Yeah there it is. I you know what it is, it's busted pencils. Holy, let it education
talk. It's educated educators talking education, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci, Jacob Chairman of the
Boards on the Boards and I am Dr. Tim Slecker. Yeah and it's the Saturday show we are happy
that you guys are joining us on a Saturday everybody out there. Now if not if you're downloading
as a podcast we also appreciate that you know. Hey and if you are downloading it as a podcast
you have put this out right early. Leave us a review on Apple podcasts or Spotify or
wherever you get you know I even heard somebody go on well I listened to my podcast on I
heart. I'm like okay that's great. If you're listening to busted pencils we don't care what you
podcast platform you're using but it would be great if you told us what you thought. Even those of
you who think it's not that good you guys tell us that we want to know we want to hear it.
You know we'll make fun of you on the show when we get that comment but you know we'll appreciate it.
Johnny Lupinacci how you doing on this Saturday my friend. Hey man I'm doing great it's Saturday.
No it's fully spring it's feeling like spring even in some of places where it hasn't quite felt
like spring yet it's been more like sprinter we talked about that some cold mornings last week
but it's feeling good it's feeling like it's becoming spring and and lots of exciting stuff
happening got to spend a lot of time in classrooms this week. That's connected with a lot of the
teachers out here in Washington I'm checking in on a few things you know the the current policies
yeah government how it's impacting their classrooms. What are they saying? Stop that's on their
mind. I mean Tim more and more like I mean there's not a teacher I didn't work with this week that
isn't concerned about the safety of their immigrant community of their diverse community the
the as Tim you call it the shelling effect but I think even the very real experience that you know
lots of people are being deported and that's very heavy on teachers so they were talking about how
they feel how they're getting by what they're doing to make sure they're able to tend to their
health because it's a heavy moment for them but also for their students they're quite worried
and as they should be it's it's a difficult time to be a young person as we sit on here our
classrooms have become battlegrounds yeah for the kind of politics that our current administration
is unleashing with more than just a force on families and communities it's really you know an attack
on them and so that's that's been heavy it's been heavy there's not a classroom I went to or school
that was not impacted recently by that and so it's it's heavy it's on their hearts it's on
their minds and their students are asking lots of questions about so it's also part of
what they're learning about in social studies how do we care for one another in our community what
does it mean to be part of a strong democracy and how can they become citizens that make this a
very different country for their community right so that's me being optimistic about some heavy
moments in classrooms that's what you are here for you're the optimism to my dark gloomy pessimism
yeah I love I mean I think in a former life or even in this one it's never too late I think I'm
a cheerleader I really do I love to cheer for any kind of event I love to be happy and and
supportive at concerts band concerts all those things and I'm there if people are doing their
thing I'm excited for them so especially that way about teaching too but it's not all fun and
games it's not all happy highlighted moments although Tim okay let's get to it at a big happy
moment a couple weeks yeah it was constant elections with you and me chatting each other across
the text texting one another in a group chat yeah it was awesome let's not bury it any further
Tim what do we got today hey we have our old friend no not she's not old she's an old friend
into the show and we're talking about teacher Halley from educators amplified yeah that one who
ran for school board and as we found out also one they won the school board in fact lots of
interesting what say let's put it this way um Halley what we found out and welcome back to
busted pencils by the wing congratulations thank you um I mean your win is awesome and what we
heard across Wisconsin was too is is that um the slate of moms for Liberty candidates didn't do
so well um and I got to say that's because they were running against teacher Halley and
I'm sorry but you know there's just your mom's for Liberty I don't know anybody that can
beat teacher Halley I was gonna say I really don't and I mean I mean obviously I'm a big fan we're a
big fan you know it's a close fan here between busted pencils and that amplified and and especially
around teacher Halley and teacher Joanna being more than just special people on our education
community but just rock stars when it comes to what's going on in schools and what teachers are
experiencing right and families and like what's it like to have a child in school to be an
educated to be thinking about what's best for our community and our children and their future
community so I mean I can't imagine moms for Liberty aside oh I love a good victory right but
I don't think anybody could beat these rock stars and all that and Halley showed us that in the
election let's go big hats we give our flowers here in busted pencils lots of flowers to you
yeah people watching on youtube you two cheap idiots couldn't send her flower real flowers and Halley
asked the you know fake that she's holding flowers we mean we mean like like verbal flowers
okay verbal the praise the word praise the bouquet of of kind words that are also
I like words of affirmation okay Halley so how you feeling tell us about you know the process
so you know what we interviewed you but you know now that it's over you've been elected you haven't
been installed yet but I mean so what's going on in school board member teacher Halley's world
yeah so it was wild it was like that day that night you know like it's just wild and how so many
people would say to me like of course you're gonna win and I'm like I'm not gonna just talk like
that like it's just not in me and so my mind in its stress and excitement would really think about
like because there were six people running for three spots so it was more just like what are the
combinations and what will it be like and you know like that's how my mind was right and so when
I was at my election night party which was a ton of fun shout out to sales pub and grill
thank you sales yes um it was it was really funny because okay so talk about regulation like not
you know I was dysregulated from nerves and excitement right so it was like 91% reporting and my
uncles trying to talk to me to be like statistically it's impossible that you wouldn't get a spot at
this point now it was like I cannot talk math like I need to see 100% before I get excited
and then you know something I'll never forget though too was like right my children were there
so at like 91% when it's like you're almost to 100% reporting my children are like we made up a
dance will you come watch us a celebration dance yeah I'm like if this is not motherhood combined with
you know like our parenthood whatever combined with running for an election I don't know what is
so the 100% came in while I was watching my children do a silly dance so that was nice
um and then right I it never crossed my mind but I got the most votes and that has just been
something where I am like whoa like that felt really good not just because I'm the top but because
for me this experience has been like the act of being working as an individual and then being
out there so much has been so vulnerable has been so like such a learning experience for me
that I was like oh this was like the big like you did the right thing and everyone you know not
everyone but a lot of people have your back well okay so thinking about that so there were six
people running for three spots yes okay so you know people naive to politics are like so like
on survivor who did you you know kind of create alliances with and think right right yeah
okay you know so working through that but I mean so thinking about that as you said the
exposure the kind of vulnerability I mean you know from the time you started campaigning until
the time you were done do you feel like you got better at being in front of people and being
vulnerable or did you know talk about that moment of standing up and somebody going so Hally
right I would like to know will you what what was that like I mean what's interesting to me is
that right education is my thing yeah so if you want to talk to me face-to-face about education
I could talk for weeks you know like I feel very comfortable talking about education and from
the lens of not just like my opinion right like I speak from experience I speak from staying in
touch with teachers like I really understand the system the piece that brought me the most
anxiety was social media because right first of all it's toxic in and of itself but
right you're you're you're against a computer screen you know and I I didn't like how that felt
because right I'm used to talking with among people but what then I ended up trying to do is make
me as visibly like human to human like visible as passable through my social media so it wasn't
just me typing up stuff behind a computer screen it was like me recording myself
and so that brought me the most vulnerability of like all right this is on here I know I have a
captive audience and like it stuck in right the ethers forever like and so that concept got me
but it ended up being the thing that people were like you I had this talk about a Tuesday series
they'd be like you're talk about a Tuesday series like helped me so much I don't know how you do
it but you just can explain something that's really complex so simply and I was like yeah like
that's my skill so it was neat to do that and then someone else said to me and I was like
I never even thought about this was they were like and we knew to come every Tuesday and I was like
yeah genius marketing didn't even think about that I just like that talk in Tuesday sounded the
don't say didn't think about that on it it was totally hally doing what she does
right yeah hey it's busted pencils and fully let it education talk it's a Saturday show
loving it we've got teacher haleon yeah that one the one who won school board the most votes in fact
she did it she kicked but she's talking about though the experience of going from you know
that first time where you're taking questions to that when it's like after but then
haleon you brought something up this social media I didn't think about it and how I think
I want to talk more about social media experience and running for politics plus
to pencils more when we get back
oh
Oh, yeah, I love that music. That's good stuff. Appreciate it. Jacob chairman of the
Boards bringing us our totally legal music to use here at pencil pencil busters out there.
If you're like, Hey, that's not our familiar bumper music. It's not, but it's close enough.
It's close enough for the time being. We've got some of our friends and guests who have
reached out and said, Hey, happily will create you some rock and music for busted pencils. So
listeners expect some fully-ledged bumper music coming soon from guests you may be familiar with.
That's right. There are punk rock teachers out there who are excited to shred some guitar for
busted pencils. But we are back listeners. It's Saturday afternoon. We appreciate you,
pencil busters out there, especially teachers out there, hopefully getting regulated over the weekend.
We have with us, Halley Schmailing, school board elected. Halley, you know, we got into it a
little bit in the first segment, but refresh for our listeners, you know, kind of why and how you
got into deciding, Hey, I think I'm going to run for school board. And then tell us a little bit,
I mean, I'm stacking the questions here. But then tell us a little bit about your platform in kind
of the things that, you know, folks elected you for and that we can, you know, be excited about
because the people have spoken, Uncle Mathematics gave you the stats early. And I love that because,
you know, I'm a stats guy. So I'm like, no, statistically, this is in the bag.
You're like, no, I'm going to go watch the kids do this dance and then wait for 100%. And I love
that story. That's so real. Yeah. So real. I love that for you because it's exactly how it goes down.
But tell us what did the people in the largest numbers of the vote? What did they give our listeners
a little, a little overview? You know, it's funny enough after we got talking after the break about
social media, you know, it, what guided me through this entire campaign election was staying grounded
in like why I was doing it, especially because it was something that I identified as going out of
my comfort zone. You know, I'm used to being a teacher and I love being in the classroom and I
love being with students. And so it was kind of bizarre to me to be like, Oh, okay, I'm just going
to run a campaign. And so I mean, that's what it was grounded in, right? Like I'm an educator. And I
have a podcast about how educators are so often not listen to heard their expertise isn't valued
and then that ultimately affects our students. And so that's what it was grounded in. And that's
what I think people really supported was I am a teacher first, you know, and so being able to
explain from that lens, explain from that expertise, I think I was just able to bring issues that
are going on within the school district to them in meaningful ways that connected back to
how it affects our professionals and how it affects then ultimately our students. And so it was
it was honestly, I was just educating people and I and I knew that was my strength. I knew that's
what I do best. But right, when people would say something against me or if somebody would put up a
social media post that was like very anti-hally, it was staying grounded in like, okay, I can either
go after it and be like, this is why you're wrong, this is why this is ridiculous, yada yada yada,
or I can stay grounded in like, I'm offering my truth and that's what I can offer and I already did.
So it doesn't need any explanation. And that's what I came back to time and time again,
but it was crazy. I mean, you get advice from everybody. And some people I really respect,
but still having to be like, I respect you and I've got to stay with me in this. And I think what's
going to get me across this finish line is not getting into the semantics of tit for tat. Like,
I'm offering you my expertise. I'm offering you what I understand about what's going on in the
district. And I can't get lost in the sauce, you know? So you're saying people were suggesting you
sling some mud? 100%. Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm not getting my hands dirty like that. Well, or
that even like for me, it was just more like, I'm an educator. Like, I've dealt with administrators
that I disagree with. I've dealt with a parent who's confused about something that I might be doing
with their child. I've dealt with children who are adolescents who think everybody's against them.
Like, so for me, I just was like, right, I wouldn't go at a parent. I wouldn't go at a student.
You know what I mean? So why would I do that in this campaign? Even if people think I weak,
even if people think I'm not standing up for myself, I'm like, no, I am. But like, I already
said what I needed to say. I love it. And there's something, there's something,
Halle that reminds me of, you know, lessons you've taught here on busted pencils, you know,
about staying regulated. And it's just regulating to be in that, you know, like, I've been there.
I was a, you know, I tried my hand at keyboard warrior stuff for the years in social media. Like,
are you kidding me? Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, like, go fire him back. And it was like, I have a sharp
tongue. So I'm like, yeah, we could go. We could debate. Let's go. Here's your three points. Here's
my three points. Like, you know, and, and, and it's just regulating. Yeah. Don't be wrong. People
were in the comments, but just that me. Yeah, I love it. Because staying regulated, staying focused
on the things that matter. I mean, that is strength. And that is modeling a kind of leadership.
I think we are in great need of not only in our school districts, but across the board. So,
big, again, sending flowers to Halle's failing about this because that's true. It's like,
that's a form of strength that doesn't often get recognized as such. So big hats off to that.
Yeah, it was a lot of meditation. Yeah, it was.
And what should I do? They're lying about me. What should I do? And then, like,
settling and then the decision would come. So more flowers coming because I'm a big fan,
obviously. I mean, listeners know what? There was something really unique you did. And I'm
curious, is it going to keep going? I love it. Talk about it Tuesdays. I love talk, talk about
Tuesdays. Did I call the right thing? I think sometimes I make up stuff and I talk about Tuesdays.
What did you say? What does talk about Tuesdays? Tell our listeners. And then, then, let me know,
is there still going to be some kind of thing? Right. So talk about a Tuesday was taking
things that are going on within the district. So for my experience as a community organizer,
bookbending really set fire within our community of people being enraged about that. But at the same
time, there were some curriculum changes going on that as much as I would try to educate people about
didn't grab onto it. And, right, as an organizer or just as an advocate for education, I was like,
okay, you got to go with what people are willing to hear. So then when I was campaigning, I was like,
okay, like, maybe this is an opportunity for people to hear more about what's going on.
And so I was able to share the curriculum stuff. I was even, I talked about like the book removals,
bookbans, whatever you want to call them. But more not from a, I always try to keep it more from
a space of like, here's just what happened as opposed to like, and I think this, and this is how
it should be. And so it was just an opportunity to talk about like, what's going on within the
inner workings of the district? And then it's affect on educators and it's affect on students.
And I would just do that every Tuesday from like the end of February to win elections were.
Just informing the community about what's going on and what that means from an educator lands.
That's teacher. Halley. Oh my god. She is bringing it.
It's both the pencils fully-led education talk. Yeah, teacher, Halley. She kick butt one that
school board election. We're going to ask her though some of the hard questions when we get back.
Oh, you know what that is. It's busted pencils. Yeah, it's new bumper,
music. Yeah, it's awesome. That's our new producer Jacob chairman of the board. Jacob,
thanks so much, man, for finding us legal music, my friend. Thank you. My expertise is in legal
music. So I don't know if Jess was a legal expert, but I'm a legal music expert.
We love it. It still keeps that tone. Oh, yeah, it's busted pencils. Saturday, you know,
if you're listening out there in Wisconsin, driving around, got your civic media app going.
Or you're just in the car, even listening to one of the local, many local radio stations that
civic media covers all across the state of Wisconsin. Appreciate you joining us. And yes,
everybody downloading for the podcast. Of course, we still love you too. In fact, if you are
listening on the podcast, whether it's Apple, whether it's Spotify, whether it's iHeart, whatever it
is, hey, let us know what you think. Give us a review and rate us, you know, because maybe one day
busted pencils might show up in that, you know, those top 10 podcasts of the week. But that
only happens when you're out there doing your part, letting people know that you like the show,
that you rate the show, and that you got good things to say about us. We are with Teacher Halley
about to be inducted as a brand new school board member after a long hard fought campaign
with mud flying between candidates. And no, actually, Halley, you've been talking about this
and really modeling. As Johnny said, leadership, compassion, thoughtfulness. And what I was
really taken aback by your, the way you explained about approaching issues such as the book
fans, right? Let's use that one as an example, because, you know, people can get really emotional
about that. It's like, what you're taking away my books. And well, oh my god, that book's available.
What are you talking about? And, you know, you could have easily positioned yourself as,
I'm going to fight every book banner. And what I heard you saying was that I'm going to take
the path of education and give people a sense of what is book banning, what happens, how it
goes forward. And even, you know, you say, and how that informs curriculum in the curriculum
process, because I don't think, you know, our neighbors, as we point out, they don't understand,
or, and I hate when I say don't understand, because that sounds belittling, but they're not
part of recognizing and realizing what goes into making curriculum decisions at the school board
level, school board, and book bans. And so they hear the rhetoric, the fire. And you presenting
a moment to educate, I got to imagine that that was compelling in its own way,
that actually is way better than being for being against,
but just really being a truth teller.
Yeah, I guess so. Thank you for saying it so eloquently.
Mark that moment, Jacob. Mark that now. Tim said something eloquently, holy crap.
One Saturday in April, when I did that. I've never had to mark that before, so I'm not exactly
sure, but I'll figure it out. Yeah, I can only come as myself, right? And that's kind of my thing.
You know, it's interesting, because like I said, like it was something I received a ton of
feedback on, and that because I was able to to keep them three minutes or less was always my goal.
So it wasn't like you had to sit and watch a seminar of me talking about it for 30 minutes,
you know, like I tried to keep it bite size. I mean, maybe some more people would have liked
30 seconds, but I was like, let me give a little extra background, you know? So I went to three
minutes, and so people really liked being educated that way. And I would love to continue doing
stuff like that, because I also ran on being very transparent, but it's also like, oh my gosh,
I'm officially well, April 28th, I'll officially be an elected official. So as much as I know about
education, as much as I know about the system, I don't know as much about being an elected official,
even like I have to do Roberts rules of order for our board meetings. And so I love it.
I'm learning, but I just have to understand what's in my parameters. You know, I know that you see
other government officials, you know, from the state level, federal level, putting out stuff on
their social media. So I know I have rights. It's just a matter of what, you know, and I understand
and respect. There's closed session that I cannot talk about that's confidential, but to me,
that just reminds me of being a teacher, right? I dealt with confidential information all the time,
but it's just a little different being elected now versus like an employee. You know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah. Think about that. You know, just like Roberts rules of order, Johnny, you're thinking about
it's like, oh, I mean, who knew there were so many ways to make people not be allowed to talk.
Yeah. I don't know. Johnny, you're experienced with Roberts rules of orders. I mean,
my first introduction, I gotta say, was, you know, 20 years old, joining a fraternity.
And we had to follow Roberts rules of orders and pledging fraternity, actually part of our pledging
on top of some of those other things that happened while you were pledging. Yes, that happened.
They gave us a Roberts rules of order book that we had to learn supposedly because
that was the way we conducted fraternity meetings and it was an interesting experience in and of
itself. So yeah, I think, but talk about what we ended up doing, though, is that we said,
okay, everybody learned Roberts rules and we're going to apply Bob's rules.
Right. And amended version. I mean, I like Roberts rules of order because it's,
I mean, I don't know, it's one way to organize a group of people on like when you're listening
and when you're talking and what's the kind of process and procedure for sharing?
I don't know. I'm a fan. Well, yeah, I've learned quite a bit. I admittedly, I'm reading like,
you know, those like four dummies series. Give me the Roberts rules for dummies.
So I have learned, though, that it's supposed to be there for an opportunity for everybody to speak.
And so I get it from the we're all elected board members. There's seven of us, right? I think
for it to be an effective board, we shouldn't always agree. So this is a way to respectfully have
time for everybody to speak. But at the same time, I've been listening to podcasts and other books
that are like, this is a farce. This is like the devil, you know, yeah. But they're more talking
about like their garden club or something, you know, and I'm like, maybe it's different because
it's an elected position. And because of the dynamics of our board, I'm viewing it as a positive
that I won't be pushed out, you know, that as long as I understand my rights in it, that's why I'm
really studying it. I'll be able to have a voice at the table. Absolutely. Good for studying it too
because it will have in there right that built-in opportunity to say, hey, this needs to be opened
up for discussion. And within that discussion, we need to ideally hear all the voices.
How do I say that in the Roberts rules language, though? That's where I'll be like
power of the order or whatever. You know, just a quick deviation, just making me think,
though, man, load up chat on your phone and just, you know, Roberts rules, I'm telling, I got to
imagine AI knows every trick there is to Roberts rules of order. In fact, the for dummies series
right now is actually from what I understand is taking a hit right now because people who know how
to use AI don't need to go to that anymore. Yeah, so anyway, quick TV. All right, Halley, though,
yeah, one of the things we try to, you know, we celebrate, you've been on the show with us is
that what you did, a teacher, a parent who stepped up to the moment and instead of reacting to
politicians, you jumped in, you, you modeled. I'm wondering if you heard from any teachers
during this process that said, oh, my God, I want to do this too. Should I or did you get any,
oh, my God, I could never do that. Thinking about that your impact on modeling for educators and
parents the way to step into decision making role. Yeah, I think, I think what I experienced more
of was two different things. So from parents, it was more like, yeah, how can I get more involved?
How come I don't know about these things? How does this work? You know, lots of questions about like
how to or, you know, just how does this go? So I could see like people getting more involved as a
community member. Educators, I felt like the ones that I spoke to that were very much in support.
I think it was an avenue for them to feel hope and for them to just feel like, okay, not all is
lost when they have felt like that. So it was, I feel like I was more of a space for inspiration
for educators than I was of like, now take action. You know, like leave your job and become a school board
member with me. It was just more like, okay, hopefully I can get back to what I know in the classroom
since the community backed you. You know what I mean? By electing you. So that felt really good.
I got tons and tons and tons of messages from teachers the next day of like, you know,
we just feel good. It feels good to take a breath of fresh air for a moment because it's been so
toxic and so tap down and so disheartening for so long. So, you know, being very thankful.
I think one of the problems, Johnny, is that a lot of people just don't know what's possible.
And I like that. Halley's coming in here with some of these positive things that people can do
to get involved in their community be part of a solution. And I think that helps get rid of some
of that hopelessness that people feel. Absolutely. Absolutely. I love it. I love it. Thank you,
Halley, for what you're doing. And like Jacob had said, and Tim was digitizing a bit. So we'll get
to him back in the fold here. But, you know, I love that. Like speaking truth to, you know, broadening
and opening the discussion for people to both learn, but to be part of making change that does
represent what are the needs of our community, right? What are the needs? I'm going to use that as
a little bit of a segue and, you know, build on what you've been sharing. But from your kind of
experience and your expertise, I mean, I can imagine people voted with confidence that you are
the person for the school board position. What are some of the, you know, big needs that you kind
of see on the horizon for the monomy falls school district?
Um, you know, it's not unique to monomy falls, but I would say, so I'm going to say this
probably nationwide is the need to value and listen and bring forth educators into the decision
making process. So much, I mean, like, I know you guys yell this from the rooftop. I'll yell
from the rooftop. Teachers are trying to yell it from the rooftop, but I don't know who's
listening. Um, I think little by little more and more people are hearing it. But how much
is being dictated through the hierarchy system for teachers that they have to do versus what they
know is best for children? Um, that to me is like the number one thing, you know, like, and even
sometimes teachers who do speak up and then a vote goes to the school board and the school board
shuts it down. Like, I, my mind is blown when that happens. And I understand that it's a
reality. It's something that I experience in the classroom. Um, so it doesn't rattle me anymore.
It's just more like, wow, why aren't we involving the people, the professionals that are with
our students in the decision making process? Um, because they have that lens. Um, and so that's
what I would say. Number one, that is like, was my number one thing when I was campaigning?
That I was like, I am for educators. I am for hearing their input to help us inform the decisions
we make. And I would say that's everywhere. That's teacher, Halley. Newly elected school board
member, about to be installed in a few days. Well, almost about a week or so. Yeah.
Teacher Halley, you got to come back though and tell us, you know, we want to report after you've
been installed. Teacher Halley, thanks for busting pencils with us. Hey, Johnny and Tim, break it
down when we get back.
Uh, it's plus the pencils, fully-ledged education top, educated educators talking education.
It's Dr. Johnny Lupinacci, me, Dr. Tim Slecker, and Jacob Chairman of the boards, our producer
there, bringing the awesome music that's what we do. We just finished talking to
newly elected school board member teacher Halley from educators amplified. Yeah, good partner,
good friend of the show. Um, Johnny, I know she, when I asked her the question of, you know,
inspiring other educators to to step into this role and, you know, she was kind of like, well,
I gotta say, I think just by doing it and winning and what she's doing in the talk about,
I gotta imagine teachers are going, wait a minute, I can do this too then.
Well, I hope so. I mean, I mean, it's leading by example, yeah, in such a strong way. And right on,
I mean, for a lack of a matter of words, right on brand for educators amplified. Yeah,
like modeling, you know, that not only do students in classrooms, you know, deserve a regulated
adult teaching them, highly qualified, you know, teachers that not only know their stuff,
but know how to stay regulated and balanced. I'm so important. And then taking that to next level,
the decision makers and our local school communities, our school board members, as being capable,
not only knowledgeable of education and what teachers experiences are and, you know, the important
curricular decisions and budgetary, you know, conversations and decisions that get made at that level.
But, but being regulated at that as well, the importance of a regulated leader in education.
So big ups and, and I love that, you know, Tim, I've always been a big fan since early
premonitions, you know, lists, there's pencils, busters out there know that every new year,
Tim and I make, you know, we do premonitions of what we hope to see.
Prognostications. Yeah, prognostications of what of what we hope to see in the coming year.
And for a few years in a row, mine continues to be that more teachers move into elected positions,
move into leadership roles, you know, and step into, you know, teaching is already a political job.
You know, just teaching is, you know, you're working for the, for the United States government,
you're working for your state. You know, you're doing important work to instill democratic values
and, and ensure that we have knowledgeable citizens that are learning to be, you know, participants
and contributors to our democracy. So that's already political work. But then there are elected
positions like school board, being one of them, that we want to see more educators doing and
exciting to see, you know, how Lee go in that direction. And I, I agree with you, Tim, I think
it's going to be, you know, part of the inspiring movement of more educators running for elected
offices. You know, thinking about that too, in fact, you know, we know there are more listeners
out there who've either themselves have stepped in or know someone, a teacher, you know, who's stepped
in and put this out there and we try to do this invitation is open to come on. Busted pencils,
just like teacher Halle did, you know, if you're an educator out there who has, you know, made that
decision to do, you know, both be an awesome educator and also stepping into, let's just say
the political fray to make sure that the voices of educators are also at these decision-making
tables, not because you're going to get your way or make things happen, but the reality is
so that voices there, you know, when you hear educators amplify teacher Halle and teacher
Joanne all the time, their biggest frustration is just the simple fact that educators voices
are shut out of any of these decision-making situations. And in fact, they'll tell you their
reason for putting together their podcast educators amplified was based on that simple fact that
educators voices are absent from the discussions around policy that affect teachers' lives,
it affect the kids' lives. And so, you know, this is that that that just awesome, you know,
moment that we want to keep seeing, which is more educators, making sure that the voices
continue to be amplified. And, you know, again, to remind you out there, hey, if you're, you know,
you're an educator, you've ran for office, you're run for office, you've been successful,
we want to talk to you, come on, busted pencils, because how we make our prognostication, and maybe
this is a little bit of playing with insider information on the market here, is is that,
you know, we want to inspire that movement, though, too, so that our prognostications absolutely do
come to, you know, make us legitimate prognosticators in that. So, and the way we do that,
those we build momentum, we build the team, and we continue to have the discussions, which is,
again, not about educators getting their way, but making sure educators voices are part of the
decisions, and part of the decision making calculus, and how these things happen. And,
you know, Johnny, it was a great show we had there today. Love it when Teacher Halley comes on the
show. Love Saturdays with you and Jacob, I think it's some of the, you know, just something I
love to do on a Saturday, and we want to make sure that all of you continue to do that. It's
busted pencils, and you know what it is, Johnny, it's time for your moment of sin.
Education becomes most rich and alive when it confronts the reality of moral conflict in the world.
Thanks for listening to Bust and Pencil's broadcast today with elected school board member.
Halley Newman Schmailing, and remember to grab great podcasts, chalk fill of more fully-ledged
education talk on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and of course on the civic media website, or you can
visit us at bustedpensals.com. Hey listeners, don't be late for home room on Monday, and make sure
that you catch next week's class in session on Wednesday. You find us on Fridays with hurdles and
home runs, and of course, just like today, catch the Bust and Pencil's broadcast at 3 p.m.
central time across all the civic media network stations, for an hour of your favorite blue collar
scholars, Dim and Johnny, and keep Bust and Pencil's.
Thanks for listening to Bust and Pencil's broadcast.