.
.
Man.
It's busted pencils.
Class is in session.
Last classes in session.
Dr. Johnny Lupinachi.
Jacob Chairman of the board.
We are here.
One day when you get to see this, you could see that we
fully have decorated for the holidays here.
It's a candy cane motif.
Jacob and it looks like potentially the red hallmark truck
might be in there somewhere.
Legally distinct red truck.
Non-copywritten red truck of some sort.
Yes.
Okay.
I just, you know, I could see the back end of that.
So, uh, welcome.
This is truly our last classes in session.
Jacob, I need you to verify that for me.
Well, until year.
Yeah.
It's not the last class session ever.
But of the year 2025.
Okay.
It's one of my favorite days of the year, Tim.
It's New Year's Eve.
We're already party in.
I mean, come on.
Listener is probably hopefully getting ready today for
their big New Year's Eve plans.
But this is it, folks.
December 31st, 2025.
Coming to a wrap here.
Let's dive into class.
All right.
I, you know, I'm just, you know, got things gone.
But Jacob sent a little note.
Prior, Johnny.
And I don't know if he shared it with you.
But he's like, whatever you guys are planning to teach for
you, just like a class of session,
hold it for next year because he's in charge today.
So, Jacob, I'd say this is kind of like a class of
sensation producer's choice combo substitute teaching today.
Jacob, chairman of the board.
Another title.
Well, this is the end of my first year on busted
pencils.
So my final exam is teaching my own class in session.
Nice.
Nice.
Nice.
And I'm very excited about it because I've been talking to you.
Guys, we're here at the end of the year and we have these
plans to come up with our our predictions for
2026 because you guys have informed me.
Unwisely of you to inform me of this that in the past,
you've also made predictions about what was going to happen
in that year.
So I went back, look through the archives,
called up producer Jess, found out exactly where I could
find this secret information and I have your predictions
for the year 2025.
Oh, and I thought, hey, why don't we dig these up and see
what did Tim and Johnny get right and what did Tim and Johnny
get wrong about this year?
Oh, it's like a it's like a ghost of Christmas past a few days
after Christmas here.
It's a very Dickens moment on busted pencils.
I get to think that the getting wrong.
I'm not so sure there's a whole lot of material for that.
But maybe I'll be right Jacob.
Well, Jacob, take it away, my friend.
So we're going to see what you guys got right and what
you got wrong.
And I know it's subjective in a way, but I think we're going to
be able to decide.
So Tim, when you go, Johnny and I will decide if you were
right for the year and Johnny, when you go, Tim and I will judge
you.
And you know, being a chairman of the board, as I am,
I do have some things prepared.
So if you're correct.
And if you were wrong about your prediction.
So that's a very shameful almost family.
You'd ask X over your prediction.
I'm hoping nobody gets assigned one of those as a teacher.
You know, I hate testing and I hate to give bad grades to two
of my favorite pupils.
So there you have it.
That's the setup for this very special New Year's Eve edition
of busted pencils class in session.
Okay.
I'm ready, man.
Bring it on.
So I'm going to give Dr. Tim Slecker the honor of being the
first person to have their prediction for 2025 looked at
here.
So we're going to peer back through the months all the way back
to January 2025.
Here is Tim's first prediction.
My prediction right away is is that we will see and I'm
going to put this out there.
I think we're going to see it before February that there
will be a national voucher bill that will get put through.
And I bet I'm going to say it will even make it through both
houses before February setting up the president for a very
quick win on one of the things that he has been promising
he's going to deliver.
So I heard a couple of things in that prediction.
I heard one count.
There will be a voucher bill, a national voucher bill put
through Congress.
Second count that you've been charged with in your predictions
Tim is that it will be signed before February.
Now, how do we feel about whether or not that exactly happened?
I can tell you that there was not.
I don't believe you're you're educated educators.
I'm just some schmo.
I don't believe there was a specific voucher bill.
But I do believe that vouchers were a big part of the big ugly bill
that did.
Yes.
So I was going to say, I think I think Jacob, you know, his
tough prediction of it being done by February.
Yeah, that can't quite happen.
But that big beautiful bill.
I mean, depending, I mean, beauty is in the eye of the
beholder, depending on how you interpret that.
I kind of like your name for a better Jacob.
But, you know, I believe was signed in July.
Was it July or June?
It was in the summertime because certainly covered it and busted pencils.
So, Tim, I want to give you credit for this.
That's my vote.
I mean, the February thing, not quite as quick as it happened, but pretty darn quick
by summer.
You know, that that was that was part certainly the focus of our analysis
as educators of that big beautiful bill.
Remember, put beautiful and quotations there.
I like Jacob's name for it better.
But I give Tim credit for this one.
Now, I'm going to take my graduate assistant's advice into
consideration, but I am the teacher of this segment.
So I'm going to give Tim.
Nice work, Timmy.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah, I might have been a little bit too bold in the February,
but come on.
You know, that maybe I was trying to be a little provocative for the show
there, but, you know, knew that it would get past.
And yes, Johnny, thanks for reminding that while it wasn't a separate bill,
it was wrapped into the big bold and the, well, you know,
whatever kind of bill that was.
So, woo, thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And the thing about predictions is that they are based upon the trends
that we see happening to us in real time.
So if you think about what you were dealing with Tim in early January of this year,
and you're thinking about, wow, Trump just had this big election.
The Republicans, they won the House, the Senate, the presidency.
I think it's a mood where you felt like, oh, yeah,
they're going to get their stuff done really quick here.
And that's where the prediction comes into.
And I think overall, pretty good prediction, Tim.
You were dead on that they were going to care bigly about this voucher issue.
So you really deserve that ding I gave you there.
Moving on to Dr. Johnny Lupinacci's first prediction for the year 2025.
This is a very easy premonition to make.
I think we're going to continue to dive through and, you know, work closely with,
what is the impact of AI in education?
What are the ways that it's making our classrooms better?
What are some of the limitations?
What are some of the exciting ways that it's changing careers?
How are we teaching with AI?
What role does it play in our classrooms?
I think that's going to be a big theme for 2025.
Okay, Tim.
So do you feel that that ended up being true on busted pencils that we talked about AI a lot this year?
Well, I was thinking about coming in with sarcasm and being like, well, you know,
Johnny got that one all wrong.
I'm trying to think of a show where AI didn't come up in 2025.
So I mean, yeah, all over it.
And as Johnny said, whether we're, you know, how best to teach with it,
some of the problems with it, how the careers are changing.
Man, I would say that, you know, I'm thinking about firing my,
my YouTube psychic and maybe asking for Johnny's advice after that because he can really see
into the future right there, Jacob.
That's, that's where I'm going with this.
I'm thinking about calling up draft Kings or whoever and complaining because I feel like
Johnny had inside information.
You know, Tim, you know, darn well, he was going to talk about AI 11,000 times this year.
Johnny, you know, way to go out on a limb on that prediction here for busted pencils.
But I think you deserve credit, not just for busted pencils talking about AI,
but for accurately understanding that Tim and the Church of AI were correct,
that this was going to be a big deal in many different sectors.
And in many ways 2025 was the year of AI.
I think we're going to remember it entering the conversation in a huge way this year.
So I have to give, despite my, my reluctance, a ding for Johnny as well.
Nice.
Man.
Okay, so it shows over.
It was a great 2025.
Tim, Tim, nobody, you both have one more from the famous January 25 show.
Okay.
And these are going to be really good, I think.
So let's take a listen to Tim's second prediction.
Is this a prediction or is this just a, we're so awesome.
But I think we're going to continue having very incredible influential guests.
And in fact, I really look forward to this year building the partnership with Randy Winegarden and AFT
and the work that they do that is so important.
You said we, we know had had Randy on before the election after the election.
There's a great connection there.
Now I'm going to just jump in and say Tim, again, I wanted to give you the big family feud X on this one.
But your prediction was correct.
We had Randy on a few times this year.
We just had Jonathan Girko on the show about a week ago.
So you were right.
Busted pencils has continued to have some of the best guests in education.
A lot of good ones came on this year.
There were some new guests brought back some old ones.
I think overall it worked out pretty well in the guest department.
Johnny, would you agree or disagree with that?
I agree fully with that one, man.
Man, that was easy.
I actually would give myself a little bit of going.
No, it was, I mean, it was another huge year of being able to have our great guest on Randy Winegarden.
I mean, her book.
Wow.
What a book.
We got to discuss it.
We got to have her on talking about it.
And you know, it was in my opinion, you know, a launch such a monumental moment for defining the profession of teaching that will carry into the following year.
So big one for me.
I say it's a go to thumbs up for Timmy on this one.
Oh, nice.
And getting Randy back on the show even made me feel like a real producer when I asked her people.
Oh, could I get maybe an exit in advance copy of the book for my talent?
So they're like, oh, yeah, sure.
Go ahead.
We'll give you a copy.
Oh, look, I'm a real producer.
I'm getting advanced copies of things for my people.
So I, I'm kind of like holy crap.
You actually asked for it for your talent.
And I was kind of like, huh?
No, that's you Tim.
You're the talent.
I know.
I know.
I was like, I've never been referred to as that.
So thank you, Jacob.
Well, if we're going to refer to me as a producer, we can refer to you guys as talents.
I think, you know, who's, who's really counting.
Johnny, great news.
You actually do have one more prediction here in the bank.
Oh, okay.
What are the odds that anything could go wrong?
I'm sure it's absolutely perfect.
Let's take a listen to Johnny Lupinacci's second prediction for 2025.
I'm going to double down.
I'm not going to double down because I'm already anticipated.
I'm my triple down next year.
I'm going to double down and listeners who follow Busta pencils closely.
You remember last year, one of my premonitions was, I hoped and believed we would see more educators running for office, specifically teachers.
So if I'm over here saying it's the year the teachers and the nurses, well, then you better believe that I'm going to double down on my premonition from last year.
I'm carrying over to 2025.
I'm saying we're going to see even more teachers running for office.
Dr. Tim Slecker, how would you evaluate your good friend and coworker, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci's prediction?
Well, dog gone it.
He was right on whether it was through school boards, whether it was for national elections, whether it was for, you know, in fact, we'd say, you know, a great listener teacher listener, we told her story.
The fact is, though, and now, granted, she just took office and won the election prior, but, you know, we love our.
Well, Johnny or John Jacob Angelina Cruz, representative right there from where you are in Racine, a listener, a teacher, who then ran for office and is now a state legislator in the state of Wisconsin.
I think right there, you know, there's the crowning jewel of Johnny's, as he says, premonition.
Johnny, how did you feel about the, the legitimacy or accuracy of your prediction for 2025, that not only would there be just as many educators getting elected, but get gum it.
It's going to be even more than 2024.
I don't know. That's the part where I got a little bit bold more than 2024 is top, considering we had a vice president, you know, Camden, who was a former teacher.
You can't really top that, but there wasn't a presidential election in 2025.
And locally, I feel like it's slam dunk, you know, Tim mentioned a representative being a listener of the show and, you know, being politically active as, you know, as a former teacher.
But man, highlight for me was listener, or I mean, yeah, she's a listener, but she's a regular participant, right, teacher, Halley teacher, Halley running for school board, getting elected to local school board there.
And, you know, coming on the show and talking about what that meant for her as a teacher, you know, to organize and to join, you know, into local politics.
And, and you'll throw her hat in a ring for an elected position, which she's on and doing great work in.
So I think I get some credit on that. I didn't have insider information, you know, that teacher, Halley from educators amplified was planning on running.
But wow, what a great series of shows as her campaign was going, you know, she was sharing that decision she made, you know, what would into it, how it works and why it's important for her as a teacher to make sure teacher voices.
Our represented in school board. So for me, that's a big W. I know that's happening in other places.
So I hope it continues to grow in 2026. I give myself credit Jacob, but you, my friend, are the teacher today.
Johnny, I would love to give you credit for that one. And I will.
Yeah, nice.
How could I do credit when we've got all these great educators running for office that are associated not just with busted pencils, but with schools and districts all across the country within the civic media network.
And beyond, though, they're soon, I don't think there will be anything beyond the civic media network.
The way we're growing and expanding and kicking butt all across this great Midwest, we've got with education and democracy.
Tim, Johnny, we only have time for one last prediction that Tim made last year. I think it's kind of a surprise prediction and I'll leave it up to you guys to decide if Tim was right.
Let's hear what Tim from last year head say.
I'm going to tell you another prediction I have. It's going to be the year of busted pencils.
I don't like the trepidation of that room there, Tim. I think it was a pretty darn good busted.
I was just wondering though, you know, waiting for you to judge that because I think it was an incredible year for busted pencils moving again, you know, whether it's the guests that we've had.
And think about the range of guests, whether they're true like national figures, you know, Randy Wine Garden, again, our friend who we can't wait to welcome back in 2026.
Matt Damon's mom, Dr. Nancy Carlson page, right, you know, teachers like Angelina Cruz teacher, Halley, you know, now Dr. Joanna Jonathan Gehrko, the range of guests that we have had on this show.
And again, from all kinds of different, you know, areas that they come on and then the topics that that we're covering.
Again, trying to, you know, bring the show to said, you know, our neighbor people listening and pointing out that, you know, if you're a fan of democracy, then you're a fan of busted pencils part of the civic media network of shows committed to the local listeners and, you know, your neighbors and democracy there.
So no, I wasn't really hesitant. I was just kind of like going, okay, I was kind of bold and maybe bragging a little bit, but I think we landed it and boy, it just, you know, hold on tight people. That's all I can say.
I agree to agree. Johnny, tell us.
Yeah, oh, I agree, man, you know, if something stagnant or stale, you know, you got to, you know, you got to get rid of it, you got to close the books on it.
And, you know, 2025 was anything but that for busted pencils, you know, we grew our listenership, you pencil busters out there, you know, we picked up even more support from you than we have.
I think the production level went up. Thank you, Jacob. We had continued to have great guests.
But, you know, if I'm to use my favorite metric, Terry Barr, one of our favorite civic media people wrote more articles about, about our show, then I could have ever dreamt of.
So, I mean, by all the measures that count, Terry Barr being the highest of those, you know, I think it was a banner year and Tim gets full credit for that.
But I'm just a mere grad assistant here, Jacob, you're the instructor today.
What is it? Does Tim get credit or is he buzzard out? Tim, I, I hate to do this, but.
You were right again. Why? I don't know if you're, if you're no stratamis or the Oracle of Delphi, but man, you were seeing into the future last year, you saw something pretty incredible.
I'm not talking about the big, beautiful bill. That was a bad thing that you may have spotted at the corner of your eye, but you saw bright and early and very clearly that busted pencils was due for a great year.
Now today is New Year's Eve working here right, right, bright and early in the morning with our busted pencils drop at 6 a.m. Central time, but by the time people listen to this, who knows it could be nighttime already.
I want to say as producer Jacob and substitute teacher for this class in session, I wish everybody a happy New Year's Eve, stay safe and have a lot of fun, but because it's sort of an unconventional show, I get to do whatever I want, really.
And let's go. I'm going to ask you guys a 60 second question starting with Dr. Tim Slecker, 60 seconds on the board. Do you have a message for our listeners for New Year's Eve?
Hey, you know what? First of all, keep it simple. Just keep busting pencils and more importantly beyond that though.
And talk to your neighbor about the things that matter, democracy, democracy in this country in this, you know, continent world, put it out there.
It is time for some, you know, maybe not such the, you know, just I just want to say thanks for listening and spend more time talking to each other, because that's what Johnny and I and try to do here with Jacob every time we're on the show.
We're not trying to divide. We want to bring people together. And so, hey, man, come together as Tim and I's mutual hero president George W Bush once said, I'm a uniter, not a divider, a uniter.
And I think we can all learn that on New Year's Eve, Dr. Johnny Lupinachi, give us your New Year's Eve message.
Hey, man, besides, you know, having a safe and happy New Year and celebrate, you know, with your loved ones with your neighborhood, with your family, all those people, like have a great New Year's Eve, have a safe one, but have a festive one.
And like Tim said, keep having conversations, keep listening to one another and, you know, coming together on truly local issues, like education. I mean, we're biased here, educated educators, talking education and pencil busters out there. We know you love to chop it up on the topic.
But have that conversation with everyone, right, talk about your local schools, get involved, whether it's go to a play production, right, or whether it's, you know, go to a performance, right, maybe the local choir band is performing or attend a local basketball game, it's in season, volleyball, anything that is part of your local schools,
the school's essential curriculars, it's just one way to get involved. You don't even have to have a kid going to school there, public schools are part of your community, part of your neighborhood life.
So participate in them, support them and have a happy safe New Year. Thanks for listening.
And then.
And now it's time for your moment of sin.
Come to believe that our lives can be turned in a different direction, our minds adopt a different way of thinking by some significant, those small event, that belief can be frightening or exhilarating depending on whether you just contemplate it or you do something with it.
Thank you for listening to today's class in session. If you want to grab more busted pencils, which is going over to Apple Spotify, or you can always get at us at civic media.com or our website, busted pencils.com. Remember, you can find great busted pencils content on AI.
Just kidding. Every Monday for home room Wednesdays for class in session and every Friday for producer Jacob's choice.
And of course pencil busters, even though I make jokes about AI, you have fun with that. I learn how to use it because you can always tune in every Saturday.
And listen to busted pencils weekend broadcast at 3 p.m. Central time across all the civic media networks for one hour.
My favorite poop collar scholar, Emma Johnny, it keeps busted pencils.
Thanks for watching.