First hour: Discussing the state of standardized testing
Second hour: Previewing the documentary, "Outta the Muck"
The pandemic was supposed to remake how schools decided to test students. Standardized tests, in particular, would be under the microscope. The reality, according to many teachers, is that there has been little change. Why all the hype and no action? Our guests discuss what they observed about students and testing during the pandemic, and how they see the issue of evaluating students. Our guests:
- Evvy Fanning, local high school English teacher
- Amy Maloy, member of the Rochester City School Board and high school teacher
Then in our second hour, have you heard of “the Muck?” The historic town of Pahokee is located in the Everglades region of Florida. The area’s nutrient-rich soil has led Pahokee residents to refer to their home as “the Muck.” In a new documentary, filmmaker Ira McKinley goes back to the Muck to find his roots. In the process, he tells the story of his family and their efforts to push through tragedy and challenges and forge their own narrative of Black achievement. “Outta the Muck” will be screened in Rochester before it debuts on PBS next year. We discuss its themes with our guests:
- Jared Case, curator of film exhibitions at the Dryden Theatre
- Ira McKinley, filmmaker of “Outta the Muck”
- Bhawin Suchak, director, producer, and editor of “Outta the Muck”
