6 chapters across the catalog
A listener note from Brandon Johnson discusses the influence of the British company Pearson on the American education system and curriculum. The segment also features a tangent about Adam Curry interviewing ZZ Top in LaGrange, Texas, in 1985. The hosts reiterate their independence from the "captured" podcasting industry that prioritizes downloads over content.
High School Biology Teacher, Climate Change Skepticism in Schools
A high school biology teacher in Washington State shared an anecdote about being confronted by colleagues for telling a student that climate change is not a religion. The teacher argued that educators are often pressured to follow specific political agendas dictated by curriculum providers like Pearson. The story emphasizes the professional tension within the education system regarding environmental instruction.
PARCC Testing, Common Core Glitches and Teacher Stress
Reports from New Jersey teachers highlight significant technical failures and high stress levels associated with the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) standardized tests. Teachers describe Pearson's testing software skipping questions and suffering from login glitches, while administrators allegedly threaten educators' jobs based on student performance. The hosts link these issues to the broader implementation of Common Core standards funded by the Gates Foundation.
Common Core, Gates Foundation and PandoDaily Expose
Reports from PandoDaily and The Washington Post reveal the extensive financial influence of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on the implementation of Common Core standards. The foundation is accused of funding PBS programming and various advocacy groups to promote the standards, which benefit educational publishers like Pearson. Several states, including Oklahoma and South Carolina, have recently withdrawn from the program.
Common Core, Huckleberry Finn, Pearson Education
Listener emails describe the impact of Common Core standards on literature and history curricula. One student shares an experience reading "Huckleberry Finn" and the controversy surrounding its language. Another report highlights a Pearson Education textbook that explicitly uses the phrase "New World Order" in a chapter title regarding 1990s history.
Pearson Education and Obama Biography in Schools
A teacher's email highlights the role of Pearson Education in standardized testing and teacher certification. The hosts also discuss a controversial biography of Barack Obama being used in Illinois schools that addresses his past drug use and racial identity.
