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The Integrated Schools Podcast

Integrated Schools

Hard conversations about race, parenting, segregation, and inequities in our schools.

  • 21 minutes 48 seconds
    A Tipping Point for Change 70 Years After Brown v Board

     May 17th, 1954 the Supreme Court handed down its famous decision in the Brown v Board of Education of Topekacase. So much of the work of Integrated Schools is about trying to live into the promises made through that unanimous decision. On May 17th, 1973, a girl was born in Woodbridge, Virginia. That girl, Courtney Everts Mykytyn, would go on to found Integrated Schools in 2015, calling in parents and caregivers with privilege to work towards fulfilling the vision extolled by the court nineteen years to the day before she was born.

    Tragically, Courtney was struck by a car and killed on Dec 29th, 2019, cutting short a life full of promise. Not before, however, she had started a movement. All of us at Integrated Schools, from the podcast team, to chapter and networkleaders, to book club facilitators, to social media managers, are here because of her vision, her heart, and her commitment to always working to know better and do better.

    To mark this special day we are re-releasing one of Courtney's last episodes of the podcast, originally called "All I Want for Christmas is 3.5%". It beautifully captures her clear-eyed realism, and her unfaltering optimism. She believed that if we can call enough people in, real change is possible, and a better world can await our children, and their children. So, on this special day, we call you in to our work. How can you be part of the 3.5% of people needed to create change? What can you do to join this work? We await you with open arms.

    LINKS:


    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Courtney Mykytyn. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    17 May 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    Local Stories of Desegregation: Charlotte

     In 1954’s Brown v Board decision, the Supreme Court ruled that separate was inherently unequal. However, the Brown II decision a year later said that fixing our separate education system should happen with “all deliberate speed.” The deliberate speed in most places was glacial, leading many local communities to file law suits demanding action. These local desegregation cases happened across the country following similar patterns, but varying due to local contexts. We started with a three-part series on Denver. This is our second deep dive into one of those stories, this time focusing on Charlotte, NC.

    In 1971, the Supreme Court ruled in Swann v Charlotte - Mecklenburg Board of Education that, among other things, student assignment policies that involved bussing kids to achieve racial balance was a legitimate remedy for districts violating the mandate of the Brown decision. Eventually embraced by the city, the decision, and the bussing plan it led to, were held up as a model for the country of how to do desegregation right. Business boomed in Charlotte, in part because of the community embrace of school desegregation. Twenty eight years later, in Capacchione v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the district court ruled that Charlotte-Mecklenburg had complied with the Swan decision "to the extent reasonably practicable", and terminated the desegregation order, declaring it a "unitary system."  Much like many other cities around the country, once the court was no longer mandating desegregation, the district began to re-segregate. Today, with nearly 75% of CMS students identifying as students of color, and massive segregation both racially and socio-economically, the district is struggling to serve all kids well.

    Dr. James Ford grew up in Illinois and was bussed through a desegregation plan premised on the Swann decision. While the additional resources this provided were important, he experienced an educational environment that felt unwelcoming, and, at times, outwardly hostile. He made it his life's work to dismantle the systemic racism that caused that harm. Eventually landing in Charlotte as a teacher, he wanted to understand the history of the city and choices made by the people in power that led to him teaching in a highly segregated high school named after the superintendent who had overseen the nationally lauded desegregation plans of the 70s.

    His commitment to dismantle racism through the field of education led him to create the Center for Racial Equity in Education, where he serves as the executive director, working to "serve each and every child by also making students of color central to every facet of how schools function." He joins us to share the history of Charlotte, and his current work.

    You can support his important work by donating here.

    LINKS:


    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    1 May 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 36 seconds
    Rebuilding The Black Educator Pipeline

     In 2021, 80% of teachers in our country's public schools were White, while just 6% were Black. That same year, 54% of public school students were students of color, and 15% were Black. We also know of the extensive research showing the positive impacts of Black teachers on all kids, but especially on Black kids. However, as we learned last episode from Dr. Leslie Fenwick, we lost over 100,000 Black teachers in the wake of desegregation attempt, and the Black teacher pipeline was crushed through explicit and implicit government action. In 2019, Sharif El-Mekki founded The Center for Black Educator Development to do something about it. With a commitment to the "deeply subversive act of teaching superbly", they are targeting interventions to increase the number of Black teachers so Black and other disenfranchised students can reap the full benefits of a quality public education.

    Mr. El-Mekki joins us to discuss his work, and explain how it is rooted in a Black educational tradition that stretches back generations. His teaching and leading is informed by his own upbringing attending a Black freedom school in Philadelphia, his experience as a teacher and school leader, and the teacher activists who poured into him throughout his life.

     

    LINKS:

     

    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

     

     

    17 April 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    Jim Crow's Pink Slip with Dr. Leslie Fenwick

     Seventeen years after the Brown v Board decision, in 1971, US Senator Walter Mondale chaired a number of Select Committee hearings on Equal Educational Opportunity. One of these hearings focused on what was happening to Black teachers and principals as the country begrudgingly worked to desegregate our schools. The hearing featured testimony and supplemental documentation calling attention to the vast number of Black teachers who were losing their jobs in the Southern, dual-system states. Despite Brown's promise of desegregated schools including faculty and staff in addition to students, districts across the South were finding ways to remove Black teachers and principals, rather than allowing them to teach White kids. 

    The transcripts from these hearings quite literally fell into Dr. Leslie Fenwick's lap as she began a PhD program in educational policy. The stories they held matched her own lived experience. Stories of highly qualified, highly educated Black teachers who served as community leaders, and fostered a sense of belonging and empowerment among their Black students was what Dr. Fenwick and her parents and grandparents had known. And yet, as she embarked on her PhD program, these stories weren't being told. Eventually, these transcripts would form the primary evidentiary basis for her bestselling 2022 book, Jim Crow's Pink Slip: The Untold Story of Black Principal and Teacher Leadership. 

    She joins us to talk about the book, her journey to writing it, and what understanding this untold history means for the ongoing quest for more teachers of color. 

     

    LINKS: 

     

    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    3 April 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 33 seconds
    Local Stories of Desegregation: DENVER (Part 3)

    PART 3 of 3

    In 1954’s Brown v Board decision, the Supreme Court ruled that separate was inherently unequal. However, the Brown II decision a year later said that fixing our separate education system should happen with “all deliberate speed.” The deliberate speed in most places was glacial, leading many local communities to file law suits demanding action. These local desegregation cases happened across the country following similar patterns, but varying due to local contexts. We are going to dive into several of these local stories in the coming months, and we are starting today with Denver, CO.

    In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in Keyes v. Denver Public Schools, requiring Denver to desegregate its schools. This led to 21 years of court ordered desegregation, including through the use of busing. A local educational advocacy organization, Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education, recently hosted an event to commemorate the anniversary and reflect on the promises made at the time of the case, and the ways we have failed to live up to them.

    Over the course of three episodes, we will be bringing you audio from that event. Our hope is that by understanding local stories, we can see national themes emerge that may help chart a path forward.

    If you have a local story of desegregation to share, let us know! Record a voice memo and email it to [email protected], or visit Speakpipe.com/integratedschools.

    LINKS:

    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    20 March 2024, 8:00 am
  • 59 minutes 28 seconds
    Local Stories of Desegregation: DENVER (Part 2)

    PART 2 of 3

    In 1954's Brown v Board decision, the Supreme Court ruled that separate was inherently unequal. However, the Brown II decision a year later said that fixing our separate education system should happen with "all deliberate speed." The deliberate speed in most places was glacial, leading many local communities to file law suits demanding action. These local desegregation cases happened across the country following similar patterns, but varying due to local contexts. We are going to dive into several of these local stories in the coming months, and we are starting today with Denver, CO. 

    In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in Keyes v. Denver Public Schools, requiring Denver to desegregate its schools. This led to 21 years of court ordered desegregation, including through the use of busing. A local educational advocacy organization, Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education, recently hosted an event to commemorate the anniversary and reflect on the promises made at the time of the case, and the ways we have failed to live up to them. 

    Over the next three episodes, we will be bringing you audio from that event. Our hope is that by understanding local stories, we can see national themes emerge that may help chart a path forward. 

    If you have a local story of desegregation to share, let us know! Record a voice memo and email it to [email protected], or visit Speakpipe.com/integratedschools.

    LINKS:

    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    13 March 2024, 8:00 am
  • 35 minutes 39 seconds
    Local Stories of Desegregation: DENVER (Part 1)

     In 1954's Brown v Board decision, the Supreme Court ruled that separate was inherently unequal. However, the Brown II decision a year later said that fixing our separate education system should happen with "all deliberate speed." The deliberate speed in most places was glacial, leading many local communities to file law suits demanding action. These local desegregation cases happened across the country following similar patterns, but varying due to local contexts. We are going to dive into several of these local stories in the coming months, and we are starting today with Denver, CO. 

    In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in Keyes v. Denver Public Schools, requiring Denver to desegregate its schools. This led to 21 years of court ordered desegregation, including through the use of busing. A local educational advocacy organization, Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education, recently hosted an event to commemorate the anniversary and reflect on the promises made at the time of the case, and the ways we have failed to live up to them. 

    Over the next three episodes, we will be bringing you audio from that event. Our hope is that by understanding local stories, we can see national themes emerge that may help chart a path forward. 

    If you have a local story of desegregation to share, let us know! Record a voice memo and email it to [email protected], or visit Speakpipe.com/integratedschools.

    LINKS:

    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    6 March 2024, 9:00 am
  • 53 minutes 7 seconds
    Parenting to Create the World We Want

    We are fortunate to have many guests whose work is focused on research, policy, and the broader school integration movement. However, we know that most of our listeners are parents and caregivers, and many of our favorite episodes share the perspectives of those raising kids and making decisions about how to show up in schools, in communities, and in the country. Today's conversation with Jon Tobin (and his wife Amanda) is just that - an exploration of how one family continually finds ways to make decisions that reflect their values, that support their kids, and that work to make the world just a bit more just, everyday. We don't hold these parenting conversations up as THE way to live, but as A way to think about the choices we all make as caregivers. Jon and Amanda have a deep belief in the power of community, in the need to be rooted in place, and the need to invest their resources, time and energy into their community. One of the most powerful ways to do that is through supporting their local school. 

    LINKS:

     

    WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORIES ABOUT BROWN V BOARD!!

    We are working on a series to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Brown v Board decision this May. If you have a story of Brown’s impact on your life, or you have an elder who are you are connected to who might have a story tell, please send them our way!! Record a voice memo and email it to [email protected], or visit Speakpipe.com/integratedschools.

    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    21 February 2024, 9:00 am
  • 49 minutes 3 seconds
    The Importance of Belonging

    There's a difference between feeling like you belong in a space and that that space belongs to you. That true sense of belonging, of feeling seen and heard and respected in a space, has profound educational impacts. Dr. Shanette Porterhas studied schools that have created that sense of belonging, and found that not only are strictly academic measures improved (test scores, etc), but other benefits come as well. From increased graduation rates, to decreased disciplinary incidents, to increased attendance, schools that focus on creating a sense of belonging do better for the whole child. 

    Dr. Porter joins us to share some of her findings, as well as a powerful definition of belonging inspired by john a powell- founder of the Othering and Belonging Institute

    LINKS:

     

    WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORIES ABOUT BROWN V BOARD!!

    We are working on a series to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Brown v Board decision this May. If you have a story of Brown’s impact on your life, or you have an elder who are you are connected to who might have a story tell, please send them our way!! Record a voice memo and email it to [email protected], or visit Speakpipe.com/integratedschools.

    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

     

    7 February 2024, 9:00 am
  • 39 minutes 2 seconds
    A Conversation with the Assistant Secretary of Education

    Local control of schools is long tradition in the US. The result is a patchwork of over 13,000 local school districts. This creates a challenge for The Federal Department of Education to enact change across the country. Roberto Rodriguez is the Assistant Secretary of Eduction for Planning, Policy, and Evaluation at the US Department of Education, where they recently awarded $10 million of grants through the Fostering Diverse Schools program, a grant designed to supporting voluntary efforts to increase school socioeconomic diversity throughout the country. He joins us to discuss the grant, as well as the Federal government's role in pushing policy forward. He highlights the need for local advocacy to advance important causes. The Department of Education must advocate for good policy, but creates the most meaningful change when partnering with local efforts.


    LINKS:


    WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORIES ABOUT BROWN V BOARD!!

    We are working on a series to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Brown v Board decision this May. If you have a story of Brown's impact on your life, or you have an elder who are you are connected to who might have a story tell, please send them our way!! Record a voice memo and email it to [email protected], or visit Speakpipe.com/integratedschools.


    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    24 January 2024, 9:00 am
  • 31 minutes 3 seconds
    2023 In Review

    As 2023 comes to a close, we just wanted to take a brief moment to reflect on the year, talk about our hopes for 2024, and hear from you! We share listener voice memos, an update on Integrated Schools, including our new board of directors, and tease a few of the episodes coming in the new year!

    LINKS:


    Check out our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us.

    Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – @integratedschls on twitter, IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us [email protected].

    The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.

    This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Jaden González. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.

    Music by Kevin Casey.

    13 December 2023, 9:00 am
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