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In this thought-provoking episode of The Teacher’s Forum, David Harris is joined by Charlotte Jacobs and Roderick L. Carey to examine the narratives shaping conversations about gender and education. The episode opens with a classroom incident that raises questions about how boys experience discipline, attention, and belonging in schools (01:44), before turning to reactions to the CBS documentary Boys to Men and the media framing of a so-called “boy crisis” (04:05).

The conversation critiques this framing by situating it in historical and social context, including how Black boys have long been viewed as problems to be managed rather than young people to be supported (06:35). Dr. Jacobs challenges zero-sum thinking around resources for girls and boys, emphasizing that equity work for girls addressed centuries of exclusion and remains unfinished (09:25). Dr. Carey reframes the idea of boys being “overlooked,” arguing instead that Black boys are hyper-visible in discipline but emotionally invisible in schools (12:56).

The discussion then explores how boys are navigating a changing cultural landscape, including the pull of the “manosphere” and growing skepticism about traditional college-to-career pathways (15:00). Both guests stress the importance of validating boys’ interior lives (20:30) and moving from a narrow focus on achievement toward self-actualization and well-being (24:45). The episode concludes with a call to reimagine schools as centers of care rather than test-driven institutions (29:05), along with recommended readings that center healing, love, and human flourishing in education (32:45).

Join the Conversation:

• david@theteachersforum.org
• @theteachersforum.bsky.social
• X (formerly Twitter) @theforum1993

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In this episode of The Teacher’s Forum, David Harris speaks with Dr. James Ford about the recent immigration enforcement actions in Charlotte and their impact on students, families, and schools (02:35). Dr. Ford discusses what educators must do during moments of crisis to ensure students’ physical and emotional safety (05:46), the pressures teachers feel to remain silent (10:30), and why claims of classroom “objectivity” can become harmful when discussing issues of human dignity (14:40).

The conversation then turns to the values public schools claim versus the values they practice (21:00), the fragility of rights like those affirmed in Plyler v. Doe (25:42), and the trauma today’s youth navigate in a digital age (29:00). Dr. Ford offers historical insight into the role of Black private schools as spaces of autonomy and safety (33:15), distinguishes between reform and true transformation in education (36:00), examines the “illusion of inclusion” many students of color experience (38:50), and reflects on the teacher who deeply shaped his own journey (41:10).

To contact Dr. Ford and learn more about the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED) please visit their site at https://www.creed-nc.org/

Join the Conversation:

• david@theteachersforum.org
• @theteachersforum.bsky.social
• X (formerly Twitter) @theforum1993

Please subscribe, share and leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Help us amplify the voices and issues of K-12 educators all over the world.

Send us a text message and let us know what you think and for ideas for future episodes.

In this episode of The Teacher’s Forum, David sits down with Dr. Keith Pochick, an ER doctor turned middle school teacher, to explore his remarkable journey from emergency medicine to the classroom at Providence Day School in Charlotte. Dr. Pochick reflects on what pushed him to leave the ER and pursue teaching (01:37), sharing the rewards and challenges of life as an emergency physician (05:24) and how the changing landscape of healthcare shaped his views on equity (08:46). Throughout the conversation, he discusses the role of trust in both patient care and student learning, the inequities he witnessed in healthcare, and why he believes meaningful education reform is urgently needed.

Dr. Pochick discusses the deep inequities he witnessed in healthcare and how those disparities affect patient outcomes (11:49). He also explains why building trust is foundational—both when treating patients and when supporting students (18:50). Later, he opens up about the moment he decided he could no longer continue practicing medicine (25:13) and what it felt like to navigate the transition into teaching (29:46).

David and Dr. Pochick explore the striking common threads between medicine and education (34:57), from human connection to managing anxiety in high-stakes moments. Dr. Pochick then reflects on the ideas behind his book Tickled Soul and the philosophical journey that shaped it (38:08). The conversation turns to the future of education at (41:03), where he considers whether meaningful reform—or outright revolution—is needed to address issues of equity, funding, and student support.

The episode closes with Dr. Pochick honoring the influential teachers who shaped his own life and career (43:28).

Join the Conversation:

• david@theteachersforum.org
• @theteachersforum.bsky.social
• X (formerly Twitter) @theforum1993

Please subscribe, share and leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Help us amplify the voices and issues of K-12 educators all over the world.