1 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to woke AF with me Danielle Moody. Over the 2 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: last few weeks, I've been looking back at a year 3 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: living amidst the coronavirus pandemic as we hit the anniversary 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: milestone this week on woke af Daily on Patreon, which 5 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: you can join right now for just five dollars a 6 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: month at patreon dot com slash woke AF. I spoke 7 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: with three educators from across the country about how they, 8 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: along with their students, families, and faculties, have been dealing 9 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: with adapting to a pandemic that upended life as we 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: knew it. Today, I am sharing part of that forty 11 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: five minute conversation to give you insight on how educators 12 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: have had to spring into action to address issues and 13 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: inequities that existed long before the COVID nineteen outbreak. You'll 14 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: hear from Brian Meeker, a high school biology teacher in Chicago, Illinois, 15 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: who started his schools GSA and anti racist group. You'll 16 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: hear from Teresa Finski Venucci, dean of students for an 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: elementary school in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and Leona Fowler, a 18 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: special education instructional support teacher in Queens, New York. Take 19 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: a listen to how these schools have been coping with 20 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: this unprecedented disruption to what we previously considered our normal, 21 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: everyday life. You know, one of the things that I 22 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: have always thought, particularly about the teaching profession, is just 23 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: how underresourced teachers are consistently across the board. It doesn't 24 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,479 Speaker 1: matter if you teach in a suburb or you teach 25 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: in a city or a rural area. Education across the 26 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: board is really under serviced and under resource. And I'm wondering, 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: and I'll start with you, Brian, what are the ways 28 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: in which you have seen through teaching virtually in this pandemic, 29 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: things that like should have been in place, like that 30 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: schools should have had access to. One of the conversations 31 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,559 Speaker 1: that I've had with a one of the people running 32 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: from mayor in New York City here is, you know 33 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: a majority of low income students didn't have access to internet, 34 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: don't have laptops, don't have computers in their home. These 35 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: are things that we knew, we knew before the pandemic, right, 36 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: but didn't do anything about. So I'm wondering, what are 37 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: some of the things that have come up for you 38 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: that you are learning about the needs of students, the 39 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: needs that the school should have, the infrastructure I should 40 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: say that school should have in order to be able 41 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: to teach in this new innovative space. There's just countless 42 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: inequities that we've seen. The example you brought up. We 43 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: knew that going completely virtual for this long would mean 44 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: giving every student a laptop, which we did, but like 45 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 1: you mentioned, not all of our students have internet or 46 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: reliable internet, or reliable a reliable space to focus and 47 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: do their work. I have a student who just just 48 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: emailed me this morning, and I know for a fact 49 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: that when she's at home, she is taking care of 50 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: her younger brother, who is also doing remote learning. So 51 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: she's on my biology class. She's there, but if I 52 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: call in her, she's not there. And when I assigned 53 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,399 Speaker 1: the work, she doesn't do the work. And so we've 54 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: had conversations over email, and she said, you're on in 55 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: the background, but I have to help my little brother. 56 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: So you know, my parents are working two jobs trying 57 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: to make this work right now, Like my parents lost 58 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: the job because of COVID, so they picked up this. 59 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: So I'm in charge of both of us, and I'm sorry, 60 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: I'm missing your class. So it's this kind of it's 61 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: this terrible no win situation because I obviously want her 62 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: to learn, but obviously I have to understand that she 63 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: and her family and lots of other families are kind 64 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: of in these situations too. The zip code where my 65 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: school is has a COVID positivity rate somewhere nineteen twenty percent. 66 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: It was the worst. It's the worst in Chicago for 67 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: a long period of time. It's a neighborhood that needs 68 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 1: more investment in general, more infrastructure in general, more access 69 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: to vaccines, more access to medical care in general. It's 70 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: just been something we've kind of had to reconcile with. 71 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: This has helped us realize that we need to be 72 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: better about communicating with parents. It's difficult for us because 73 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: if they are working two or three jobs, or if 74 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: it does require a translator, or if it does require 75 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: you know, other kind of pieces, it's a lot more 76 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: difficult for us. But especially with this remote teaching. You know, 77 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: if I can name some students and I have been 78 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: seen a student in two weeks on my online class, 79 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: I need to be able to reach out to someone. 80 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: Get that going, get that communication going, get the kid 81 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: a Wi Fi hot spot, tell them to go to 82 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: a library figure out something. Yeah, a lot, a lot 83 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,119 Speaker 1: of pieces there, Teresa. What are the ways in which 84 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: your school has been able, you know, to some of 85 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: the points that Brian is making about providing laptops, providing 86 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: hot spots. What is the makeup the economic makeup of 87 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: where you are situated, and how have you been able 88 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: to deal with some of the inequities that have bubbled 89 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 1: up to the surface. Yeah, the school district that I 90 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: work in is has a very high rate of free 91 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: reduced lunch, so our poverty level is quite high. And 92 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: we ran into the same problems that Brian was talking 93 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: about when we went virtual, like when the school shut 94 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: down last spring, especially at the elementary levels, we didn't 95 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: have computers and technology for every student. The secondaries did 96 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: because they already had that implemented, but that internet connection 97 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: was definitely tricky. This fall, we did have a device 98 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: for each student. We were running a little bit low, 99 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,119 Speaker 1: like the pre k and kindergarten students were using really 100 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: old devices that had already been retired by the secondary level, 101 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: so they weren't the most reliable. And then everything of 102 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: course was on back order. As you can imagine, every 103 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 1: school district in this country is ordering more technology. So 104 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: we were able to get every student some kind of device, 105 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: so that was great, and we were able to provide 106 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: hot spots. Also, there was a list and there was 107 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: a delay in getting them and then there's you know, 108 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: some tricky things that have to happen there as ours 109 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: logistics and getting them picked up and all of that. 110 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: In our school, the social worker and I, especially at 111 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 1: the beginning of this year, once we got classes going, 112 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: we were completely virtual at the beginning of the year, 113 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 1: and the social worker and I went into a ton 114 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: of home visits, which we had Our school district had 115 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 1: implemented home visits a few years ago as like a 116 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: relationship builder and as a way to connect home and family, 117 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: but it had it wasn't it hadn't been sustainable. So 118 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 1: it's really and I was a big part of that 119 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: program when it came to our district, so it's really 120 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: exciting for me to be able to do that again. 121 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 1: And we went into so many homes, knocked on doors. 122 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 1: You know, some families are really excited to see us 123 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: and some are not, like they're nervous, you know, especially 124 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: like this administrator popping and knocking on your door unannounced, right, 125 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: They're like, am I in trouble? Things like that, and 126 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 1: want to be like, how can we support? And sometimes, 127 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: you know, especially when if they've had history with the 128 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: county and attendance or whatnot, like me showing up, especially 129 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: as a white woman, is not all ways good news, right, 130 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: even that it's coming from a place of support. So 131 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 1: being able to kind of navigate that and figure that 132 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: out was really great for me. And then it was 133 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: also building that relationship so then they can call like, hey, 134 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: you know, I need this. So I was able to 135 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: build those relationships with the families that I don't think 136 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: I would have been able to make had we just 137 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: been in like regular school quote unquote, yeah, yeah, so 138 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: we've definitely done that. We also have every quarter we 139 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: have a supply pickup with new supplies that our district 140 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: has been able you know, with the money that we 141 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: were able to purchase materials with. It's a lot of 142 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: work for teachers to plan that far in advance, to 143 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: think what do our students need you know, a month 144 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: from now for a quarter and then any and then 145 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: we had you know, a scheduled pickup time and then 146 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 1: any families that weren't able to pick it up. My 147 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,239 Speaker 1: principal social worker and I went around and delivered bags, 148 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: which again was like, which was a lot of work, 149 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: but it was also like really nice to get in 150 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: the community more and again knock on those doors, and 151 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: families that aren't able to pick them up are generally 152 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: really happy that you know that you're making things, are 153 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: making the effort to drop them off. I mean, you know, 154 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: I have often said, and I'm sure you all can 155 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: attest to the fact that schools are community hubs, right, 156 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: and they are the source of nutrition, education, safety, you know, 157 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: so much for the community. And I think that now 158 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: one of the I would say, one of the good 159 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: hopefully one of the good side effects of having to 160 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: have been virtual for so long is the fact that 161 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: people recognize how much they should appreciate you all and 162 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: how much work you do on a regular basis, because 163 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: now they've been home with their own children eight, you know, 164 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: nine twenty four hours a day and are just like, oh, 165 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: so this is actually like a real thing, not just 166 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: a place that I go to drop my kids off. 167 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: And I hope you know that all goes well. So 168 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: I think that that can be a positive side effect, 169 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 1: and I like the way that you're saying that you 170 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: have been engaging more in community that has been one 171 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 1: of you know, sounds to be a good side effect 172 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 1: as well. Leona. You know, I have been wondering for 173 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: the past year. I've been thinking so much about special 174 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: education students and wondering how because you know, there are 175 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: a variety of special needs that students have, right, but 176 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: I remember being in the classroom with my kids and 177 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: I was thinking that I've been thinking about them, and 178 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: I'm like, there's no way that they would have been 179 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: able to do virtual learning right, Like learning one on 180 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: one in the classroom or doing pullouts was hard enough, 181 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 1: And so how has it been as a special education 182 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: teacher this time? Tough? Just thinking about inequities. It really 183 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: exposed a lot in regards to infrastructure and things that 184 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: just should have been in place. I think, even for 185 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: the students of special needs, this whole aspect of virtual 186 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: learning or technology just should have never been new for 187 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: New York City. It seemed like many of the special educators, 188 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: especially speaking specifically to us, this was like a brand 189 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 1: new world. Although in the classroom we have to use devices, 190 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: we have to use communication adaptive devices, smart board that 191 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: they can touch screens and all that we had to 192 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: use that the gap was shown in Transferred to home 193 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: where that was that disconnects. I'm glad to hear Theresa. 194 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: You guys really made this family effort. I would say, 195 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: like the hardest part has been with parents having them 196 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: now learn I have to learn, be forced to learn 197 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 1: to teach their kid too, or to work their child 198 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:48,839 Speaker 1: too in the capacity or at least in some capacity 199 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: as we do. So my inequity piece outside of that 200 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 1: whole digital divide, which is a conversation of by itself 201 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: across the US, specifically here in New York, would be 202 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: an other one was parent trainings. Parents really need it 203 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: training on how to work an iPad. They may have 204 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: just known it for the recreational matter to touch an 205 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: app and go into an app, but watching YouTube, maybe 206 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: check an email I message, but in the capacity of 207 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: work of a Google classroom, it was like, oh my god, 208 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: you would have never thought anyone ever saw iPad before. 209 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: It was just like, no, it's the same like your phone. 210 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: It's the same. It was a lot. I mean, that's 211 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: been the stress. Even to this. They were a year 212 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:38,319 Speaker 1: now later into this virtual space, and parents are still struggling, 213 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: and that's been hard because it's like I can't go 214 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: into home, like I can't tell you how to help 215 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 1: Leona stop crying right now, Like this is what I 216 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,600 Speaker 1: would have done, Please, mom, go get this, go get that. 217 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: This is what we use. And parents are just kind 218 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: of like, I don't know, and that is why a 219 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: lot do send them back in even though they're fearful 220 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: of Corona there. I'm not sure if it's the right 221 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: thing to do, but as don't know what to do 222 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: at home, and I think if we did an even 223 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: greater effort, because my school really is trying to really 224 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: make greater effort to continue to strengthen and fostered to 225 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: parents and student and family connection. But before COVID, it 226 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: just should have been a lot of in home stuff 227 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: that was happening, not when it's just a crisis, especially 228 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: like kids, they go into crisis, and that's where in 229 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: home attempts happened, because things really can happen really bad 230 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: depending on the type of disability or behavior challenge. I 231 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: would say the tough piece is a lot of parents 232 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:43,199 Speaker 1: just don't know what to do. They don't know how 233 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: to work or device to the point where they're pushing 234 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: it aside and just saying like, we just can't do it. 235 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 1: And because as special needs students, it sometimes just goes 236 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: with all right, well, we're just glad you tried, mom, 237 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: We're just glad you tried. And then that's like the 238 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: end of it, you know, And then the accountability is 239 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: just kind of like uneven because then you have those 240 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: parents that really are into it. They're in every meeting, 241 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: they're like trying to do these ips with you. Whatever 242 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: button you tell them the press, They're like, I see it. 243 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 1: Can you hear me? Now, okay, I tried it. I 244 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: did a reset. You have those parents too, so then 245 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: it's like you don't want one parent to be able 246 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: to get away with I don't know what to do, 247 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: so I don't even know where the iPad is, miss Fowler, 248 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: you know, or you know, and then that's it. So 249 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: that's been a real struggle, and it really showed an 250 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: inequity to access for parents materials and things that see 251 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: that their child is learning at home, I mean in 252 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: the school when they're with us. It really should be 253 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,719 Speaker 1: a transparency of like oh yes, when Leona brought that home. 254 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: She did show me in her Google classroom, so that 255 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: when she's now in the language should just be so even. 256 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 1: And it's going to take work because we have English 257 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: language learners, we have parents from other countries, like it's 258 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: New York City is a huge, one of the largest 259 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: school districts, right, so it's never easy to try to 260 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: get every parent to attend a training. But if that 261 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: was just like a huge rollout or more of a 262 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: megaphone of a thing we need parents to get on 263 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: board with, that would be something I rally for. And 264 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: I too do policy work, have a degree in policy, 265 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 1: so I'm really trying to push, even on a community 266 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: level that parents really take advantage of when they see 267 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: these blasts for training on Google, for training on Zoom, 268 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: we're training on adaptive communication devices. Tackle it, try it, 269 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: try it out. My roundtable with Leona, Teresa and Brian 270 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: was an incredibly deep, insightful discussion and one that I 271 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: do hope you will check out in full. At patreon 272 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 1: dot com slash wokaf We're coming up on our one 273 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: year anniversary of being on Patreon, and I have hundreds 274 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: more conversations with friends and experts that you can access 275 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: starting at just five dollars a month, and there's more 276 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: to come every single week, so don't be shy. Join 277 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: Woka f Nation and become part of the conversation until 278 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: next week or when I see you in the comments 279 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: on Patreon. Power to the people and to all the people. Power, 280 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.