The Critical Teaching and Learning Forum

Restorative and Transformative Justice In Schools and Other Carceral Spaces

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Jason Williams, Professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Jason is committed to connecting his scholarship in critical criminology with work in local communities, particularly in Passaic County. His projects include promoting harm reduction as an essential part of drug policy, supporting various efforts to reduce violence and working with individuals preparing for re-entry. Jason is also co-chair of the Restorative Justice Hub in Paterson. Our conversation examines the genesis of the hub, the relationship between restorative and transformative justice, and how these concepts are helpful in the struggle to stop the damage caused by carceral spaces, including schools.  Selected Publications by Jason Williams Williams, J.M., & Kniffley, S. (Eds.) (2019). Black Males and the Criminal Justice System. Routledge Saleh-Hanna, V., Williams ,J. & Coyle ,M.J. (Eds.) (2023) . Abolish Criminology. Routledge Cook, K., & Williams, J. (Eds.) (2022). Survivor Criminology. Rowman and Littlefield

Cuba as Curriculum: The Praxis of Solidarity

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with the University of Orange's Doug Farrand about his recent trip to Cuba as part of the Solidarity Forever delegation lead by the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization. This annual action brings food and medical supplies as a response to the damaging decades long US embargo, and given the current increased pressure applied by the Trump administration, is more important than ever. Doug explains the logistics of the trip, what he saw in Cuba, what he learned and what questions he was left with.  Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization https://ifconews.org/who-we-are [https://ifconews.org/who-we-are]   University of Orange https://universityoforange.org [https://universityoforange.org]

Adult Education on the Ground In Minnesota

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Kaija Bergen, Patsy Egan and Ann Trochlil. They are all adult educators in Minneapolis and Minnesota working in various capacities. During the conversation, they relate their experiences on the ground, describe adult education's response to ICE's deadly Operation Metro Surge and share important lessons they have learned. We also discuss a document produced by the Literacy Action Network and ATLAS entitled "Advice From Minnesota Adult Education Providers." The document itself is free to download, and I encourage you to check it out [https://docs.google.com/document/d/12iWLEb2Y_DMHQtVfSwg2BWIFKJ4z5_X1/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117593796755865474955&rtpof=true&sd=true].

As Public As Possible: Radical Finance for America's Public Schools

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with David I. Backer, author of As Public As Possible: Radical Finance for America's Public Schools. During our conversation, we explore the connection between public schools and the private bond market, the function of debt in education policy making at both the systemic and individual levels, and how a series of manufactured crises has helped the right reshape public education to meet their broader ideological goals. David also makes the case for using the framework of solidarity to counter these corrosive narratives about public education and public financing. There is work to be done regarding public schools, but it might not be what we have been led to believe.   In addition to his book, you can follow David's work via his Substack called Schooling in Socialist America, and you can find him on social media on - @schooldaves.

Lessons from Martin Sostre's Continuous Struggle

In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Garrett Felber, author of A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre. We begin with Garrett giving a brief overview of Sostre's revolutionary work and thinking, and then explore the nature of Sostre's political education inside and outside of carceral spaces. This includes a discussion of who Sostre himself learned from and his commitment to workingwith youth in the local communities he was a part of. Sostre demonstrates that nobody learns by themselves, even when in solitary. We end by thinking about the implications of Sostre's praxis for teaching and learning during these fraught times. You can find more information about Sostre's case and updates about advocacy efforts to clear his name at martinsostre.com. For information about the Mississippi Five case, please go to https://www.studyandstruggle.com/ms5. To donate books or funds to the Free Society People's Library, you can check it out on Instagram and other social media platforms.