1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. I am excited today 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: because we have Erica Donald's here with us to talk 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: about education. And just so you know, Erica is a 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: guest faculty member for the Leadership Institute's School Board leaders programs, 5 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: as well as the CEO of Optima Ed, an education 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: experienced company dedicated to expanding high quality school choice. And 7 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: she also happens to be married to someone that we've 8 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: had on this podcast before, whose name is Congressman Byron 9 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: Donald's and together they have three boys, which means education 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 1: is not only her professional passion but also her personal 11 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: passion because as a mom of four girls, I know 12 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: what it's like to want to make sure that your 13 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: kids are getting the best possible education. So, Erica, welcome 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: to the podcast. 15 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,319 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to. 16 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: Be here absolutely, and so you can tell us how 17 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: to make sure that our kids are getting the best education, 18 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: because you have a lot of really interesting things going on. 19 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: I mean, there's so much to touch. I think that 20 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: it's interesting to me because after COVID, a lot of 21 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 1: us opened our eyes to the fact that education might 22 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: not be exactly what we thought. And there's a lot 23 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: of alternative forms of education that people might not know about. 24 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: So if you can kind of like dig into that 25 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: and tell us what you're working on. 26 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, you know, twelve years ago is where my 27 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,479 Speaker 3: education journey began. I was in investment management for twenty years, 28 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 3: had no thought to education except buying a house in 29 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 3: the neighborhood where I wanted my kids to go to 30 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 3: school like a lot of middle class families do. 31 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: But I learned pretty quickly. 32 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 3: That when you have four girls or three boys, not 33 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:37,839 Speaker 3: every one of them is going to learn the same 34 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 3: And so I exactly find something a little bit different 35 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 3: for my middle child, and I discovered school choice when 36 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 3: I found that I didn't have it, you know, I 37 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 3: couldn't afford some of the private schools I paid a 38 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 3: premium for this house. But I discovered class school education 39 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 3: a small private school, and that really started me on 40 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 3: a journey of trying to make this type of education 41 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 3: available to as many families as possible, helping to. 42 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 2: Start CHRT schools. 43 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 3: I served on a school board for a while, hoping 44 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 3: to change the public school system. I gave up on 45 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 3: that pretty quickly started Optima ed, where we've been able 46 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 3: to open now starting on six classical charter schools, including 47 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 3: Optima Academy Online, which is a nationwide virtual classical school, 48 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 3: the world's first be our school available to families everywhere, 49 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 3: and a growing number of families tuition free. I truly 50 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 3: believe that to fix our education system, we need a 51 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 3: free market in. 52 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 2: Education, and that's what at the leadership is too it. 53 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 3: As I'm traveling around talking to families, they want options, 54 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 3: but the things that they really want, high quality, a 55 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 3: school that aligns with their values, can only come about 56 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 3: with a free market enterprise system that's going to increase 57 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 3: quality and access and innovation in our education arena for everyone. 58 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: It's been interesting because we've seen a lot of states 59 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: in the past couple of years change over. I think 60 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: COVID really started that with governors across the country. Governors 61 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: started to say say, gosh, you know, we need to 62 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: give people an option because they saw their school boards 63 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: having more power than they had as governor and shutting 64 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: schools down. And then I know in Arizona at the time, 65 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: Governor Doucy said, if your school is shutting down, we're 66 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: going to help you to go to a different school. 67 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: And that kind of started that whole push toward a 68 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 1: lot of different states saying, man, if your kid isn't learning, 69 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: like you said, if you have one kid that isn't 70 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: learning well in that school, why shouldn't you, as the parent, 71 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: get to choose the business that's going to make your 72 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: child successful? Because school, I mean, ultimately it is a business, 73 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: and yet it doesn't have to perform like a business. 74 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: If it doesn't perform, it still gets money. And it 75 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: doesn't make any sense. 76 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: The public school monopoly is simply not working. It hasn't 77 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 3: worked for decades. And you're right, it's not operated like 78 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 3: a business, certainly not in the way that they spend 79 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 3: tax dollars. I mean, we look at how much it's 80 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 3: being spent and the results, which are abysmal right now, frankly, 81 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 3: versus what people are getting out of their eesa dollars 82 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 3: or out of the charter school dollars that are that 83 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 3: are a fraction and no business is operating that way. 84 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 3: But most importantly, and you mentioned COVID and how much 85 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 3: people woke up, the teachers' union showed us who they 86 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 3: are in COVID. They don't put students first, they put 87 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 3: unions first. They put adults first, and the curtain was 88 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 3: pulled back on the low quality curriculum and teaching and 89 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 3: learning that's happening in our schools. 90 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 2: Parents were outraged. 91 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 3: I heard from many of them about the low quality 92 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 3: of the curriculum, and they're recognizing the curriculum crisis. And 93 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 3: then finally, what I mentioned earlier, the misalignment of values 94 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 3: in this monopolistic system where parents are forced by rule 95 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 3: of law to send their children all day, every day, 96 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 3: and those people were giving out information that was contrary 97 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 3: to the values that the parents had at home. Cultural indoctrination, 98 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 3: political indoctrination were looking at changing pronouns and forcing children 99 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 3: into mature conversations that they're not ready for. 100 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: And so we thought about it though from that perspective 101 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 1: that you are, you really are legally forced to send 102 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: your child to this school every day, to this building 103 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: every day, and what they're going to teach them you 104 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,159 Speaker 1: have little say over. And I thought it was interesting 105 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:15,679 Speaker 1: that you said you started with the school board because 106 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: you thought you could have an impact on your public 107 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: school and quickly realized that that wasn't going to be 108 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: the answer for you. Because I think some people are 109 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: getting to the point now where We've had a lot 110 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: of this activism, so a lot of people have joined 111 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: the school board and they aren't having the results that 112 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: they were hoping to have, and so I think you 113 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: give them hope by saying, well, if that doesn't work, 114 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: there are other options. 115 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 2: Well. 116 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and I'm really proud of what we've done since 117 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 3: I left the school board with Optima. But it's also 118 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 3: why I joined the Leadership Institute as a guest faculty 119 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 3: and why we are traveling the country to. 120 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 2: Train school board members on how to be effective. 121 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 3: We do have more school board members on our side, 122 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,919 Speaker 3: if you will, than ever before, thanks to even groups 123 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 3: like Moms for Liberty Leadership that's helping get the candidates elected. 124 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 3: But once you're elected, you need training and support so 125 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 3: you can be effective. 126 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 2: Model policies things. 127 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 3: Like that that are going to allow these school board 128 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 3: members to actually have more of an influence than I 129 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 3: had in my four years when I was in the minority, 130 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 3: and it literally took me four years to get even 131 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 3: to my first priority in my cat pain and even then, 132 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 3: you know, they just don't well be every chance they got. 133 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,679 Speaker 3: But there is a way to make change as school 134 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 3: board members. And I'm really proud of the work that 135 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 3: the leadership and student is doing to help make that happen. 136 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: So tell us a little bit about a VR school, 137 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: because I know a lot of people came out of 138 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: COVID and went, man, I don't ever want to be 139 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: on something that sounds like an online school game now. 140 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: A lot of people also don't realize that we had 141 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 1: online k through twelve before COVID that was very successful. 142 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 1: But those are specifically trained to be online. And so 143 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: when people get a little bit nervous about an online 144 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: type of school now, I think they need to understand 145 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: that that is different than just taking your public school 146 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 1: that's never been online and trying to convert them overnight. 147 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, it is the difference between emergency pandemic learning and 148 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 3: truly intentional, high quality virtual options. And when we went 149 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 3: online during COVID, I was operating a brick and mortar 150 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 3: classical school. I did not have an online school, and 151 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 3: I went to the shelf looking for something to purchase 152 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 3: for my students to replicate what we were doing in 153 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 3: person and keep that high quality experience. Frankly, there were 154 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 3: some good online options, but nothing classical, nothing liberal arts 155 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: that I wanted. So we created our own program that 156 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 3: really replicated the in person experience, kept that rigorous curriculum, 157 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 3: the high quality, classical nature of what we do in 158 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 3: person online, and we had parents contacting us saying, we 159 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 3: want to participate in your online program. 160 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 2: We hear how good it is, even though our children 161 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: don't go to your school. 162 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 3: So we decided at the end of the pandemic when 163 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 3: in Florida, thankfully we all went back in person that 164 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 3: we had about one hundred students whose families wanted to 165 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 3: stay online because just as many families who say, I 166 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 3: can take this anymore, and I was one of them, 167 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 3: my kids need to go back to school. I have 168 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 3: one child out of three who really thrived being able 169 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 3: to work at his own pace online without the distractions 170 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 3: of in person schooling. And so I think, just like 171 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 3: we've been talking about, you know, parents need different options, 172 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 3: as long as it is a high quality option with 173 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 3: well qualified teachers who are passionate about their subject matter, 174 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 3: and the curriculum is solid. Most importantly, online options like 175 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 3: Optima Academy Online can be a great asset for families 176 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 3: and a great option when they don't have others. Now, 177 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 3: when it comes to VR, if you think about the 178 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 3: checkerboard of faces that was live learning. If you were 179 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 3: lucky enough to get live learning during the pandemic, you know, 180 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 3: parents are managing twenty five different classrooms. It's completely impossible 181 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 3: for educators to do when you have on a VR headset. 182 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: Our students are in a classroom with their teacher and 183 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 3: their peers. 184 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: Is I mean, That's what I was wondering. I'm like, 185 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: VR learning, Are they actually feel like those They put 186 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: those goggle things on and they feel like they're right there? 187 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: That is so neat. 188 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 3: We have a whole campus and that they do classrooms 189 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 3: inside and outdoors, but even better, we immerse them in 190 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 3: experiences such as going to ancient rome when they're learning 191 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 3: about history, or they go. 192 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 2: To the moon and actually watch a lunar landing. 193 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 3: The one I'm most proud of is our Constitutional experience, 194 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 3: where we've built Independence Hall and they can actually go through. 195 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 2: The Constitutional, the founding. 196 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:29,079 Speaker 3: Fathers, their debates over the Constitution, and feel like they 197 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 3: were there in person for what actually occurred at Independence Hall, 198 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 3: for the founding of our country. 199 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 2: Gives me chills just to talk about it. So there's 200 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 2: a lot that we can do with technology on. 201 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 3: Our side of the aisle, if you will, because the 202 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 3: progressives are taking off with it in ways that we 203 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 3: don't really want for our children. But we can create 204 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 3: a really high quality experience in virtual reality and digitally 205 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 3: that parents can be involved in with their children at home, 206 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 3: if they so choose, and if that's the best option 207 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:55,440 Speaker 3: for them. 208 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: Is that available to people across the country. Is that 209 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: only in your area? How does that work? 210 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 3: We are nationwide now. We are continuing to work on 211 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 3: being tuition free nationwide. So we are tuition free in 212 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 3: Florida and Arizona. We are on the education Stagmans account 213 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 3: platforms in other states including North Carolina, Iowa, and Hampshire. 214 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 3: Every day my team is working hard to get us 215 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 3: on platforms or get the funding available because I truly 216 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 3: believe that it should be free, a high quality education 217 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 3: option for every single family in the country. I believe 218 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 3: so much in the classical model and in school choice 219 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 3: that this is my way of trying to make a 220 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 3: difference there. 221 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 222 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: a Tutor Dixon podcast. One other area that I wanted 223 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 1: to get to with you in public education, because you've 224 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: been outspoken about the uncontrollable influx of migrants at our border. 225 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: Both you and your husband have been outspoken about this, 226 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: but you bring up some points that I think a 227 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: lot of us have not considered when we think about 228 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: people coming across the border, and that is that these 229 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: kids are coming into schools with our students, and these 230 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: children don't speak English, and just the amount of resources 231 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: that get taken away from kids in that classroom because 232 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: there are so many students suddenly who come in English 233 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: is not their first language. They're trying to learn English, 234 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: They're trying to learn what they're being taught in class, 235 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: and those resources are being stretched. Because how can a 236 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: teacher who has never taught a student that doesn't learn, 237 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: that doesn't know English, be able to really prioritize the 238 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: students that are American citizens when you have all of 239 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: these migrant students who are not American citizens, who are 240 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: not vaccinated. I would like to point out also, and 241 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: they don't speak English. 242 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 3: This is a huge problem that people are not talking 243 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 3: about when it comes to the immigration crisis of our country. 244 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 3: Is to be saying you have perhaps a million children 245 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 3: who have come across the board. That the Supreme Court 246 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 3: says that our schools have to serve and some districts, 247 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 3: especially urban districts, have had to hire more social workers, 248 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 3: more English language learner teachers, more guidance counselors, and of 249 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 3: course more teachers themselves, even though there's a teacher shortage 250 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 3: already to service these students. But studies show that as 251 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 3: students who do not speak the native language, who are 252 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 3: behind academically for coming into these classrooms, that resources are diverted, 253 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 3: not just stretched, but diverted away from American students, the 254 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 3: families of tax paying Americans who. 255 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 2: Are paying for these schools. 256 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 3: They are losing out on these precious resources in order 257 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 3: to service those who. 258 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 2: Are more behind. 259 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,559 Speaker 3: We know that our students are already too far behind 260 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 3: to compete globally. They need all the resources that they 261 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 3: can get. And unfortunately, because Biden has allowed this crisis, 262 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 3: we're going to see an effect on the academic performance 263 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 3: of our schools even more than we have in the past. 264 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: Well, I mean we are seeing a significant effect. Let 265 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: me pick on Minnesota for a second. That is ilhan 266 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: Omar's home state. That they have a large migrant population 267 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: there and it continues to grow on a regular basis, 268 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:20,199 Speaker 1: a large group from Somalia in Minnesota, and I mean 269 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: to the point where Minneapolis has an entire section that 270 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: is now just called Little Somalia, and seventy five schools 271 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: last year had a zero percent proficiency rate in math. 272 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: That is, four percent of the schools there had a 273 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: zero percent proficiency rate in math. And this is not 274 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,719 Speaker 1: to pick on immigrants. This is to say, these are 275 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: folks who are coming in and they don't speak the language, 276 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: and there is nothing in the public school system that says, okay, 277 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 1: when this happens, now we're going to do this. And 278 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: these are not folks that are paying the taxes to. 279 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 3: Be there, and that no one is increasing their budgets 280 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 3: either to accommodate. In fact, we see New York City 281 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 3: decreasing budgets in order to accommodate the immigrants housing and 282 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 3: medical care. So no new information or new budget is 283 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 3: going into the schools to accommodate the needs of these immigrants. 284 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 3: And so not only is the teacher attention, which is 285 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 3: the biggest resource that our students have diverted to students 286 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 3: who need that additional help, but resources certainly are being 287 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 3: diverted as well. You mentioned in Minnesota, you know in Baltimore, 288 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 3: forty percent of the high. 289 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 2: Schools have zero proficiency. 290 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 3: I mean, can you imagine sending a child into a 291 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 3: school environment where none, not a single child in their 292 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 3: entire school is reading or doing mathematics on grade level. 293 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: But robbery on so many levels, because you are robbing 294 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 1: these children of an education, so therefore you are robbing 295 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: them of a future, and you're robbing the residents of 296 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: their tax dollars because if you I mean, like I said, 297 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: it's not run like a business, because a business is 298 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: not allowed to fail. If a business fails, it fails. 299 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: There's no safety net for a business. But these schools 300 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: are run where they're not held accountable to anything. In fact, 301 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: that even lower scoring so that they can say, oh, 302 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: actually these kids are passing. They're not passing. This is ridiculous. 303 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 3: Yes, we saw in Portland, in that area, they eliminated 304 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 3: the need to pass a proficiency test in order to 305 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 3: graduate high school. 306 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 2: And why are we calling them graduates? 307 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 3: We should just call them finishers because they sat in 308 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 3: a seat for thirteen years from K to twelve and 309 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 3: then they left. 310 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 2: But we don't know if they read, and we don't 311 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 2: know if they do math. 312 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 3: In fact, we know that they don't based on past 313 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 3: experience and performance, and we see it in New York 314 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 3: as well. They tried to lower the proficiency rates for 315 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 3: reading because the scores were so low, embarrassingly low. 316 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 2: They want to move the bar lower so that they. 317 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 3: Can say, oh, yes, there are this many students above 318 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 3: the bar, when we know that that bar is already 319 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 3: too low. When you look at how we're performing against 320 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 3: other countries, we are near the bottom now for K 321 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 3: twelve academic performance, and so we need to get serious 322 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 3: as a country about academic excellence. 323 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 2: We need both our leaders. 324 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 3: At the federal level and at state levels across the 325 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 3: country to make this a priority. But most importantly, as 326 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 3: you and I both know, the thing that really changes 327 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 3: things is when parents continue to rise up and demand options, 328 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 3: demand accountability and transparency by their local schools and by 329 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 3: their state governments. That's really the thing that starts the change. 330 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 3: But wouldn't it be great if we had leaders across 331 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 3: our country who actually made this into a priority instead 332 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 3: of making excuses for the teachers' unions. 333 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: Well absolutely, how much of this though, is also if 334 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: we had leaders that would stop the influx. I mean, 335 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: we're looking at ten percent of our students now not 336 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: speaking English, ten percent speaking another language and learning English 337 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 1: while they are in the classroom, and now we're seeing 338 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: now historically it's been mostly Spanish, but now we're seeing Russian, Ukrainian, 339 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: in Arabic, all of these kids coming in from other 340 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: countries not speaking English. This to me as we see 341 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: the world at war, as we see more anti Semitism 342 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: rise in our universities, and we saw just what we 343 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: saw last week with the presidents of the universities refusing 344 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 1: to say that calling for genocide is harassment, I mean 345 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: just a harassment, that this is against the code of conduct. 346 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: That's all they had to say, Yeah, yeah, you can't 347 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,679 Speaker 1: call for like the murder of an entire group of people. 348 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,360 Speaker 1: And they were like, well, what depends on the context 349 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: of genocides. That word means one thing. There's a context 350 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: in the word. 351 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 3: It was so shocking to watch them say that with 352 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 3: a straight face. And then when congresswomen in Stefana kept 353 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,399 Speaker 3: asking them again and again, hoping that they would click 354 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 3: and give the opportunity to say, no, we actually don't 355 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,719 Speaker 3: want our students calling for genocide of Jews on our campuses. 356 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 3: They refuse to say it until after they talked to 357 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 3: their crisis management teams back home. Right now, they're trying 358 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 3: to save their jobs, but every single one of them 359 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 3: should resign. I'm so glad that they were exposed that 360 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 3: this has been going on in our college campuses for 361 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 3: so long, and now, frankly, it is infiltrating our K 362 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 3: to twelve schools as well, because it's coming through the teachers' colleges. 363 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 3: Right that mindset that we saw on full display in 364 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 3: Congress this week with those university presidents, that's what's being 365 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 3: taught in our teachers colleges, and those teachers are in 366 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 3: our K to twelve schools, and regardless of what these 367 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 3: laws are at the state level saying you can't say this, 368 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 3: and you can't say that, no one is in those 369 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 3: classrooms to hold those teachers accountable. 370 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 2: And it doesn't. Nothing makes the case for school choice 371 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 2: more than that. 372 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: If you're five, well, I will say I with the university. 373 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: I talked to a gentleman just a couple of days ago. 374 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: This totally. I guess I put it in a different 375 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: perspective for me because we keep hearing about Asian discrimination 376 00:18:56,480 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: on college campuses and that Asian students have been even 377 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 1: though they have the highest grades, they're not getting the 378 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: places at our Ivy League universities. And he said, I 379 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: look at my son. He was Indian American. He said, 380 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:12,959 Speaker 1: I look at my son, and in the time that 381 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: he was in high school, I started up a new 382 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: tech company. He said, he worked twice as hard as 383 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: I did. He gave up all of his time with 384 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,159 Speaker 1: his friends. He was busting his butt on a regular 385 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: basis just to get in and he squeaked in and 386 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,199 Speaker 1: when he got there, he said there were kids that 387 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: hardly had to work at all, but because they were 388 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: under the label of people of color, they got into Stanford. 389 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: And he said he called me and he said, Dad, 390 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,919 Speaker 1: there are dorms that I'm not allowed to go in 391 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: because I'm not a person of color. And he said, 392 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: this is driving these young people, for the first time 393 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 1: away from liberalism. He said, I am a liberal, but 394 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: I am now I've been driven away from this because 395 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 1: he said, I cannot believe how horribly my son has 396 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: been discriminated against. He said, my niece had to she 397 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,959 Speaker 1: heard my life goal was to get to Harvard, and 398 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:06,719 Speaker 1: he said she entered Harvard as a transman and was 399 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: welcomed into Harvard, did all of the work, wrote the 400 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: essay I'm a trans man. He said, on day one 401 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,399 Speaker 1: she was in trans studies as a transman, and on 402 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: day two she was in computer science as herself. And 403 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 1: he said, and the reason she did that was because 404 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: if they are going to mess with her this way, 405 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: even though she's the best qualified, she's going to play 406 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: the game. And I was like, man that, I mean, 407 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: it's so sad that that is where we are. But 408 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,439 Speaker 1: it's very interesting to me that young people have started 409 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: to say I have to do something to hide who 410 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: I am to get where I deserve to be. That's 411 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 1: pretty sad. 412 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 3: And not hide who I am as a bad person, right, 413 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 3: bad things I've done in my past. 414 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: I mean, hide my ethnicity. 415 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 3: No, but hie who I am, from my ethnicity, from 416 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 3: my history, from my just normal sexuality, like all of. 417 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 2: These crazy things. 418 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:07,959 Speaker 3: Because you have to be counterculture, you have to be different, 419 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,400 Speaker 3: you have to be you know, liberal, and in many 420 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 3: cases in order to be appealing to these opportunities that 421 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 3: every student should have based on their merits and their 422 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 3: hard work and their intelligence. It's so sad that the 423 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 3: country that we live in America. This meritocracy has turned 424 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 3: into this, and we really cannot let it go. We 425 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 3: can't let this happen. And I think that the fight 426 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 3: is in our people, right, The fight is in parents 427 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,199 Speaker 3: who see this, who you the same ones that you 428 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 3: just heard from. It's not left or right. Even people 429 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 3: on both sides of the aisle are seeing this idiocy, 430 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 3: seeing the anti semitism on display, seeing the hypocrisy, and 431 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 3: frankly the racism that is taking place. And I think 432 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 3: we're going to continue to see an uprising against it. 433 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 3: We're going to see it in next year's election, I believe, 434 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 3: and I would predict, and I'm really happy to see that. 435 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 3: But it is horrifying to see where we are in 436 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:03,959 Speaker 3: many ways. 437 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: It is in fact, you know, when we had your 438 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: husband on Congressman Byron Donald, he was talking about the 439 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 1: fact that liberals have actually you have experienced racism being 440 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,400 Speaker 1: in an inter racial marriage from liberals. How bizarre is that? 441 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 3: Far more than any time in our history. We met 442 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 3: in college at Florida State University, so we've been together 443 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 3: about twenty three years now, and even in what I 444 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,880 Speaker 3: would call sort of the Deep South in Tallahassee, Florida 445 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 3: and North Florida all the way to Naples. When we 446 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 3: moved here, which was very white and you know, very 447 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 3: much older, older population, we did not experience racism in 448 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 3: the way that we do today. With him as a 449 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:48,159 Speaker 3: Republican congressman, you should see some of the comments and 450 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 3: memes and things that put people put out there are 451 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 3: absolutely despicable. 452 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 2: But it doesn't come from the right. 453 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 3: It doesn't even come from older generations that you might 454 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:02,919 Speaker 3: think have some antiquated viewpoints. It's absolutely coming from just 455 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,399 Speaker 3: if they were all in one category, it would be 456 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:06,400 Speaker 3: the liberal left. 457 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 458 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. That is so crazy to think, 459 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:19,719 Speaker 1: but that racism seems to be the new norm in 460 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: the political arena on the left. And I was thinking 461 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: about this earlier today. I'm like, gosh, you know, for 462 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 1: years they have been calling us the racist and the 463 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: anti Semites, and man, have they been exposed in the 464 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: past few months. And I thought, gosh, So oftentimes, you know, 465 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: when you have someone that is, you know, one of 466 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,920 Speaker 1: those toxic people in your life, you're told time and 467 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: time again, usually they're projecting what they're saying about you 468 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 1: is who they actually are. And I don't think we 469 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: could have even fully unpacked the level to which they 470 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: are racist and anti semitic, and yet here we are 471 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: seeing it today. And I just want you to know 472 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 1: that we appreciate you in your family and everything that 473 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: you guys do to fight against that kind of stuff. 474 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 3: Well, it's truly an honor to be in the position 475 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 3: that we're in to be able to make a difference 476 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 3: for buyer and to do so in Washington, DC and 477 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 3: for me just in my corner of the world here 478 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 3: when it comes to education, being able to be on 479 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 3: shows like yours, appreciate what you do to give this. 480 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 2: A platform and talk about these important issues. 481 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 3: And I think it empowers other people to be courageous 482 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 3: to step out, whether it means running for office or 483 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 3: just being an activist and speaking to your friends and 484 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 3: neighbors about the things that are important. I think you 485 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 3: find a lot more synergy regardless of what side of 486 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 3: the aisle you think they sit on, because this is 487 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 3: just common sense stuff and we're going to lose our 488 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 3: country otherwise. So I just encourage everyone to be courageous, 489 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 3: stand for what you believe, in and don't be afraid 490 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 3: to talk to people about it. 491 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: It's so true. We've been talking about this so much lately, 492 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 1: just about don't put all your faith even in government. 493 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: I mean, we've never put our faith in government. It 494 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: is about you, and you can join government and have 495 00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 1: an impact that way, but if you choose not to. 496 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: In a cap society, you have a lot of power. 497 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,880 Speaker 1: Your dollar has a lot of power, and so you 498 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:08,240 Speaker 1: can stop. I mean, we were just talking about Disney 499 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: the other day and all of these actors that are 500 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 1: in the Marvel movies who have come out against Republicans, 501 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: and I'm like, you know, it's not even that they 502 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: have this woke content and what they're doing. It's the 503 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 1: these people who we go to because they're professional entertainers. 504 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 1: I mean, that's their job. Then they go out and 505 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 1: they say terrible things about us. If you say something 506 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: terrible about me, I don't really want to pay to 507 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: have you entertain me, which is your professional job, but 508 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 1: you kind of ruin your professional job. 509 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,360 Speaker 3: It does, and thank goodness, now there's a lot more 510 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 3: competition for entertainment and we can choose to go elsewhere. 511 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:45,640 Speaker 2: You know, it used to not be that way. 512 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 3: Where you had limited options, and now you've got some 513 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 3: amazing Christian organizations developing movies. You've got Dneesh Jsuza doing 514 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 3: great things with his production and others. So we finally 515 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 3: have more of a less monopolistic market when it comes 516 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 3: to entertainment and we can vote with our feet. And 517 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 3: I can only hope that that continues to happen in 518 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,920 Speaker 3: education and we see the same free market impact where 519 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 3: people can vote with their feet when things do not 520 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 3: align with their values or the quality that they expect. 521 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 3: And that's what we're hoping for in Florida with the 522 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 3: Universal esays. I know it's happening in Arizona now as well, 523 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 3: and we've only just begun. 524 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: That's something that we've also been talking about with some 525 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 1: anytime government getting's involved in something, it doesn't seem to 526 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: be successful. So whether it's the VA and helping veterans 527 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 1: who are wounded or suffering from PTSD, or education, it 528 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: just seems like it's the the we, the people who 529 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 1: do it better. So I appreciate what you do every 530 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: single day. Tell our audience again how they can look 531 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: up your schools and understand a little more about it. 532 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 2: Right, we're optima ed dot com. 533 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 3: And if you're looking nationwide for the online program, it's 534 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 3: Optima Academy dot online and you can sign up there 535 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 3: find out if you qualify for tuition free option optimam 536 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 3: Academy Online. And of course the Leadership Institute if you 537 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 3: are looking to become an activist or run for school board, 538 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 3: or if you're an existing school board member that wants 539 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 3: trading leadership instudents, where you want to go to sign 540 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 3: up for our services. 541 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,879 Speaker 1: There, wonderful Erica Donalds, thank you so much for being on. 542 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. 543 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 1: It was great absolutely, and thank you all for joining 544 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: us on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. For this episode and others. 545 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: Check out tutordisonpodcast dot com. You can subscribe right there, 546 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: or head over to the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or 547 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts and join us next time 548 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Have a blessed ding