In this deeply personal episode of Off the Record, I open up about what it’s really like to walk into a program that’s been through years of high turnover — the exhaustion, the rebuilding, and the resistance that comes when you try to bring structure and consistency back to a place that’s lost both.

But let me be clear — this episode isn’t about one person, one school, or one situation. It’s about the bigger issue that thousands of teachers across America are living through right now: how hard it is to rebuild culture in a system that’s been broken by instability, burnout, and mistrust.

I talk about what happens when students stop believing adults will stay.
When parents unintentionally make the job harder by not trusting the experts.
And when teachers — who genuinely care — start to wonder if doing the right thing is even worth it.

This is a message to educators who are fighting to rebuild, to parents who want the best for their kids but might not realize how much trust matters, and to anyone who believes in the power of consistency, accountability, and genuine care.

Over the course of this extended, four-part reflection, I’ll share what it feels like to:

• Step into a program that’s been reset too many times

• Face pushback for doing what’s right for the students

• Carry the emotional weight of rebuilding people, not just systems

• And find hope again when the culture finally starts to heal

If you’re an educator, this episode is for you.
If you’re a parent, this episode is for you.
And if you’ve ever wondered what teachers really go through — the unseen emotional labor behind the classroom walls — this episode is especially for you.

Because this isn’t about blame.
It’s about trust, collaboration, and the belief that rebuilding is possible when we choose to work together.