Interview:
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Sunday, September 20, 2026
I Took a Gay Conversion Course for Christian 9-Year-Olds. (Drew McCoy/Genetically Modified Skeptic on YouTube)
Christopher Yuan is an Evangelical Christian who made a class called the Holy Sexuality Project. It's awful.
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Friday, September 11, 2026
Interfaith TX parents speak out against 10 Commandments in Public Schools (Americans United on YouTube)
Ted & Rebekah Lowe are an interfaith couple (Jewish and Christian) with kids in Texas public schools. They believe the government should have no say in the religious upbringing of their children. That’s why the Lowes and other Texas families are in court challenging the Ten Commandments in public schools. Listen to and share their story.
Texas politicians are trying to force their preferred religion on public school students by mandating the display of a state-selected, Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. A federal appeals court allowed it, downplaying the display as “a poster on a classroom wall.” But the Ten Commandments is a religious document that is sacred for some — and forcing it on every Texas public school student violates the First Amendment.
Families — not politicians or the government — should get to decide what role religion plays in their children’s lives. The Lowes and other families are taking this case as far as needed to make sure religious freedom is protected.
Share their story and learn more at au.org/TenC/
Interview:
Texas politicians are trying to force their preferred religion on public school students by mandating the display of a state-selected, Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. A federal appeals court allowed it, downplaying the display as “a poster on a classroom wall.” But the Ten Commandments is a religious document that is sacred for some — and forcing it on every Texas public school student violates the First Amendment.
Families — not politicians or the government — should get to decide what role religion plays in their children’s lives. The Lowes and other families are taking this case as far as needed to make sure religious freedom is protected.
Share their story and learn more at au.org/TenC/
Interview:
Sunday, September 6, 2026
TX Rabbi and his Family Fight 10 Commandments in Public Schools (Americans United for the Separation of Church and State on YouTube)
Public schools are for education, not religious indoctrination. Classrooms are for teaching, not preaching. That’s why families are in court challenging a Texas law that requires all public schools to display a government-selected version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
The Fixler family understands that every student has the right to an inclusive education, free from government-imposed religion, and they’re speaking out to protect separation of church and state.
Share their story and learn more at au.org/TenC/
Allies in this Fight:
— AU: au.org/
— ACLU: aclu.org/
— ACLU-Louisiana: laaclu.org/
— ACLU-Texas: aclutx.org/
— FFRF: ffrf.org/
The Fixler family understands that every student has the right to an inclusive education, free from government-imposed religion, and they’re speaking out to protect separation of church and state.
Share their story and learn more at au.org/TenC/
Allies in this Fight:
— AU: au.org/
— ACLU: aclu.org/
— ACLU-Louisiana: laaclu.org/
— ACLU-Texas: aclutx.org/
— FFRF: ffrf.org/
Interview:
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Isaiah Martin explains his strategy for how to win an argument with MAGA (Find Out podcast on YouTube)
Isaiah Martin knows how to leave MAGA speechless - and it isn’t an accident.
The viral content creator and CNN contributor joins the Find Out Podcast to reveal how he prepared for Jubilee’s “1 Liberal vs. 20 Conservatives” debate, why facts and discipline beat Republican rage bait, and how his political videos reach more than 200 million views per month.
Isaiah also explains why Democrats should attack MAGA politicians - not their voters - and how a bold economic agenda built around healthcare, childcare, education, and affordability could create a lasting political realignment. Plus, the group discusses Trump’s war in Iran, breaking through right-wing echo chambers, flipping Texas, and the Democrats’ chances in the 2026 midterms.
00:00 Isaiah Martin Joins the Podcast
01:21 How Isaiah Became a Political Creator
03:47 The Intense Preparation Behind His Jubilee Debate
07:00 How Isaiah Leaves MAGA Speechless
11:26 What Really Happened During “1 vs. 20”
13:13 Can Political Debates Actually Change Minds?
17:13 Training Inside MAGA Debate Rooms
18:43 Reaching 200 Million Views With Political Content
22:02 Attack MAGA Leaders - Not Their Voters
26:37 Why Trump Supporters Are Beginning to Break Away
29:35 Democrats’ Opportunity for a Political Realignment
34:34 How Democrats Can Win Texas and the Midterms
Interview:
The viral content creator and CNN contributor joins the Find Out Podcast to reveal how he prepared for Jubilee’s “1 Liberal vs. 20 Conservatives” debate, why facts and discipline beat Republican rage bait, and how his political videos reach more than 200 million views per month.
Isaiah also explains why Democrats should attack MAGA politicians - not their voters - and how a bold economic agenda built around healthcare, childcare, education, and affordability could create a lasting political realignment. Plus, the group discusses Trump’s war in Iran, breaking through right-wing echo chambers, flipping Texas, and the Democrats’ chances in the 2026 midterms.
00:00 Isaiah Martin Joins the Podcast
01:21 How Isaiah Became a Political Creator
03:47 The Intense Preparation Behind His Jubilee Debate
07:00 How Isaiah Leaves MAGA Speechless
11:26 What Really Happened During “1 vs. 20”
13:13 Can Political Debates Actually Change Minds?
17:13 Training Inside MAGA Debate Rooms
18:43 Reaching 200 Million Views With Political Content
22:02 Attack MAGA Leaders - Not Their Voters
26:37 Why Trump Supporters Are Beginning to Break Away
29:35 Democrats’ Opportunity for a Political Realignment
34:34 How Democrats Can Win Texas and the Midterms
Interview:
Sunday, August 23, 2026
Ten Commandments Showdown at Supreme Court (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podcast #649) Friendly Atheist News Roundup 8/19/2026
— Texas’ Ten Commandments law is heading toward a Supreme Court showdown. (0:32)
— Colorado school district dumps Bible-heavy curriculum borrowed from Texas after 3 days. (22:00)
— Satanists sue Iowa officials for blocking them from erecting a holiday display in the Capitol. (31:40)
— Arizona Supreme Court says pastor’s admission of abuse is NOT protected by religious privilege. (40:13)
— Canada’s military tells chaplains: At public events, serve everyone, not just Christians. (54:07)
— Connecticut Republicans finally rejected the Christian extremist they never vetted. (59:15)
— Christian televangelist Katie Souza claims aliens stole her eggs and made a hybrid baby. (1:06:01)
Interview:
— Colorado school district dumps Bible-heavy curriculum borrowed from Texas after 3 days. (22:00)
— Satanists sue Iowa officials for blocking them from erecting a holiday display in the Capitol. (31:40)
— Arizona Supreme Court says pastor’s admission of abuse is NOT protected by religious privilege. (40:13)
— Canada’s military tells chaplains: At public events, serve everyone, not just Christians. (54:07)
— Connecticut Republicans finally rejected the Christian extremist they never vetted. (59:15)
— Christian televangelist Katie Souza claims aliens stole her eggs and made a hybrid baby. (1:06:01)
Interview:
- With Jessica, YouTube: https://youtu.be/FxY20f3yMaA?si=fMD_xXT6HzgLnLv-
- Without Jessica, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/tmHrA61O7vE?si=xbCH48aHjF0_DMCk
- Audio only podcast, no YouTube ads: https://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2026/08/19/ten-commandments-showdown-at-supreme-court/
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Hitchens vs. The Church (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio podcast)
We hear the brilliant late journalist/intellectual Christopher Hitchens debate an archbishop on the topic “Is the Catholic Church a force for good in the world?” and FFRF Regional Government Affairs Manager Mickey Dollens explains what’s wrong with Texas’ new bible-infused public-school curriculum.
Interview:
Sunday, August 9, 2026
US accused of meddling in British politics with $500,000 grant for ‘public education’ courses
Lisa Smart, a Liberal Democrat MP and the party’s Cabinet Office spokesperson, said: “Magna Carta aimed to limit the powers of tyrants and said everyone was subject to the rule of law, something for which Trump has repeatedly shown utter contempt.
“We have a proud tradition of liberty and freedom of speech in this country and we don’t need Trump’s Maga money meddling in our democracy.”…
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Friday, July 31, 2026
Students created AI rules they hope schools will adopt : NPR
"There's nothing that says students need to be proficient before using it," Herrera told her subcommittee colleagues. "It's basically saying they can use it whenever. Which I think is a misuse of it."
Her subcommittee's proposed solution: require schools to teach AI literacy as soon as devices are introduced in the classroom, including misinformation, plagiarism, bias in AI design, student privacy, appropriate academic use and AI's environmental impact...
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/30/nx-s1-5853571/students-set-ai-policy
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Nick Adams’ FLAG Charity Spends Very Little on Civics Education, Records Show — ProPublica
Nick Adams’ Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness has brought in millions in donations and helped him land a State Department appointment, but records show there is almost no indication FLAG was spending that money on its stated mission…
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-nick-adams-state-flag-charity-civics-state-department
Monday, July 27, 2026
Teachers decry plan for humanoid robot in New York high school
Realbotix has denied ties to the sex doll company, and denied any inferences that the dolls – manufactured by Abyss Creations, a subsidiary of Realbotix – are related to the pilot program. “
The Salamanca teachers’ union as a whole is concerned about the background of the company of Realbotix. We’re very concerned about the security of the software that they’re implementing, and whether or not the data will be stored, how it will be gathered, are the recording capabilities,” said Lacey Pihlblad, president of Salamanca Teachers’ Association and a teacher at the high school…
“The answer to the challenges in education is not more screens, it’s not more algorithms, not more robots. What we need in our schools right now are more caring adults and more human connection,” she said…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/25/new-york-humanoid-robot-teachers-school
Sunday, July 26, 2026
'Intelligent Design' on trial (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio podcast)
The Trump administration is whitewashing American history in Philadelphia. Federal Judge John E. Jones tells the behind-the-scenes story of the 2005 trial leading to his landmark decision barring “intelligent design” from public school science classes.
Interview:
Is the American Dream in Decline? (Open to Debate podcast)
The American Dream – the idea that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can achieve success in the U.S. through hard work and determination – is under scrutiny. Compared to post-World War II where most people could create a comfortable lifestyle, the viability of homeownership and stable employment doesn’t seem attainable to younger Americans and immigrants, according to some economists and policymakers.
Those who see a challenge say there’s a growing wealth gap between the richest and poorest people and that increasing healthcare, education, and housing costs create hardships for many. They also argue that the shift towards a more gig-based economy and the impact of automation and globalization on traditional jobs create uncertainty. Those who remain optimistic about a meritocratic path to success, say that compared to other countries, the U.S. still offers more opportunities for personal and financial growth and that new industries and technologies continually emerge, creating new pathways for advancement. Younger Americans also see different ways of achieving the American Dream than their parents, opening possibilities of a less rigid definition of the term in the future.
Interview:
Friday, July 24, 2026
The White House pushes healthy eating. It cut a landmark nutrition education program
For decades, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program, known as SNAP-Ed, has funded programs such as community cooking classes, farmers markets in low-income neighborhoods, school nutrition lessons and more in every U.S. state. The program is a "pillar of the public health infrastructure in the US," according to a report published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior…
"It doesn't make sense when we have an administration [promoting] the Make America Healthy Again efforts that are focused on decreasing consumption of ultra-processed foods and wanting to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables," said Tashara Leak, a professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell University, "to then get rid of the largest federally funded nutrition education program that helps to achieve those goals."…
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/23/nx-s1-5896280/snap-ed-healthy-eating-cuts-maha
Monday, July 20, 2026
Al Mohler vs. The Constitution (Warren Throckmorton; The Christian Past That Wasn’t: Formerly Telling Jefferson Lies podcast)
In this final episode of the season, there are three parts which support the concluding chapter of The Christian Past That Wasn't. The first part is former Secretary of Health and Human Services Ben Carson's false telling of Ben Franklin's call to prayer during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Carson said the delegates stopped and prayed after Franklin called them to prayer. They didn't. This is the kind of folklore which I correct in The Christian Past That Wasn't.
The second part of this segment is a brief analysis of Al Mohler's admission that the Constitution doesn't acknowledge any Christian foundation. This significant admission came in a short video this week. Even though Mohler is honest about one aspect of the Constitution, he considers the lack of explicit Christian language to be an error on the part of the founders. Here is where he is wrong and I respond to Al Mohler's opposition to the American Constitution.
The third and final part tracks with the Conclusion of The Christian Past That Wasn't. I discuss separation of church and state in light of the golden rule and the moral teachings of Christ. I end the podcast where I started it by examining the issue of posting copies of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. I come down on the side that posting the Decalogue is an imposition of one faith over others and thus an improper establishment of religion. As such it violates the golden rule. If I don't want someone to impose their faith on me, I shouldn't do that to others.
In the words of Texas state legislator John Bryant from the podcast, "That's not fair, and that's not American."
Interview:
The second part of this segment is a brief analysis of Al Mohler's admission that the Constitution doesn't acknowledge any Christian foundation. This significant admission came in a short video this week. Even though Mohler is honest about one aspect of the Constitution, he considers the lack of explicit Christian language to be an error on the part of the founders. Here is where he is wrong and I respond to Al Mohler's opposition to the American Constitution.
The third and final part tracks with the Conclusion of The Christian Past That Wasn't. I discuss separation of church and state in light of the golden rule and the moral teachings of Christ. I end the podcast where I started it by examining the issue of posting copies of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. I come down on the side that posting the Decalogue is an imposition of one faith over others and thus an improper establishment of religion. As such it violates the golden rule. If I don't want someone to impose their faith on me, I shouldn't do that to others.
In the words of Texas state legislator John Bryant from the podcast, "That's not fair, and that's not American."
Interview:
Worst states to live in: red or blue?
CNBC’s worst-states-to-live-in list sent Republicans into a meltdown because every state in the bottom ten voted for Trump, but the raw data tells a more complicated story than the outrage machine wants. Red states often do have lower taxes and cheaper living costs, but the tradeoff shows up in lower median incomes, higher uninsured rates, higher poverty, and weaker public investment. Texas and Tennessee can be great for business, cheaper for rent, and still brutal when people need healthcare, schools, or a safety net.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn996HoYBkI
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
The Taliban’s war on education: ‘Nobody talks about what is happening to the boys’
Five years after the ultra-conservative Islamists retook Afghanistan, students describe male pupils being beaten for minor rule breaches and inexperienced teachers struggling to deliver lessons…
Friday, July 10, 2026
Christian Nationalism and Public Education: The Cost of Disinformation (Warren Throckmorton; The Christian Past That Wasn’t: Formerly Telling Jefferson Lies podcast)
The episode begins with a role play of a teacher presenting a history lesson right out of the Christian nationalist playbook. Mrs. Johnson's students try to help her with questions but she doesn't take the help. Her disinformation campaign continues until slavery comes up and then the lesson abruptly ends. Could this happen? A better question is, what do we do now that it is happening in some schools around the nation.
In this segment, I present another excerpt from the Texas State Board of Education which illustrates how Christian nationalist disinformation permeates opposition to public education. In this scenario a parent brings in David Barton's discredited book, The Jefferson Lies, as an authority and refuses to address a challenge to it. The parent appears not to know the book was pulled from publication due to historical errors.
There is a long history of conflict in public schools over religious differences. However, if religion is kept out of public education, this conflict could be avoided. A robust doctrine of separation of church and state is beneficial for public schools and should be enforced.
Interview:
In this segment, I present another excerpt from the Texas State Board of Education which illustrates how Christian nationalist disinformation permeates opposition to public education. In this scenario a parent brings in David Barton's discredited book, The Jefferson Lies, as an authority and refuses to address a challenge to it. The parent appears not to know the book was pulled from publication due to historical errors.
There is a long history of conflict in public schools over religious differences. However, if religion is kept out of public education, this conflict could be avoided. A robust doctrine of separation of church and state is beneficial for public schools and should be enforced.
Interview:
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