Freedom to Learn

Apr 16 2025 21 ep. 28 mins
Freedom to Learn Podcast artwork

Freedom to Learn is for policymakers and advocates fighting for parental rights and education freedom for students and teachers. Host Ginny Gentles, Director of Education Freedom and Parental Rights at the Defense of Freedom Institute, interviews guests who are confronting powerful unions and bureaucratic systems. Each episode demystifies school choice, counters misconceptions, and spotlights the people who put students over systems. Freedom to Learn is produced by the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC.

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Jenny Clark on Students with Disabilities, Education Freedom, & Loving Your School

Apr 16 2025 28 mins  
Arizona mother Jenny Clark shares her family's challenging educational journey and how these experiences led her to establish Love Your School, an organization that provides personalized support for parents navigating educational options. Jenny describes how Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) provide families, including families of students with disabilities, with the flexibility to

Michael McShane on School Choice Research, Fearmongering, & Milton Friedman

Apr 09 2025 40 mins  
Do school choice programs really increase segregation, harm rural communities, and deny students with disabilities access to services? Dr. Michael McShane, Director of National Research at EdChoice, joins Freedom to Learn to tackle these and other pervasive education myths. Mike addresses the fearmongering tactics used by opponents and emphasizes the importance of factual evidence

Julie Hamill on California’s Violations of Title IX, FERPA, & Common Sense

Apr 03 2025 38 mins  
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into California’s practice of requiring schools to lie to parents about their child's "gender identity." Julie Hamill, founder of the California Justice Center, joins Freedom to Learn to explain how California’s zealous embrace of gender ideology violates both the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERP

Congressman Kevin Kiley on Charter Schools, Teachers Unions, & School Closures

Mar 26 2025 23 mins  
Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA), a former teacher in inner-city Los Angeles and California State Assembly member, joins Freedom to Learn to discuss the need for education freedom options that prioritize student success. We address the impact of prolonged Covid-era school closures and the harm caused by powerful political forces, like teachers unions and the politicians they control.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Cutting Bureaucracy, Empowering States, & Fighting Anti-Semitism

Mar 19 2025 14 mins  
Recently confirmed U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon joins Freedom to Learn to discuss her plans to reduce bureaucracy at the federal Department of Education while ensuring critical federal funding streams like IDEA and Title I continue to reach states and students. Secretary McMahon also dives into the Trump administration's efforts to enhance educational freedom for paren

Lindsey Burke on Winding Down the Department of Education, Stopping the Education Funding Spending Spree, & Expanding Education Freedom

Mar 12 2025 38 mins  
While awaiting President Trump’s specific plans to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education and “send education back to the states,” congressional committees are holding hearings to explore the policy possibilities. In this episode, Dr. Lindsey Burke, Director of the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, and I reflect on our recent congressional testimonies

Cade Brumley on Louisiana’s Reading Revival, Impressive NAEP Scores, & New ESA Program

Mar 05 2025 21 mins  
Louisiana was a rare bright spot amid grim Nation’s Report Card math and reading results. Dr. Cade Brumley, Louisiana’s superintendent of education, joins Freedom to Learn to discuss the state's impressive progress and his ambitions for further improvement. He shares insights into the policies driving success–a reading revival focused on the Science of Reading, empowering tea

May Mailman on President Trump’s Actions to Protect Women’s Sports, Spaces, & Dignity

Feb 26 2025 27 mins  
When asked “Should we keep men out of women’s sports?” the vast majority of the American people respond with a resounding “Yes!” May Mailman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Policy Strategist, joins Freedom to Learn to discuss the recent executive orders related to protecting women's sports and spaces and restoring biological truth. We explore the implication

Walter Blanks on Escaping a Failing School, Tennessee’s Big Win, & The Truth About School Choice Critics

Feb 19 2025 31 mins  
In this episode of Freedom to Learn, Walter Blanks Jr., spokesperson for the American Federation for Children, shares his personal story of escaping a failing school—thanks to a mother who refused to accept the status quo. He reveals how a school choice scholarship in Ohio transformed his future and why he’s fighting to give every child the same opportunity. Walter also breaks

Shaka Mitchell on Education Freedom, Teacher Bonuses & Rural Schools in Tennessee

Feb 12 2025 34 mins  
This week on Freedom to Learn, we break down a major development in Tennessee’s education landscape—the passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025. Passed during an emergency legislative session, this new statewide program expands school choice while making historic investments in public education. Governor Bill Lee, in his State of the State address, declared, “Tennessee w