Teaching Texas

Wonder Media Network
  • 4.2 (374)
  • HISTORY
  • SERIES
Teaching Texas

In 1961, Norma and Mel Gabler were a quiet couple living in Hawkins, Texas. One day, they noticed some factual errors in their son's school book. What began as a small complaint morphed into a multi-decade crusade to shape what children of Texas ​​— and therefore the country — read in their textbooks. In an election year with raging debates around education, this audio documentary charts how Texas dictated American education over the last sixty years and examines how the fight over our childrens’ classroom has only intensified today.

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  1. EPISODE 1

    Chapter 1: Under God

    On the outskirts of Hawkins, Texas, a couple found a problem in one of their kids’ school books. They didn’t have a background in education, but because they lived in Texas, their concern ignited a national movement and several decades of influence over what the rest of the country learned.

    35 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Chapter 2: The More Sex You Teach...

    By the 80s, Norma and Mel had gained real traction in the textbook industry. And with their newfound power, they start dictating what goes into textbooks. They threaded their conservative Christian beliefs into textbooks across the nation, with little regard for separating fact from opinion.

    29 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Chapter 3: The Pilgrimage to Longview

    When the Gablers’ protégé, Neal Frey, gained control of Educational Research Analysts…he took a different approach. Grace journeys to Longview, Texas to meet the man himself and witness the last vestige of the Gablers’ enterprise.

    39 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Chapter 4: What Sleeping Rocks Dream Of

    Nowadays, standards known as TEKS dictate what every Texas student needs to learn. The State Board of Education is in charge of approving these standards. So, when a creationist dentist gained control of the board, those standards started to reflect his beliefs – for better or worse.

    36 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    Chapter 5: The Latest Bogeyman

    Critical race theory. It’s the latest rallying cry for people attempting to disrupt trust in public education. What do we lose when parents vilify educators? To find out, Grace pays a visit to the Texas suburb at the center of the national conversation.

    32 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    Chapter 6: Who Draws the Line?

    Library books aren’t required reading like textbooks are, but they can play a big role in a child’s education. As activists and politicians bring book banning back into the education debate, one group of Texas parents are fighting back. They want their kids to read stories that center diversity – and in the case of one contentious book, they won.

    36 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    Chapter 7: Collision Course

    This fall, for the first time in 12 years, the Texas State Board of Education was due to review the Social Studies TEKS. In doing so, they attempted to answer the question: how should we teach U.S. History? Against the backdrop of outrage over CRT and a midterm election that will likely bring a more conservative board to power – what did the SBOE decide?

    38 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    Chapter 8: How We See Ourselves

    Each year, Texas public school students learn the story of their state’s origin: the battle for the Alamo. The story has become a rallying cry throughout the ages for Texans, and Americans – It’s an underdog tale of sacrifice. But, it’s also not very historically accurate. In the series finale, Grace explores the danger of teaching myths as though they’re fact.

    40 min

  9. EPISODE 9

    Live from Texas Tribune Fest!

    Since Teaching Texas wrapped last fall, the state has been embroiled in a debate over school vouchers, climate change education and district takeovers. But flying slightly under the radar – though equally consequential – is House Bill 1605. In a discussion recorded live at Texas Tribune Fest, Grace is joined by Rep. Gina Hinojosa and State Board of Education Chairman Keven Ellis to dive into how the bill re-allocates power, impacts teachers, and charts a new future for Texas public education.

    1h 2m

  10. SEASON 2 TRAILER

    Introducing: Teaching Texas

    Introducing Teaching Texas, a new audio documentary from Wonder Media Network that uncovers the surprising history behind America’s latest culture war.

    3 min
  11. Bonus from The Amendment: Keeping Democracy Intact with Nikole Hannah-Jones

    BONUS

    Bonus from The Amendment: Keeping Democracy Intact with Nikole Hannah-Jones

    We’re bringing you an episode of a new podcast we think you’ll love: The Amendment. A new podcast about gender, politics, and power from The 19th News and Wonder Media Network, The Amendment is hosted by award-winning journalist and 19th editor-at-large Errin Haines. Each week, Errin sits down with people who have fresh perspectives on the state of our country – and asks questions that center the voices of women, queer folks, and people of color. The Amendment adds much needed asterisks to America’s most pressing political conversations – and gets clear on the unfinished work of our democracy. In this episode, we hear from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones on what role the free press should play in ensuring the survival of our democracy. Nikole Hannah-Jones is the creator of the 1619 Project, Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University, and a leading voice on the vital role of journalism in our democracy today. In the inaugural episode of The Amendment, Errin and Nikole discuss the current state of journalism, the high stakes of this presidential election, the importance of historical context in our political moment, the challenges faced by Black women in journalism and more.

    36 min
See All Season 2 (11)

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4.2
out of 5
374 Ratings

About

In 1961, Norma and Mel Gabler were a quiet couple living in Hawkins, Texas. One day, they noticed some factual errors in their son's school book. What began as a small complaint morphed into a multi-decade crusade to shape what children of Texas ​​— and therefore the country — read in their textbooks. In an election year with raging debates around education, this audio documentary charts how Texas dictated American education over the last sixty years and examines how the fight over our childrens’ classroom has only intensified today.

Information

  • Channel
    Wonder Media Network
  • Creator
    Wonder Media Network
  • Episodes
    18
  • Seasons
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2022 Wonder Media Network LLC
  • Show Website
    Teaching Texas
  • Provider
    Wonder Media Network

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