I am connecting David Bohm’s “On Dialogue” with one of many reasons why I love the Integrated Schools group. “When we come together to talk, or otherwise to act in common, can each of us be aware of the subtle fear and pleasure sensations that “block” his ability to listen freely? Without this awareness, the injunction to listen to the whole of what is said will have little meaning. But if each of us can give full attention to what is actually “blocking” communication while he is also attending properly to the content of what is communicated, then we may be able to create something new between us, something of very great significance for bringing to an end the at present insoluble problems of the individual and of society.” —David Bohm Integrated Schools’ people attend to long-standing inattentions to social injustice! Exciting that in this coming year they will include problem topics: ‘systems and how to do we change them?’ and ‘what are the features of quality education?’ 🎉 🎈 🎊

If you are in pursuit of justice of any kind, this podcast is for you. I get tongue tied when I try to write a review for WHY Everyone should drop what they’re doing and listen to Integrated Schools NOW…so I usually just say, “trust me—listen to it.” And I think it’s because school integration intersects so much of our lives (even if you don’t have kids) that I just don’t know where to start. The interviews are always educational, eye opening, and sometimes sad. My brain makes a new connection a new connection just about every episode. Though the best part of the podcast is really Andrew and Val and their dialogue and friendship around these issues. They help to name things we haven’t had words for and they help with the radical empathy for self and others that this work requires. Can’t recommend this highly enough. And meanwhile, Val and Andrew, please come do a live show in Oakland!

You keep giving me words, explanations, ideas, and perspective to the stuff I am thinking about and dealing with right now as a black mom of three kids.

Thank you, thank you. I’m a white parent who graduated from a global-majority district, where my kids attend school now. Much has changed; much is the same. Fewer white families use the district since I was a student, and black excellence and equity is at the forefront of administrative policy. The education my kids and their fellow students are receiving is enriching, thoughtful, and imperfect. Such is the real, wrought world. When white parents who don’t use the public schools question my decision, or doubt my enthusiasm for public education, I hear it for the historic, coded, fear-based thinking that it is. That is in part thanks to your podcast, which calls out white anxiety and perfectionism, and refuses to excuse complacency. Please keep going.

Thank you for sharing this thoughtful conversation with Paula Forbes.

Can we discuss how we will treat ECE (who are disproportionately BIWOC, immigrants and women) caring for white children for starvation wages ($10/hr in my case) moving forward and how we can ensure these centers are diverse and operated equitably? How will we make these centers affordable for all families? Let’s address this resource hoarding and exploitation, as working in this environment was very dehumanizing, as it’s racist, sexist and classist. Thank you for your time and amazing podcast!

I stumbled upon this podcast recently and after listening to a few episodes, pretty much rearranged my life to consume past content as quickly as I could! The concept seems simple on the surface, but I’ve found exploring the nuance behind the choices we make for our kids, and how those work to uphold or dismantle white supremacy, has allowed me access to perspectives and information I didn’t even know I didn’t know. And it’s just plain fascinating. Previously, I was averse to conversations around schooling (my kids are 4 and 1), and I now have language to know why (opportunity hoarding). Perhaps more importantly, I’ve learned that the reason I wasn’t eager to talk about schools was not because I don’t care, but because I wasn’t yet clear on what a ‘good school’ meant to me. This podcast has provided the framework for me to get curious about my own upbringing, what I want for my kids, and what my role might look like moving forward, when we send our kids to a global majority school. Does it give me all the exact answers? Does it mean I’ll show up perfectly? Of course not. But it is helping me learn how to think critically on the topic, and feels like one obvious way to put our anti racist values into practice—for this I am so deeply grateful. Cannot recommend it enough!

I have been binge listening ever since I discovered this podcast! The interviews are so engaging and relatable, as well as profound and challenging. We had never thought twice about sending our kids to the privileged school in our neighborhood, but now we’re having conversations about opting in to a more diverse (but lower rated) school instead. Highly recommended!

Everyone needs to listen to this podcast! Integrated Schools has completely changed my life focus. Each episode is mind-blowing. The experts and the “ordinary” life experiences that they share have inspired me to make changes in my thinking and engage with my community differently. I’m even starting a virtual listening group to inspire others to listen and have these complicated discussions. If you want to have your mind blown and find direction in your life, listen right now!

Every time I listen to an episode expecting it to be preachy, out of touch, and irrelevant, it turns out to be thoughtful and well researched and I learn a lot. This is deeply annoying.