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The Integrated Schools Podcast

The Integrated Schools Podcast

By: Andrew Lefkowits Val Brown Courtney Mykytyn
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About this listen

Hosts, Andrew, a White dad from Denver, and, Val, a Black mom from North Carolina, dig into topics about race, parenting, and school segregation. With a variety of guests ranging from parents to experts, these conversation strive to live in the nuance of a complicated topic.

©2018-2025 IntegratedSchools
Parenting & Families Personal Development Personal Success Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Eve Ewing Revisited
    Aug 13 2025

    Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism is the Integrated Schools Book Club pick for the fall. So we thought we'd revisit our episode with Dr. Ewing. If you've never attended Book Club, it's a wonderful to chance to chat with folks from around the country who are interested in school integration. We have small groups and great facilitators who make sure the conversation flows. Book Club is free! Register now!

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    Public education is touted as the bedrock of democracy, a leveler of playing fields, and our best tool to create active, engaged citizens. And while that vision is powerful, Dr. Eve L. Ewing argues that it was never intended to be those things for Black or Native students. In fact, her new book, Original Sins: The (MIs)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, maintains that schooling in America was created to prepare White kids for leadership, Black kids for subjugation, and Native kids for erasure.

    She joins us to discuss these three separate strands of education and the tools of discipline and punishment, implied intellectual inferiority, and preparation for economic subjugation used to support them. She leaves us with love, justice and a focus on flourishing as possible antidotes to help us imagine something better.

    LINKS:

    • Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago's South Side
    • Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism
    • Bughouse Square - Eve Ewing's Podcast with co-ghost, Studs Terkel
    • Faith Ringgold - United States of Attica, 1971
    • Gwendolyn Brooks - We Real Cool
    • How Watermelons Became a Racist Trope - William R. Black in The Atlantic
    • The Abigail Fisher case
    • Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica - currently at the Art Institute Chicago
    • Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer
    • S7E9 – Revisiting Heather McGhee on How Racism Hurts Us All

    Use these links or start at 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.

    Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video versions of our episodes.

    Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us podcast@integratedschools.org.

    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.



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Big, Beautiful Monstrosity - and a Call to Action
    Jul 6 2025

    The president just signed a truly monstrous piece of legislation into law. Much has been written about the impacts on health, climate and the debt, but there is a lesser known evil lurking in this bill - a national school voucher plan. It's temping to lose hope, but there is something each of us can do.

    LINKS:

    • A blog post version of this episode.

    Visit 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 podcast@integratedschools.org.

    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.



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • Reflections on Season 11
    Jun 11 2025

    As Season 11 comes to a close, we wanted to spend some time reflecting on the lessons we've learned from this season and what we hope for in Season 12. We'll be off for the summer with a few possible bonus episodes, and back for real in the fall. In the mean time, we want to express our deepest appreciation for a number of people who make this podcast run.

    Firstly, to all of our guests, thank you for joining us, for sharing your stories and your wisdom with us. Being in conversation with each of you is a true gift that we do not take likely.

    To the podcast team - Darci, Jennifer, Jenna, Anna, Susan, Courtney - thank you for your work on transcripts and promotional material, but more importantly for your thought partnership on each episode and the entire season. The conversations you share, the insights you bring are what keeps the podcast relevant and topical and helps us dive into nuanced topics knowing you're listening and thinking about these things along side of us.

    To our Patreon supporters and Integrated Schools donors, your belief in this work and your willingness to support it with your financial resources isn't something we take for granted. Your belief in us keeps us invested in the work and motivates us to always make the best episodes we can.

    And finally, to all of you, our listeners, it is truly and honor to be in this with each and every one of you as we try to know better and do better.

    Until next season!

    ________________

    Finding a school where your children can thrive, while avoiding contributing to the ongoing segregation we see today, can feel like a tough issue for socially conscious parents.

    Check out our FREE guide on how you can start engaging with the education system to achieve just that: Click here to download the guide now!

    ________________

    Visit 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 podcast@integratedschools.org.

    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.



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
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