A Declaration Against Interest (feat. Jonathan Chait)
Summary
Central Air host Josh Barro and guests Ben Dreyfus, Megan McCordle, and Jonathan Shait discuss Nicole Hannah-Jones’ recent New York Times essay regarding her daughter’s education. The conversation critiques Hannah-Jones’ ideological stance against school choice and standardized testing, arguing that her decision to place her child in a low-performing school resulted in significant academic gaps. The guests analyze the broader implications for education policy, highlighting how the removal of accountability measures and union protections hinder student achievement and exacerbate segregation.
Topics discussed
Intro and feedback on Josh's new hair
Ben Dreyfus discusses past rumors and mother's support
Megan McCarthy shares anecdotes about her family and career
Introduction of guest Jonathan Shait and hair banter
Setting the stage: The political center and education
Summary of Nicole Hannah-Jones' essay on school choice
Critique of the essay's conclusions on testing and accountability
Discussion on standardized testing and 0-sum thinking
School choice as a remedy for residential segregation
The danger of hiding academic gaps from parents
Personal anecdotes about poor teaching and accountability
Teacher unions and the removal of discipline tools
The role of unions in Democratic education policy
The inequity of private tutoring in public schools
Shift in left-wing views on education during the pandemic
The importance of skills versus credentials
Goodhart's Law and the challenge of measuring learning
Classroom management and disruptive students
Personal experience with rigorous vs. non-rigorous schools
Woo-woo thinking in education and politics
The impact of removing school choice on demographics
The necessity of testing for educational reform
Nuances of test-blind admissions at UC schools
Reflections on the essay's framing and personal history
Transition to Michigan politics and Abdul El-Sayed
Abdul El-Sayed's election prospects and conduct concerns
Outro and preview of subscriber content
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