259 - Eric Tucker on Reopening Schools with Equity in Mind

<p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">In today’s discussion, Tom Vander Ark is speaking with Dr. Eric Tucker, the co-founder and Executive Director of the Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School. Brooklyn Labs is a next-generation college-preparatory 6–12 public charter school that prepares scholars with the academic foundation, digital literacy, and leadership skills necessary to succeed in college and professional life.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><br /> Recently, Eric created a 10-point plan based on insights and resources from practitioners and experts to help educators reimagine and strengthen education systems. In particular, it was created to encourage school and system leaders to consider how the needs of people of color and individuals with disabilities will be affected by re-entry.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">In Tom and Eric’s discussion today, Eric recalls how debate changed his academic trajectory, as well as how he overcame learning disabilities and earned a doctorate at Oxford. They also discuss how Brooklyn Lab responded to the closure of schools and, of course, their 10-point plan for reopening schools with safety and equity in mind! (If you want to tune in specifically for the 10-point plan you can jump forward to minute twenty!)</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:10] About today’s episode!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:43] Tom welcomes Eric Tucker to the podcast.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:50] Eric shares why he studied Africana studies at Brown University in ’98.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[2:22] Where did Eric’s appreciation for debate come from? And when did it start?</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[5:30] How and when did Eric end up at Oxford getting his master’s in education research met