Scroll Down Kyw: A Podcast About Philadelphia

Standardized tests have played a key role in our educational system for a long time. But over the years, it seems that role has only grown, and now they are used to judge a lot about how a school and its students are performing. Is this a good thing? We spoke with Dr. Mary Williams, Professor of Education at La Salle University, to find out. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a perfect world, every school would have all the money it needs, but that is clearly not the case now. In her new book, "Designed to Fail: Why Racial Equity in School Funding Is So Hard to Achieve", Dr. Roseann Liu, visiting assistant professor at Swarthmore College, digs into school funding and why it is almost always children of color that get shortchanged. We talked with Dr. Liu about the book, which focuses on Pennsylvania, and why it seems like we just can’t get this right. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may have heard that the bee population is under threat in recent years. Bees are critical for our environment and food production - a dwindling population could affect our ability to grow fruits and vegetables. But The Washington Post recently reported that America’s honeybee population is at an all-time high. So, what’s going on with the bees? Should we be worried? Vincent Aloyo is the master beekeeper and an adjunct professor at Delaware Valley University, where he teaches beekeeping. He joins us to talk about why we need bees, why their numbers did decrease, and what we can do to keep the bee population on track. Resources mentioned in the episode: The Xerces Society Homegrown National Park, founded by University of Delaware Professor Doug Tallamy To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of women are the victims of violence every year. This includes random attacks out in public, but also violence instigated by someone a woman knows or even an intimate partner. Barbara Jordan is a personal safety expert and the founder of the organization Always BEV. We spoke with Jordan about her organization and the tragedy that led to its founding. We also discuss how women can stay vigilant and safe in public and recognize red flags in relationships. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Talking about one’s mental health has become much more common, as has seeking treatment for mental health issues. A lot of progress has been made, but there is still a long way to go, and allowing mental health issues to go untreated can lead to a lot of problems. We caught up with Dr. Christopher Pagnani, the founder and medical director of Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates in Philadelphia, to talk about the progress society has made in addressing mental health and the problems that can arise from not addressing mental health issues. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In certain situations, plaintiffs in federal court are able to basically pick which judge hears their case by choosing which district and division they file in. Critics of this “judge shopping” say it has led to cases that overturned government policies, like the Texas case that suspended FDA approval of the abortion drug mifepristone before it was advanced to the Supreme Court. In March, a federal judicial panel issued a policy to try to stop judge shopping in cases like this, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Paul R. Gugliuzza, a professor at Temple University Beasley School of Law, joins us to explain exactly how judge shopping is possible, what this policy aimed to do and why it might not work, and how this all adds to Americans’ lack of faith in our justice system. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There has been a lot of attention on the 2024 New Jersey Senate race. But past the candidates, an important aspect of this race was a lawsuit that was filed by Democratic Congressman and Senate candidate Andy Kim, along with two other candidates. It could end up having a lasting impact on New Jersey politics, as it could change the way primary ballots are designed in the state forever - it already has for the Democratic primary in June. We talk with Dr. Benjamin Dworkin, Director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship in Glassboro, New Jersey, about what is known as “the county line”, why it has mattered, and what the impact could be if it does indeed go away for good. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lawsuit filed in March is trying to change the way Pennsylvania handles solitary confinement. There’s a lot of evidence showing the negative mental health effects of isolation, especially on people who already had mental health diagnoses - so why are people put into solitary confinement? Are there limits, and what would this lawsuit change? Dr. Jill McCorkel is a professor of sociology and criminology at Villanova University, and she’s seen the conditions of solitary confinement in many prisons. She joins us to explain this lawsuit, the current rules in various facilities, and the impacts both on individuals and public safety. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The National Association of Realtors settled a class-action lawsuit in an agreement that will change how realtors’ fees work. Where home sellers typically used to cover a standard fee for the buyer’s agent, now many buyers will likely have to cover that fee, but they’ll be able to negotiate the percentage. Dr. Carter W. Murdoch, Executive Director of the Henderson Real Estate Institute at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, joins us to explain what this means for sellers, buyers, and realtors. Who will get more money, who might have to spend more, and how this could impact the real estate market. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For stargazers, April 8th is going to be about as big as it gets. No matter where you are in North America, everyone will experience an eclipse of the sun in some kind of way. How does this eclipse differ from others? Deborah Skapik, an adjunct professor of astronomy at Saint Joseph’s University, is fascinated by all facets of the April 8th eclipse. She shares information about the once-in-a-generation event, from how it could affect other living species beyond humans to ways to view it safely. Hosted by KYW Newsradio's Matt Leon. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The federal government doled out a lot of money during the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant amount of that money went to schools across the country in the form of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Tens of billions of dollars from these funds have been spent, but there are still billions unspent with a deadline approaching by which to utilize the funds. Lindsay Dworkin is Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs for NWEA, a K-12 assessment and research organization. She looks at how this money has been spent and how much of an impact it has had. Hosted by KYW Newsradio's Matt Leon. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We survived a global pandemic, but did we take away the lessons we needed about emergency preparedness? Trust for America’s Health recently released their annual report called “Ready or Not: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism”, which measures emergency preparedness by state. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are categorized as high performing, but the report says many other states are not ready to face things like extreme weather, wildfires, or a new disease. We talk with Rhea Farberman, director of strategic communications and policy research at Trust for America’s Health, about the report, what kinds of emergencies we need to think about, and what states need in order to be prepared. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve seen a huge drop in people pursuing teaching careers in the last decade or so. It seems even more exacerbated in the past few years, with the pandemic and political debates making the role of a teacher even harder. That has led to some teachers being hired with lower levels of training. How can we address this shortage and get people who are passionate about education properly trained? Dr. Gary Henry is the dean of the University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development. He tells us what the University of Delaware is doing to encourage more people to pursue teaching and how we can improve teacher training overall. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a presidential election year, the political news coverage can be overwhelming. It seems like there’s a new poll every week, watching the stats like the score of a football game. But is the media actually getting the most important information out to voters? We're looking at a Biden vs. Trump rematch - what should we expect of the press in such a contentious and high stakes election? Dr. Geoffrey Baym is a professor in the Department of Media Studies and Production at Temple University's Klein College of Media and Communication. He helps us take a look at how the media at large has been covering elections in recent years and what they could do better. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Supreme Court recently heard arguments in a pair of cases about state laws that regulate how social media companies control content on their platforms. The laws were enacted by Republican state governments to prevent conservative voices from being silenced on social media - but do the laws violate the First Amendment by saying private companies can’t choose how to moderate their content? Dr. Michael Moreland, professor at Villanova University's Charles Widger School of Law, explains the arguments the Supreme Court heard in these cases, what a ruling in either direction could mean, and what other questions this case brings up about the power of social media. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sweden has been a historically neutral country, but when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Sweden and their neighbor, Finland, began the process of joining NATO. Finland became part of the alliance in April 2023, but Sweden just officially joined this month. What was the delay? And how could this change global politics going forward? Dr. Johannes Karreth, associate professor of politics and international relations at Ursinus College, joins us to discuss the implications of this move, for Sweden, Finland, Russia, and other countries. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recent medical discoveries have made Alzheimer’s disease and dementia easier to identify and manage, but these conditions still have a disproportionate impact on Black communities. Research shows that African Americans are more at risk for developing Alzheimer’s and are less likely to be screened for it. Dr. Doris Molina-Henry works with the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute at the University of Southern California. She’s trying to bridge that gap with a new set of clinical trials called the AHEAD study. We talk with her about the study, why Black communities are more at risk for Alzheimer’s, and how diverse participation in clinical trials can help. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the face of trauma, just how resilient are kids? Conventional wisdom says they bounce back quickly, but that's not always the case. Dr. Marc Hauser is a evolutionary biologist and researcher. He wrote a book called Vulnerable Minds: The Harm of Childhood Trauma and the Hope of Resilience. He explains how trauma can affect early childhood development, and what's at stake if the ripple effects go untreated. Hosted by Matt Leon. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos being held for IVF are children according to the state’s laws. While the state government has now introduced bills to protect IVF, the decision has opened a can of worms - what would it mean for an embryo to have the same rights as a child? Can you claim a frozen embryo on your taxes? How would that conflict with the rights of a person carrying an embryo? Dr. Susan Liebell, professor of political science at Saint Joseph's University, explains the case and the political climate that led to this decision, and what the implications could be nationwide. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Legendary music artists The Supremes and Harry Belafonte passed through there. It was a place of prestige and pride for Philadelphia's Black population. Such was the early legacy of the Nile Swim Club, which, in the late 1950s, opened in response to racial segregation in the borough of Yeadon. But with the passing of time, the club’s allure began to change. Declines in enrollment became so sharp that Nile was ultimately forced to declare bankruptcy. In recent years, benefactors have emerged to save the club, and reset its role in the community it serves. West Chester University Professor of History Dr. Bob Kodosky, author of The Nile Swim Club of Yeadon: A History, shares stories about the club’s past, and looks ahead to its future. Hosted by Matt Leon. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices