Part I of the conversation between Daniel Alicea, Kaliris Salas-Ramirez and Leonie Haimson about the biggest NYC education news that dropped over the summer, and what they expect from the school year to come.

After a recap of local education news, Leonie replays part of an interview from a year ago with education historian and critic Diane Ravitch a year ago, about why she went from a pro-charter, pro-testing neo-conservative to one of the most progressive thinkers in the field of education today.

This week on Talk Out of School, we examine the growing crisis facing 183 retired NYC paraprofessionals whose disability pensions were suddenly slashed roughly in half after the Teachers’ Retirement System acknowledged an error in calculating their benefits. Retired paraprofessionals Anthony Delgardio and Edith Housni join us to tell their stories and describe what these cuts mean for their lives. We’re also joined by Marianne Pizzitola, president of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees, and Arthur Goldstein, vice chair of the UFT Retired Teachers Chapter. How did this happen? Why should retirees bear the consequences of a mistake they didn’t make? And what must TRS, the UFT and elected officials do now to make these retirees whole? Their pensions may be calculated in dollars, but the consequences are painfully human.

Leonie interviews Cassie Creswell, the Executive Director of Illinois Families for Public Schools, about the risk to student privacy from the College Transparency Act that was just approved by the Senate HELP committee, the transition to an elected school board in Chicago, and why we should oppose the federal tax credit voucher scheme for private and religious schools.

Talk Out of School returns with an important conversation on one of the biggest education stories in New York City. Co-host, Daniel Alicea, examines the newly passed NYC paraprofessional bill—what it means, what questions remain, and what comes next. Joining the program is paraprofessional, writer, organizer, and emerging advocate Alyson Monzón for a thoughtful discussion on the bill's impact, the realities facing paraprofessionals, and the future of the profession.

Leonie interviews Michael Elsen-Rooney, reporter at Chalkbeat, about Mayor Mamdani's K12 education record after six months in office.

On this week’s Talk Out of School, we sat down with 18-year-old Bronx filmmaker Shavoy Alcock. We discussed TYRONE, the award-winning student documentary that has captured recognition at film festivals across North America, Shavoy’s remarkable journey from Jamaica to the Bronx, and why storytelling and arts education can change lives. We also heard excerpts from this week’s New York City Council hearing on the growing role of artificial intelligence in our public schools — including the voices of City Council member Eric Dinowitz, parent leader Olympia Kazi, and our cohosts, privacy advocate Leonie Haimson and neurologist Kaliris Salas Ramirez

Randi Weingarten discusses her new book, Why Fascists Hates Teachers, on Trump's attempt to dismantle public schools and the federal Department of Education, and her evolving views on ed tech, screen time, and Artificial Intelligence use in schools.

Leonie interviewed Kate Brady, a Los Angeles parent and Policy Director of Schools beyond Screens about how they persuaded the Los Angeles school board to limit the use of ed tech and screens in their public schools, the second largest school district in the nation after NYC.

In this episode, we take a hard look at the financial strategies shaping New York City’s future—and what they could mean for workers and retirees. From pension re-amortization proposals and potential borrowing through pension obligation bonds, to the broader implications of pattern bargaining and the uncertain status of Intro 1096, this conversation cuts through the noise. Joined by Marianne Pizzitola and Arthur Goldstein, we break down what these policies actually do, who bears the risk, and why the stakes may be higher than many realize. If you care about pension security, healthcare protections, and the long-term fiscal direction of New York City, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.