Mymediadiary Podcast

Kevin Walsh interviews Badass Teacher's Association leaders Marla Kilfoyle, a high school social studies teacher from Long Island, and Melissa Tomlinson, a middle school math/special education teacher from New Jersey, who also received national attention in November 2013 when Governor Chris Christie shouted at her when she asked him a question.  This interview follows Kevin's January 24, 2014 post:  Public Education Going the Way of Netscape Navigator? Common Core, Bill Gates and BATs Topics include:  BATs exploding membership, What's in a name?, Common Core Standards, Addressing teacher Isolation, Post-Christie life for Melissa, Reaction of parents/colleagues, Creating a strong voice in the unions, Pleasant surprises, Current needs. Background on the BATs:  In June, 2013, Mark Naison, a professor of African-American Studies at Fordham University, together with Priscilla Sanstead an education activist, formed the provocatively titled, “Badass Teacher’s Association”—a grassroots organization “for every teach