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2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell says he's not the best teacher in the country, but it's clear the Oberlin High School teacher the best person to represent our educators and students at this moment in our country, as Ohio and other states face dangerous legislation like House Bills 327 and 616 that would deny our students the opportunity to receive the honest and reflective education they deserve. In the Season 2 finale of Education Matters, we ask Mr. Russell to share his perspective, courage, and expertise.
2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell says he's not the best teacher in the country, but it's clear the Oberlin High School teacher the best person to represent our educators and students at this moment in our country, as Ohio and other states face dangerous legislation like House Bills 327 and 616 that would deny our students the opportunity to receive the honest and reflective education they deserve. In the Season 2 finale of Education Matters, we ask Mr. Russell to share his perspective, courage, and expertise.
Ohio's public schools serve 1.6 million children - 90 percent of students in the state! What happens in the classroom has impacts far beyond the walls of the K-12 school building or higher ed lecture hall. So, on behalf of the 120,000 members of the Ohio Education Association, we're taking a deeper dive into some of the many education issues facing our students, educators, and communities. Originally launched in 2021 as Education Matters, Public Education Matters is your source for insightful conversations with the people who shape the education landscape in Ohio. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on Public Education Matters? Email us at educationmatters@ohea.org
Transcribed by https://otter.ai - Please excuse any errors.
Intro 0:07
This is Education Matters, brought to you by the Ohio Education Association.
Katie Olmsted 0:15
Welcome back to Education Matters. I'm your host, Katie Olmstead. And I'm part of the communications team for the Ohio Education Association And its 120,000 members. This episode will be the last one of this season before we take a bit of a break for summer. I want to begin it by looking back at one of my favorite conversations of this run, take a listen.
Kurt Russell 0:40
And I was just so so shocked. But at the same time thankful for that.
Katie Olmsted 0:46
And now you will spend the next year in that role. What will you be doing,
Kurt Russell 0:50
you know, just trying to spread my ideas and my platform about education.
Katie Olmsted 0:56
That was season two, Episode Four from back in the fall, talking with Oberlin high school teacher, Kurt Russell, about the moment he found out he had been named 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year. The thing that neither of us could have known then, is that today he has a much bigger audience to hear his ideas about education. That's because in April, he was named 2022 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. In fact, OEA had planned to honor Kurt for his work as Ohio teacher of the year as part of the classic for Columbus basketball games on April 23. But he was unable to join us because of more pressing engagements at the White House in Washington, DC, with the president celebrating him, Kurt Russell, as he represented every educator in the country. We wanted to ask Kurt it about that and everything else about his new role as National Teacher of the Year. So we asked him to share his perspective for this podcast.
Katie Olmsted 2:07
Kurt, thank you so so much for sitting down with us again, I cannot tell you how excited I am to speak with you and how proud we all are of you. Congratulations, congratulations. Congratulations, Kurt.
Kurt Russell 2:20
Thank you so much, Katie. And thank you for all that you have done in this journey. The first time we sit down together, up until now you have been very kind and generous and professional. So I just want to say thank you for everything you have done as well.
Katie Olmsted 2:37
It has been my absolute pleasure to have these opportunities to speak with you. And in fact, this is your second appearance on our podcast this season. You are our season finale star. And I just want to talk to you about how it's all going. You are the 2022 National Teacher of the Year. What has it been like?
Kurt Russell 2:59
Katie, it has been surreal. First of all, I'm really taking on this attitude that being National Teacher of the Year doesn't make me the best teacher, right. And so I had to overcome that struggle. Because a lot of times were not thought of National Teacher of the Year, I didn't want that burden of being considered the best teacher, which I totally am not. So it's more of allowing me to put forth my body of work that I'm looking forward to doing this year, and to learning from great educators and stakeholders, they education throughout this country.
Katie Olmsted 3:41
It may not be about being the best teacher in the country. But you truly are the best person for this moment in our country to represent the needs of educators. You talk a lot about the transformative power of education for students, and the importance of representation in the classroom and their curriculum. And I cannot think of a platform that is more appropriate for where we are as a country right now.
Kurt Russell 4:09
I totally agree with that. You know, we are heading to a place in regards to education that I don't like that many educators do not like it seem as though educators are not receiving the respect that we deserve. No, we are the experts in the classroom. No, we are the ones that transform young people's lives. And I wish that educators throughout this country will receive more respect in that area and feel more valued for more important.
Katie Olmsted 4:49
Unfortunately, educators are really almost the pawns in the political chess games right now. They're they're constantly under attack, especially here in Ohio, as you well know. Well, the bills House Bill 616, House Bill 327, both of them are trying to stop educators from giving our students an honest and reflective education, and really scare them into not teaching anything.
Kurt Russell 5:19
You know, okay, that is a great point. And what I really wish politicians would do is sit down in classrooms, students are eager and hungry, to learn, teachers are eager and hungry to teach. And we would like to teach the truth. So from my own personal experience, students are craving for this information. You know, I am craving as an educator to listen to what my students are saying. And the only way in which we can move forward in education is by being vulnerable, by being honest and true to who we are as a nation.
Katie Olmsted 6:08
And your classes, really extremely popular classes, from everything that I've heard, really empower your students to be proud of who they are, it strikes me I was watching. And I've seen quite a few videos of you in your classroom. But one that obviously a lot of people saw was the CVS morning's package, announcing when you became the National Teacher of the Year. And in your classes, you're talking about race, gender, and oppression. And you are, your student body is representative of the United States as a whole. You have women in there, you have men in there, well, young women, young men, you have black kids, you have white kids who have all different races, how important is it that we continue to have those conversations together in a safe space, like your classroom.
Kurt Russell 6:57
It is so vital, right? It's so vital for us to have these conversations with young people. So hopefully, we could change this trajectory of education and what I always consider myself, Katie, as a person who is willing to listen and learn, it goes both ways. And I think a lot of times, we as adults, would only want to just hammer kids with information without listening. And what I'm hearing from my students is that they want to learn about the past, and how we could impact the future in a better, more just society. And so that's why these courses are so imperative is because students are not only learning, but they are trying to make a impactful decision of where we are going as a nation.
Katie Olmsted 7:54
And I want to read you a quote, again, from that CBS morning's piece from a Mr. Larry Thomas, he says you are changing lives, you're motivating young people each and every day. So you're making the changes. There are a couple of questions about this. First off, Mr. Larry Thomas is one of the reasons that you got into education. Is that correct?
Kurt Russell 8:17
Yes, it is. He was my first black male teacher I had in the classroom. And what I saw in Mr. Thomas was myself, I always love to learn. I always love history. I always wanted to be a teacher. But my eighth grade year, I saw Mr. Thomas asked an attainable goal. Since he's a teacher, I could become one as well. So it just really changed my life, because it was so long who I saw in myself. And that's the impact of representation. Right? Well, you could see someone that looks like you in a profession that you would like to become one day.
Katie Olmsted 9:00
So what happens if we don't have that representation? What happens if, you know, as we know, we have a looming teacher shortage? People are leaving the profession, young people are not entering the profession. What happens if we don't get more young black males into this profession to be that representation and to show kids that they can do this? And what happens if the lawmakers in Columbus get their way and we whitewash these kids out of their history books anyway?
Kurt Russell 9:26
It will be so devastating because now we are missing a group of members of this society, that their voices will be silent, their narratives and their stories would not be told effectively. And it goes so far, Katie into what is fair, right? What is equitable? And what is fair and equitable is to make sure that all of our students receive that representation. know our demographics are changing in America, there are more students of color in public schools, than white students, right, and so we have to reflect that within our faculty and within our staff as well. And so it will become a travesty if we don't start recruiting more students of more students of color. And if we don't start recruiting more women into the stem profession, and more men into the primary years, so we need that representation. Across the board.
Katie Olmsted 10:33
Do you have any ideas about how we could do a better job with that recruitment?
Kurt Russell 10:39
I think is the first thing has to be grassrooted. And what I mean by that, as stakeholders of education, we must look at our younger students in our primary years, and maybe try to mold them into teaching, I think it's imperative that we look at young students say, Hey, I think you have a gift to become a teacher, and start modeling that profession as well. And we have to make you attractive. A lot of times when people think of educators, first thing that comes to mind is that they don't receive enough pay is too long of hours. The information that they teach is not relevant. So somehow we have to make the teaching profession more attractive by maybe offering more pay, maybe offering free tuition, something of that sort to try to encourage more people into teaching.
Katie Olmsted 11:34
I want to touch on what you just said there about what they're teaching is not relevant. Nothing could be more relevant than what you teach. Just remind people about what your courses are.
Kurt Russell 11:43
Yes, there's probably three courses that has been gaining national attention. One is my African American history class. Another is my race, gender and depression course. And finally, a new course this year is called black music and the African diaspora. What is so important where I want people to really understand those courses was really started by students, where students said, We would like more, we would like more, more more. And so I thought about my own education. Even in college, I say, You know what, maybe I could bring my African American history class that I study in college, to the high school level, and then my race class that I studied in college, to the high school level. And what is so ironic about these courses, is that they are probably the most popular courses at the high school, and they are electives. So it's not a course that is required, students are signing up to take these classes, which shows the impact is having on our young people.
Katie Olmsted 13:00
But with House Bill 327. Basically, we aren't able to acknowledge race anymore. And with House Bill 616, it adds the don't say gay provisions of Florida's law to the don't say race prohibitions of House Bill 327, would you be able to teach any of that if those laws were in place?
Kurt Russell 13:23
You know, it would be very difficult. But Katie, I have to remain true to who I am as a teacher. And I have to remain true to what I consider myself as being the expert in the classroom. And more importantly, after remain true to my students, my students want to learn this information. My students are signing up to take these courses. And so I know from my own personal experience, that these courses are necessary that these courses are exciting to young people, and it's making a difference. And I would like to continue to teach those courses because I know the impact is having on young people lives.
Katie Olmsted 14:07
But I hate that I have to keep saying but you could lose your teaching license, you could lose your school critical funding. How many other educators are just going to be scared into submission on this one?
Kurt Russell 14:23
Yes, because it's our livelihood. And like you said, losing funding, maybe not being able to teach. But once again, as educators, we must be true to our students. I've always been an educator who have been learner student first center of everything I do is my students and I need to make sure that I do right by them. So I will continue under the guidance of my administration on the guidance of my school board. Hopefully the support in the chat Changing of these policies within our state to continue to impact students lives.
Katie Olmsted 15:05
And I want to read you another quote, This one is from OEA President Scott DiMauro. What he said right after the announcement that you would become national teacher of the year, he said, "To have CCSSO recognize Kurt Russell as the 2022 National Teacher of the Year is to recognize the importance of honesty in education for all students across Ohio and the United States." When I say you are the perfect person for this moment in our country, Ohio, certainly not alone, having these sorts of very dangerous bills being put forward their cookie cutter legislation that have just been shopped around to lawmakers in different state houses. What does your selection as the National Teacher of the Year mean about this moment for educators and our ability to fight back against this?
Kurt Russell 15:53
So first thing, I have two points. Number one is that educators are valued when CCSSO, selected me as National Teacher of the Year, they did not necessarily selected Kurt Russell, they selected the whole body of educators who are making this difference in our society, being courageous, being brave, being true to our students. But then number two, it shows that CCSSO is making a commitment to our students that our students deserve. And that's the key they deserve a fair and honest education. And that is what I am trying to bring nationally, through my speaking engagements. Having conversations with you, Katie, is just to try to understand, or to try to make people understand the importance of what we are doing as educators for our young people.
Katie Olmsted 16:59
I think it is very easy to get downtrodden in this moment in dough in Ohio, I, you know, I feel it in my heart, I feel sick, and I feel sad. I see what happened in Buffalo. And I see how denying and honest education leads to that moment where somebody has done something so heinous and so horrific, because of a conspiracy theory. And if we can't have an honest conversation about race in our classrooms, this will keep happening. Yes, I feel sick. But I also feel so much hope when I talk to you. And when I see your students working with them? Does it surprise you? Or is it something that of course, of course, you feel hope when you see them?
Kurt Russell 17:45
It doesn't surprise me one bit, I see nothing but hope within my students, I see nothing but changemakers. When I look at my students, they are so powerful, they are so smart, they are so engaging. And even though we have these house feels that we have these policies. My main focus, Katie has always been with my students, and each and every day, it just brings a smile to my face. Because I know that better days are coming because of the students in my classroom.
Katie Olmsted 18:23
Let's talk about the immediate future. As National Teacher of the Year, what does the next year look like for you?
Kurt Russell 18:29
Learning, learning, absolutely learning, I have the great opportunity to talk to you many different organizations and colleges, to travel a little bit. And the opportunity just to learn from all of the great educators throughout this country. And that's exciting to me. You know, the teachers always learning, right? That's our motto, we always learn, we learn, we learned and there's gonna be a great opportunity for me.
Katie Olmsted 18:58
And speaking of educators, you've met Dr. Jill Biden comes to mind. Tell me about being at the White House meeting the President and First Lady. What was that like?
Kurt Russell 19:09
Once again, one of those surreal moments how many Americans will have the opportunity to go into the Oval Office, right, let alone the White House, but the Oval Office to open up the door and the President of the United States of America is standing right there. And one thing about President Biden and Dr. Biden, just nice people, nice, nice, generous people who really care about education. And I don't think we could ask for a better administration than the Biden's at this time in regards to educators.
Katie Olmsted 19:47
And I don't think we could ask for a better National Teacher of the Year to represent all educators across the country and make sure that our students are getting that education they deserve. Kurt Thank you. Thank Whew, thank you. And congratulations again.
Kurt Russell 20:02
Katie, thank you so much.
Katie Olmsted 20:06
To see that story on CBS mornings we were talking about and the big announcement naming Kurt Russell, the National Teacher of the Year, go to the show notes for this episode. You can also find a link to see Kurt Russell's National Teacher of the Year address to the nation while you're there. And make sure you subscribe to Education Matters wherever you get your podcasts, so you don't miss a thing in the future. On a personal note, it has been an honor and a privilege for me to tell educators stories and dive into the issues impacting our schools this season on Education Matters. I cannot wait to get back to it this fall. In the meantime, I want to hear from you. Send me an email at EducationMatters@ohea.org to share your thoughts on this podcast and share your ideas about what you'd like to hear here on Education Matters down the road. Until next time, stay well
Transcribed by https://otter.ai