Cindy Marten is the United States Deputy Secretary of Education. She was appointed deputy secretary in May 2021 under President Biden and works with Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to shape national education policy.

Her background, however, is not in politics but in the classroom. Her 35-year-long career as an educator took her from classroom teacher to superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District in California and finally to where she is today in the U.S. Department of Education.

In this episode, she discussed her personal journey in public education, some of the issues facing public education today, and what’s being done about them.

Episode Description: Dr. Marlee Bunch is an educator, author, and creator of resources and tools for creating culturally competent classroom lessons, known as the un/HUSH Framework. Her work is focused on uplifting marginalized voices, unlearning biases, and fostering connection through storytelling. Dr. Bunch brings over 16 years of teaching experience to her work, with a deep commitment to providing equitable and rigorous instruction to all students.

Her new publication, “The Magnitude of Us: An Educator’s Guide to Creating Culturally Responsive Classrooms,” can be preordered online.

Albert Sykes is a Jackson, Miss. native and the executive director of the Institute for Democratic Education in America, where he works in conjunction with students, educators, families, and communities to advocate and build capacity for education equity and racial justice. Sykes is a community organizer, education and civil rights advocate, and mentee of civil rights leader Bob Moses, who founded the Algebra Project.

In this episode, Albert talks about inequalities within public education in Mississippi and the role of community advocacy in improving conditions in public schools.