed her personal journey in public education, some of the issues facing public education today, and what’s being done about them. 

Episode Description: Dr. Marlee Bunch is an educator, author, and creator of resources and tools for creating culturally competent classroom lessons, known as the un/HUSH Framework. Her work is focused on uplifting marginalized voices, unlearning biases, and fostering connection through storytelling. Dr. Bunch brings over 16 years of teaching experience to her work, with a deep commitment to providing equitable and rigorous instruction to all students.Her new publication, “The Magnitude of Us: An Educator’s Guide to Creating Culturally Responsive Classrooms,” can be preordered online.

Albert Sykes is a Jackson, Miss. native and the executive director of the Institute for Democratic Education in America, where he works in conjunction with students, educators, families, and communities to advocate and build capacity for education equity and racial justice. Sykes is a community organizer, education and civil rights advocate, and mentee of civil rights leader Bob Moses, who founded the Algebra Project.In this episode, Albert talks about inequalities within public education in Mississippi and the role of community advocacy in improving conditions in public schools.

Natosha Daniels is a parent, chief systems navigator for the Round Rock Black Parents Association, and expert in grassroots organizing and parent-led advocacy in public education.In this episode, Natosha describes how her background as an educator led her to pursue a doctoral program in education policy and planning. She also shares about her ongoing work with Black parent-led movements, how such movements are pushing back against structural inequities, and the importance of cultivating a practice of freedom dreaming. 

Natalie Johnson-Berry is an award-winning, veteran educator, who has brought an equity focus and spirit of affirmation to her classroom and the broader community over her 25-year career. As an expert in restorative justice and culturally responsive teaching practices, Natalie and Sara discuss why these approaches to public education are critical to ensuring access to a high-quality education for all students.

Nationally acclaimed educators Monica Washington and Takeru (TK) Nagayoshi join Sara to discuss the importance of honest education and how it benefits an increasingly diverse student population. Together, they dive deep into how honest education can help educators provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of history and how it can lead to more equitable education for all students.

Samantha Greenleaf, a Texas educator and administrator, joins Sara to discuss the urgent need for all educators to teach with an anti-racist lens. They discuss how racism affects students of color on a systemic level and the power to reverse these negative trends through collective knowledge building, advocacy inside and beyond the classroom and outreach to the community. They also shine a light on Educators In Solidarity, a non-profit that convenes educators in the central Texas region in the fight for institutional change.

Becky Pringle, a 30-year educator and president of the National Education Association (NEA), joins Sara to discuss solutions for recruiting and retaining talented educators at a time when so many are looking for the exit door. Join the conversation to hear why educators want to exit the profession and how we can all better support those who are key to the foundation of our democracy. 

Jane Quinn, a matriarch of community schools, joins Sara to discuss the tremendous impact this strategy has had across the country. They discuss how thoughtful investments and partnerships can help transform a struggling school into one where students thrive. Tune in for a rich conversation on the possibilities of public education when the needs of the whole child are being met.   

Fresh off of a field study trip in Peru, Michael Dunlea, an award-winning educator, and Sara explore what a global education can mean to a classroom and a community. Listen to their reflections on the importance of educators teaching through a global lens and how it impacts a student’s understanding of his or her empathy for others with different backgrounds.