DiscoverThe Al Franken PodcastRandi Weingarten on Defending Our Public Education
Randi Weingarten on Defending Our Public Education

Randi Weingarten on Defending Our Public Education

Update: 2025-09-21
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We are joined by Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, to discuss her new book, “Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy.” In the book, Weingarten details how there has been a systematic demonization of teachers and public education in America. She argues that one of the pillars of public education is critical thinking, which prevents fascism from flourishing in society - so fascists (and wannabe fascists) hate it.



We explore a variety of topics facing schoolchildren and their parents today, including charter schools, artificial intelligence, phones in schools, and the treatment of LGBTQ+ students.



We also discuss Trump’s proposed elimination of the Department of Education, attacks on teachers unions, and how we may have kept the schools closed for too long during Covid-19.



READ Randi's new book: https://sites.prh.com/whyfascistsfearteachers




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Randi Weingarten on Defending Our Public Education

Randi Weingarten on Defending Our Public Education

The Al Franken Podcast