Round the Triangle Podcast

Welcome back to another episode of the Round the Triangle podcast, where we are diving into a recent controversial decision made by the Virginia Peninsula Swim Union (VPSU) in February to reject USA Swimming's inclusive policies and instead require student athletes to compete based on sex assigned at birth, rather than their chosen gender. This decision has sparked debate and concern among parents and community members.According to the VPSU February meeting minutes, President Corinne Picataggi, who is also the Chief Technology Officer at the College of William & Mary, made the motion to vote on this amendment but later voted "no" and expressed concerns about potential discrimination. In her response to an email, Corinne stated that as president, she does not make motions or vote per the union’s bylaws. There were other contradictions in the minutes, so it’s possible the notes regarding her actions were also inaccurate.One parent I corresponded with from Queens Lake, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the idea to require students to compete based on sex assigned at birth was initially raised in her community. While some families supported the rule change, many others, including the anonymous parent, chose to boycott the swim team in protest. However, that parent said she regrets that decision, wishing she would have stayed with the team, so she could have continued to talk with other parents about the decision from within the organization.Our guest on this week’s podcast, Melissa, a parent of a swimmer from the Kingspoint Dolphins team, told me how this amendment came about and shared her opinion on how this decision goes against the league's spirit of openness and fun. While the policy most directly impacts transgender children, it also imposes more emphasis on competitive edge, which contradicts what the league was supposed to be about.Melissa also speculates that this effort to ban trans athletes is tied to a broader conservative movement in York County, which has a school board with a right-wing majority. If you are concerned about this decision and its impact on inclusivity and equality in youth sports, consider reaching out to the VPSU on Facebook to express your thoughts. Additional Resources:* The Rightwing Takeover of the York County School Board* VPSU Facebook Page* VPSU February Meeting MinutesCover photo from Kingspoint Dolphins Swim Team page. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

Howdy everyone! We’re back with another podcast. In this week’s episode, I interview William & Mary Professor Amy Quark and organization founder Jacqueline Bridgeforth Williams from the local nonprofit The Village Initiative about their sixth annual equity report, which sheds light on persistent disparities in the Williamsburg-James City County (WJCC) school division.Amy and Jackie share the troubling findings from their report, highlighting gaps in student disciplinary measures, academic achievement, and gifted program participation, particularly among Black and Hispanic students as well as students with disabilities. For instance, despite making up only 18% of the student body, Black students accounted for 39% of short-term suspensions and 43% of long-term suspensions during the 2022-2023 school year.In our discussion, we talk about how this annual report started and The Village Initiative’s efforts to advocate for policy changes. Amy and Jackie emphasize the need for systemic solutions, including better support for teachers and staff, and the importance of collective bargaining rights.Tune in to learn more about the ongoing struggle for educational equity in our community and how you can get involved.Here's how you can support The Village Initiative:* Visit their website: Village Initiative* Email: villagewjcc@gmail.com* Follow them on social media for updates and advocacy opportunities.Cover photo courtesy of The Village Initiative. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

Howdy everyone, hope your week is going well. This week’s podcast features an interview with Richmond-based journalist Goad Gatsby, who spoke to me as he was covering the Pro-Palestine protest at Virginia Commonwealth University this past Monday, which ended in officers from multiple law enforcement agencies sweeping the camp. 13 protesters were arrested, including 6 students.Goad explains why the charge of “antisemitism” against these protest encampments on college campuses is misguided, and how Governor Glenn Youngkin and other conservatives have co-opted sincere efforts to curb antisemitism in Virginia into a means of suppressing dissent against Israel’s war on Gaza.The events at VCU followed similar mass arrests of Pro-Palestine protesters at Virginia Tech and Mary Washington, and since Monday new protests have started at the University of Virginia and Christopher Newport. These are all part of a nationwide movement at college campuses calling for an end to Israel’s war on Gaza.Here’s how you can support the protesters:VCU Protester Bail FundFollow Students for Justice in Palestine at W&M on Instagram @sjpatwmDonate to Virginia Tech Protester Support on Venmo @VT4PalestineYou can support Mary Washington protesters by calling (540) 654-1000 and asking the administration to not implement disciplinary measures against arrested students.For updates on Christopher Newport protest follow @hamptonroads4palestineFor updates on UVA protest follow @sjpuvaCover photo courtesy Goad Gatsby @GoadGatsby on X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

Correction: Gary Porter’s FOIA Request asked which speakers during public comment were teachers. It did not ask about addresses. We’re back with another episode of Triangle Tidbits, where we talk to the people behind the headlines featured in the Round the Triangle newsletter.In this podcast, I’m talking with Wavy10 journalist Brian Reese who has been closely following the York County School Board this year. According to his reporting, three board members - chair Lynda Fairman, vice chair Kimberly Goodwin, and Zoran Pajevic - have ties to the York County Poquoson Constitutional Militia. Their tenure has been marked by a series of troubling actions: sending militia members to intimidate a sex education class, asking for proof that enslaved people weren’t happy, and limiting public comment at meetings in an attempt to stifle opposition to their agenda.These actions have prompted community opposition, culminating in a petition calling for all three members to resign. Brian will help us put this story into the context of the larger conservative movement, walk us through his coverage, and also share what drives his attention to detail in reporting on this issue. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

Happy weekend! This month’s local history podcast revisits the panel I moderated at the Lemon Project Symposium last month about changing the names of James Blair Middle School and Magruder Elementary, both of which are tied to the legacy of slavery.The panel featured members of the Lassiter family from East Williamsburg, who are taking a stand to rename these schools to better reflect the values of equity and inclusiveness at the heart of our local education system.I first met Mary Lassiter when I was reporting on a screening of the documentary “Voices of Integration” which tells the story of the first integrated graduating class in the Williamsburg-James City County School Division. Since then, we have been working to raise awareness about how James Blair and Confederate General John B. Magruder upheld institutionalized slavery. Joining us on this episode are Mary’s brothers Carl and Curtis “Buck” Lassiter, who share their own insights about the history of segregation in the Historic Triangle area and the ongoing impact of these school names. To support our campaign, please share this podcast and our previous episodes on James Blair and Magruder, and if you’d like to get involved in our organizing please join our Facebook group Rename James Blair Middle School and Magruder Elementary.Note: The Lassiters did not attend Frederick Douglass Elementary but participated in summer recreational activities and other extracurriculars/events on site. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

Howdy! It’s Women’s History Month, and we’re celebrating with another Round the Triangle local history podcast exploring the biography of Lady Frances Berkeley with the help of Amy Stallings, a William & Mary adjunct history professor who brings Lady Berkeley to life at Historic Jamestowne.Leader of the “Green Spring” faction in 17th century Virginia politics, Lady Berkeley is viewed as unique among colonial women for the considerable amount of political influence she wielded, including in response to Bacon’s Rebellion. However, a focus of Amy’s interpretation of Lady Berkeley has been to go beyond her status as a political figure and share details about her ordinary life and what it was like to be a British woman living in Colonial Virginia. In this episode, we talk about the moments that defined Lady Berkeley’s political career, the importance of humility in teaching history, and how we can better empathize and understand historical women.Don't miss Amy's next performance as Lady Berkeley, this Thursday at 2 PM at Historic Jamestowne! For more details and to view all future programs, visit Historic Jamestowne's calendar page. Amy also offers an excellent two-part "Women of Jamestown" tour that occurs regularly.Have a question about Lady Berkeley? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.roundthetriangle.comWelcome to Triangle Tidbits, where we hear directly from the people behind the headlines of the Historic Triangle’s top news stories.In this week's episode, we dig into the recently released study exploring the feasibility of an independent Williamsburg school division. With initial reactions being mixed, I invited Williamsburg-James City Education Asso…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.roundthetriangle.comThe most recent Round the Triangle newsletter highlighted Dog Rescue Flights, a Williamsburg-based nonprofit program that runs flights to save healthy animals at risk of being put down, transporting them to safer locations and connecting many with forever homes.Dr. Rick Campana, a retired physician, started the program a few years ago, and his team, inc…

At first, Raymond Copeland thought it was a prank. His face on a “Wanted” post by the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office on Jan. 7 couldn’t be real. But it was. The Facebook post had named Raymond, a dedicated teen services director for Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Virginia, as a suspect in a York County shooting on Jan. 6, but he didn’t have anything to do with it. His wallet had been stolen over the holiday season, and it was in the possession of one of the people involved in the shooting. Based on nothing but the photo ID in Raymond’s wallet, the victim had identified Raymond as a suspect.The accusation forced Raymond out of work, causing him to scramble to clear his name and leaving him with lingering questions. Why didn’t the Sheriff’s Office do more to investigate his involvement beyond the testimony of one witness? Why wasn’t due diligence done? In this podcast, I talk with Raymond about the emotional and professional toll of this experience, and what he is doing to ensure that no one else has to go through what he went through. To support Raymond as he considers possible legal action, he encourages listeners to reach out to him on Facebook. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

Howdy! It’s time for another local history podcast brought to you by Round the Triangle. In this episode, we are exploring the controversy surrounding Magruder Elementary School in York County. The school was named after Confederate General John B. Magruder, a figure infamous for ordering the burning of Hampton during the Civil War.“Having known for some time past that Hampton was the harbor of runaway slaves and traitors, and being under the guns of Fort Monroe, it could not be held by us even if taken, I was decidedly under the impression that it should have been destroyed before; and when I found [its] extreme importance to the enemy, and that the town itself would lend great strength to whatever fortifications they might erect around it, I determined to burn it at once.” - Gen. John B. Magruder, 1861When members of the York County community protested the school’s name in 2021, the York County School Division offered a different explanation. They claimed the school was named for the Magruder area of Williamsburg, a former African American settlement displaced by the creation of Camp Peary during World War II. However, this account contradicts historical newspaper records. A 1954 Daily Press article states that the school “was named for a Confederate general.”While some have described the Magruder community as “lost,” their legacy lives on through descendants who actively pursue a better understanding of their history. My guest, Brian Palmer, is a Peabody award-winning journalist based in Richmond, Virginia. He's working on a documentary about the Magruder community called "Make the Ground Talk" alongside his wife, Erin Holloway Palmer. Brian himself has family ties to Magruder and we'll discuss those roots, the importance of a complete understanding of U.S. history, and why this is a pivotal moment to reconsider old names for schools like Magruder Elementary.If you’re interested in learning more about this history, please join me at the Lemon Project Symposium on March 22-23, and if you like this podcast, please consider subscribing and sharing with friends and family.*Correction: in the podcast I mention that I had heard Magruder used to be Frederick Douglass Elementary. However, according to newspaper archives, they were two separate schools. During Jim Crow, Magruder was a school for white children, and Frederick Douglass was a school for Black children in York County.Show Notes:* Freedom’s First Generation* Historic African-American Cemeteries* Podcast on James Blair This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com

Wait a second. It’s not Sunday… why are you getting an email from Round the Triangle?! Well, this isn’t the usual weekly newsletter: it’s a new monthly podcast! Starting now, I’ll be sending you a Round the Triangle podcast in the middle of each month that will dive into local history, culture, or whatever I find interesting about the Historic Triangle area.For this inaugural episode, we are talking about James Blair, the co-founder of the College of William & Mary and, as it turns out, a slaveholder and advocate for institutionalized slavery in colonial Virginia. Despite this legacy, Blair is still honored today as the namesake of a local middle school and a hall on W&M campus.James Blair Middle School used to be James Blair High School, where the first integrated class in the area graduated from in 1969. Last year at a screening of “Voices of Integration,” a documentary about the challenges faced by the first Black students to integrate at Williamsburg-James City County schools, I met Mary Lassiter, who recounts her experience as a student walking into James Blair High School and seeing a problematic mural in the video below.Since I learned about this history, I’ve been doing some digging into James Blair and Confederate officer John B. Magruder, the namesake of Magruder elementary in York County (more on him in a future podcast). It did not take me long to discover that James Blair was not only a slaveholder himself, but that he pushed for the Anglican church to adopt slavery in order to incentivize more English ministers to move to Virginia."Blair was convinced that making ministers slaveholders would 'be most effectual expedient for furnishing this country with a learned pious and diligent clergy; and for rewarding such a clergy with all suitable encouragements and securing them in the possession and enjoyment of them." - The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 93, No. 3 (Jul., 1985)In my research, I also came across an interview with history professor Jennifer Oast, and reached out to her to get her take on James Blair as a school name. Our conversation in this podcast scratches the surface of her research, but if you’d like to learn more about her work I’d recommend this story from the Virginia-Pilot.I am not the first to raise the question as to why a school in our community continues to honor a slaveholder and slavery promoter. Many have spoken up before, but nothing has been organized to put real pressure on the school district to change the name of James Blair Middle School. I hope that this podcast helps to change that.Mary and I are currently talking with local community organizations to start a campaign to change the names of James Blair Middle School and Magruder elementary. If you’d like to get involved in these efforts, let me know!Show notes:* The Bray School* Institutional Slavery by Jennifer Oast* “The Blair Statue: A Legacy Worth Interrogation Not Reverence”* Gowan Pamphlet, American Baptist minister and freedman who founded the Black Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Virginia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.roundthetriangle.com