Where the Schools Went - Podcast Rankings and reviews

This series engages in the layers of complexity involved in on-the-ground school improvement. Though set in post-Katrina New Orleans and the 20 years since, it’s applicable to those facing similar needs anywhere. It digs deeper than the political boundaries of “one size fits all” charter models or teacher unions and gives an honest overview of how success is more nuanced and has hinged upon community empowerment alongside attaining academic goals. As a former educator in New Orleans East during this time, I was left feeling proud to be a part of meaningful change - as well as inspired to continue applying those lessons to my current turnaround work in traditional public schools in a nearby state.

Interviews mostly are pro-charter. Those against are generally shown as bitter and angry. Author is a former charter school principal so hard to not see the bias.

Fundamentally why don’t we ask why instead of replacing public schools with charters, why not lower regulations and requirements for public schools so they have more freedom to innovate? Public school teachers are shackled by these. It’s cheaper to fix and enhance existing schools than start all over.

I’m a public school teacher and my default is anti charter, but I got chills during the first episode hearing about kids who wanted to, but had no school to go to.

While there were interesting and moving moments in this podcast, by the third episode, I had to stop listening. I could no longer overlook the strong bias in favor of charter schools and against truly public education. The third episode felt especially egregious for its anti-union sentiment. The host tells us that teachers went unpaid in the early days of NOLA school reopening at non-union charter schools. He implies this is a good thing: Unions would have prevented such “sacrifice” (read: exploitation).

It’s a shame because the host seems thoughtful and smart, and he is nuanced when explaining the challenges facing New Orleans Schools before and after Katrina. The podcast’s position on solutions, however, is one sided: Charter is always better. In the first 2.5 episodes, no one is interviewed who represents equally strong alternatives, let full-fledged opposition.

New Orleans schools, teachers, and students deserve to have their story told. Unfortunately, I do not believe this is the person nor the platform to tell it.

Listeners should be aware of potential biases: one of the co-producers, The 74, is funded in part by the Walton Family Foundation, a major proponent of school choice and charter school expansion. While the podcast itself is presented as documentary storytelling, this funding connection is relevant context, since the Waltons have a clear policy agenda in U.S. education.