Chillin in the Statehouse Episode 40: School's out!

Both school and the Kansas Legislature are out for the year and the Capital-Journal's two statehouse reporters, Andrew Bahl and Jason Tidd, are joined by education reporter Rafael Garcia to talk about it all. They run down the big education policy developments from the last year and break down how …

Teaching Topeka | Ep. 7 — Children's books were some students' escape this year. Here's how to think more critically about them.

Children's books are the foundation for many people's values and beliefs. But how can parents look for books that include a diverse rang of voices and values? Find out on episode 7 of Teaching Topeka.

Teaching Topeka | Ep. 6 — Spite, and why it may be what's getting college students through this school year

Washburn professor Chris Jones and student Mara Coufal discuss what it means to be a college student this year, and the motivation it takes to trudge through anyway.

Teaching Topeka | Ep. 5 — What's in store for the Kansas State Board of Education? These are the things member Ann Mah sees as priorities

The ballot for the Kansas State Board of Education is typically an overlooked position, but as 2020 demonstrated, the board occasionally plays a big role in setting the education agenda for the state. Board member Ann Mah talks to The Capital-Journal's education reporter Rafael Garcia about the iss…

Teaching Topeka | Ep. 4 — How Seaman High student journalists reported on school founder's KKK connections

For decades, rumors had flown around Seaman Unified School District 345 that the district's namesake founder Fred Seaman, a prominent education figure in early 20th century Kansas, had ties to the Ku Klux Klan. But it wasn't until 2020, with the help of an anonymous source to tip them in the right …

Teaching Topeka| Ep. 3 — Racial equity and justice in schools

Protests on social justice and racial equity have rocked the U.S. this summer, but with students now back to learning, how are schools addressing the topic? Topeka Unified School District 501 superintendent Tiffany Anderson spoke on The Capital-Journal's Teaching Topeka podcast on how schools can n…

Teaching Topeka | Ep.2-Special Education in Kansas

Schools and teachers all face a challenge in reopening this fall, but with a different set of needs, special education faced different obstacles in crafting reopening plans. Bert Mooore, Kansas State Department of Education director of special education and title services, and Heath Peine, Wichita …

Teaching Topeka | Ep.1 — School counselors

The first day of school is an anxious day for most students returning to classes, but in a pandemic, those jitters might be bigger than normal. Hannah Kemble and Glynis Kickhaefer, school counselors for Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437, join Rafael Garcia, education reporter for The Capi…