Voices for Family and Freedom

04/03/2024

Why caucus?

24/02/2024

Reminder to all my friends and neighbors in Utah. Caucus is March 5 at 7pm (check-in at 6pm ). Caucus is the most grassroots system of government, and helps limit the influence of Big Money (like I grew up with in California). Please make sure to attend. Be INFORMED and INVOLVED! That's how we maintain freedom in a government of, by, and for the people!

03/11/2020

Reposting from January, 2020.

How do we bring people together? How do we disagree without being disagreeable? The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr used religious principles in politics that can help us.

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-tv8z7-d06647

How do we bring people together? How do we disagree without being disagreeable? The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr used religious principles in politics that can help us.

04/07/2020

Gratitude for the miracles that helped in the founding of America. https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/gratitude-and-miracles-for-the-4th-of-july/

06/06/2020

Looking behind the curtain on state end-of-year testing with Alyson Williams who served on the Utah testing parent review panel.

https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/behind-the-scenes-of-year-end-testing/

Do year end tests actually measure what your kids actually know? Alyson Williams served on the parent panel that reviewed questions appearing on Utah's year-end test. Wendy and Alyson discuss whether these tests fulfill the responsibility of measuring stud...

09/05/2020

We keep teaching math "for understanding" and getting lousy results. Barry Garelick joins me to discuss the problems we've had teaching math, the drop in national test scores since the adoption of Common Core and where the idea that one must teach "process" before "practice" in math. Does memorizing the times tables and learning to borrow and carry early on prevent kids from "understanding math?" https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/math-mistakes-learning-from-our-previous-errors-in-teaching-mathematics/

Barry Garelick joins us for a discussion about the process of learning mathematics. Are there lessons to be learned from previous methods. Are we repeating errors that are avoidable?...

02/05/2020

Harvard University was planning on holding a homeschooling summit because of great concerns about "harm" that comes from homeschooling. Julie King joins me to talk about how parents need to make the important decisions about how to meet the needs of EACH child, regardless of what Harvard thinks."We're a country that was founded on diversity and free thought and it would be a shame if we turned away from those foundations!" --Julie Cash King https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/homeschooling-harvard/

Local school board member, Julie King discusses a recent Harvard paper and proposed summit on homeschooling.  Harvard assumes that there is great harm that comes from homeschooling. Julie weighs in on why parents are the best people to make those education...

16/04/2020

How can you help your kid learn "real" math? https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/how-to-help-your-child-with-math/

Have you been frustrated trying to help your child learn "real" math?  How do you teach math in a way that makes sense?  J.R. Wilson, longtime teacher and math advocate, joins me to give you pointers on making sure your child can do math and be successful ...

10/04/2020

Reposting for Good Friday. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addresses the memorable moment, during Christ's crucifixion when He said: "Father, Forgive them..." I believe we need to remember we are all worthy of love, especially during these difficult times.
https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/only-love-can-conquer-hate/

How do we bring people together?  How do we disagree without being disagreeable?  The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr used religious principles in politics that can help us....

03/04/2020

How do we allow people to run for elective office without money and popularity being so important? How do we hold our elected officials accountable to the people at the grassroots level? Utah already has a system that does just that. Casey Voeks joins me to talk about how we can make and keep our elections accountable to the people.

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-tbezd-d80630

Everyone seems to agree that money is a big, and probably outsized, influencer in elections. Most people think this is a problem. Utah has a system for selecting candidates that limits the influence of money, and increases accountability to the average person in each neighborhood. Casey Voeks, forme...

24/03/2020

Educational Lemonade: How to look at the current situation as an opportunity in education. Thanks to Matt Throckmorton who joins me to discuss educational priorities during this period of social distancing.

https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/better-elections-a-discussion-with-casey-voeks/

Matt Throckmorton joins me to talk about how the social distancing with the Coronavirus gives us an opportunity to see what is really important in education.  In short, how do we make lemonade out of lemons in our current environment?  And what lessons can...

09/03/2020

Whatever the issue, we seem to think that all societal problems should be addressed at school. There are some unintended consequences of that model. We need to know what those consequences can be, and go into these decisions with our eyes open. Amy Mullins, a speech language pathologist, shares her experiences on this episode.

https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/the-unintended-consequences-of-attempting-to-fix-medical-issues-in-the-school-system/

Amy Mullins, a speech language pathologist, joins me to discuss how the good intentions of helping kids with issues like speech in the schools has led to unintended consequences that make it harder to help a broad range of students than it otherwise should...

27/02/2020

State Boards of Education: Who Decides What Your Kids Will Learn? Alisa Ellis joins me to talk about the importance of the State Board of Ed and whether they should be elected, appointed or a mix. And why do they matter to you?

https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/state-school-board-elections-who-should-decide/

The biggest question in education is always "Who Decides?"  Who decides what your child should learn?  Who decides if your kid has learned it?  Should that decision be left to appointed staff or should We, the People, have a say?  Alisa Ellis, former Utah ...

21/02/2020

So many states adopted Common Core standards on the promise that they were "rigorous". Part Two, with Dr. Sandra Stotsky, on how you can determine whether standards are good or not. Dr. Stotsky oversaw the creation of all the major content standards in MA in the early 2000's. These standards were considered the best of the best and have a track record to prove it. What can we learn from her experience? Join us and see! https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-aaufv-d47809

Part two of my discussion with Dr. Sandra Stotsky. How can parents know if standards are good? Dr. Stotsky helped oversee the Massachusetts standards that had a long track record of success. Most standards are adopted based on the opinions of those in power, not with any evidence. How can parents kn...

13/02/2020

Florida and possibly Idaho may be getting rid of the Common Core standards. But how does the average person judge whether proposed standards are any good? Joining me is Dr. Sandra Stotsky, who oversaw the complete revision of standards in Massachussets; standards with a track record and high acclaim (including increased NAEP scores, AP pass rates, and the TIMMS (international math and science) scores).

https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/how-to-know-if-standards-are-good-a-discussion-with-dr-sandra-stotsky-part-one/

Dr. Sandra Stotsky joins me to help parents determine if a set of standards are good.  What makes good standards?  How do you get them?  What do parents need to know?...

06/02/2020

Florida claims it has new standards that are NOT Common Core. Idaho's legislature just voted to get rid of their Common Core standards. What are standards? Who decides? How do we know if they're any good?

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-rnaik-d298d6

In the last decade, we've heard a lot about standards, specifically Common Core standards and how they are "rigorous". Who are the people who decided what your kids would learn? How should we decide what standards are "rigorous"? Should money be the driving factor? What if they've never been tried b...

29/01/2020

Utah State Auditor, John Dougall, joins me to talk about why our legislators need your input, support and information. The legislature makes the laws we live under. So, we need to be paying attention. The nice thing is that we can invest as much time as we want, but any little bit helps!

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-hu6v4-d17e97

Utah State Auditor, John Dougall, joins me to talk about how to engage your legislators and the legislative process. Those who make our laws, need our help to inform them. Also, an overview of how a bill can become a law and the role of lobbyists (that are sometimes a positive).

21/01/2020

Only Love Can Conquer Hate. How to disagree without being disagreeable, and learning from the example of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King on political discourse and loving your enemies.

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-tv8z7-d06647?fbclid=IwAR1GXAbL7oP9Entl_sUUujdAqyDPdqYe88Juklt9VdoyacLo1RN-sNMsolU

How do we bring people together? How do we disagree without being disagreeable? The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr used religious principles in politics that can help us.

15/01/2020

What is the purpose of education? And, who should decide?

https://familyfreedom.podbean.com/e/education-what-is-its-purpose/

It's difficult to get to the "what" of education if we do not have agreement on the "why". There are many perspectives. It is worth spending a few minutes to consider the purpose of education....

10/01/2020

Podcast #1: School Attendance Laws & Your Family. Autumn Cook joins me to talk about how attendance policies, like one currently being proposed in Utah, can have long-lasting, negative consequences for your family. This isn't just for "those parents" who need it. This can impact the average responsible family, as well. Also, what's the difference between an "absence" and "truancy" and why that matters!

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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-va37v-ced498

What happens when School Attendance Policies don't make sense? In some states, it could mean attorneys and Child Protective Services are involved. What happens if your child has multiple illnesses or is involved in orchestra or dance outside of school? I spoke with Autumn Cook who fought draconian a...