Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Nicole Solas, a stay-at-home mom who was sued by the teacher's union for requesting public school curriculum records.  Nicole highlights that schools are incorporating gender theory, and other racially-charged topics into the curriculum while simultaneously removing the input of parents on what their children are being taught. She discusses the importance of schools having full transparency in terms of the school's curriculum so that parents can make decisions accordingly. She also explains that parents should be alarmed that they are not allowed to inquire about what their kids are being taught and that they should be taking initiative without being afraid to be "inconvenienced."

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Arooba Asim, the co-host and podcast producer of Anchored. She is also the CLT social media manager. Arooba discusses her upbringing in rural Pakistan, her early education, and the foundation her family created for her rooted in traditional and religious values that are lost in the modern world. She explains the stark contrast in the lifestyle she experienced when her family moved to Canada, and how growing up in two very different cultures gave her a better understanding of other ways of living. She shares her views on the toxicity of social media, and modern values that have removed people from being able to appreciate the true, the good, and the beautiful.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Dr. O. Alan Noble, associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University. Dr. Noble discusses his interest in studying culture as a young student, but how challenging it was to learn to do it in a way that honors God. He talks about the existential dread that many students face in response to cultural pressure to perform in a specific way. Dr. Noble also shares the importance of developing a Godly perspective, knowing our limits, and recognizing that some things aren't good for our souls. He explains that the purpose of higher education is to make students ask the question of, "what is the Good life?"

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Deanna Slamans, an educator and author. Deanna discusses her early childhood of living in poverty, the hardships she faced and overcame in relation to her family's circumstances, the trauma she suffered, and how receiving an education turned her life around. She shares the opportunities attending a school provided for her, and how it helped her strive for more than she had been given. She talks about her book Faith's Pursuit: Understanding God's Faithfulness in Suffering,  and how her relationship with God changed as she overcame these hardships, and how it helped her become a better human being, and a better mother.  

In this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Dr. Carl Trueman and Lee Wishing from Grove City along with Megan Basham, an entertainment reporter at the Daily Wire. They discuss the recent debate around progressive ideology entering Christian higher education, and specifically on recent incidents surrounding this topic at Grove City College. They discuss the dangers of unchecked racism, anti-racism, and the risks of addressing these issues without alienating individuals on both sides of the debate. They also speak on how universities can prevent leftist ideologies on white guilt from entering classrooms and curriculums while at the same time, speak about racism from a Christian perspective. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Dr. Tracy Gardner are joined by Matthew Tolbert, the first-ever student to earn a perfect CLT score. They are also joined by Matthew's parents, Phil and Susan Tolbert. Matthew's parents share their story as a homeschooling family, how they made the decision to homeschool, what they love most about it, and how it molded their children. They describe their homeschooling philosophy as "a tool to explore the natural curiosity that God has instilled in children." Matthew also shares what he loved most about being homeschooled, and why he enjoyed taking the CLT exam. He shares the list of colleges he hopes to apply to, and the traits that are important for him when choosing which college to attend. Matthew's parents end the podcast by offering words of advice and encouragement to families who are new to homeschooling, or who would like to homeschool their children. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Dr. Jonathan Moo, Professor at Whitworth University. Dr. Moo discusses his journey to obtaining his unique combination of graduate degrees in theology and wildlife ecology. He explains why humans have become so far removed from God's creation, and how studying theology helped him identify the values required to appreciate the world God has created, and how to act in order to preserve it. He also discusses modern-day technology and its effects on students.  

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Robert L. Luddy, a business and educational entrepreneur. Robert discusses his journey to becoming an entrepreneur, founding a charter school, a network of classical private schools, and a new classical college. He speaks on topics such as the rising cost of college tuition, the importance of being efficient while running a business, and the connection between a liberal arts education and business as a career. 

In this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and special co-host Katie are joined by Dan Koch, the host of the You Have Permission podcast. Dan discusses the reasons behind why it has become increasingly difficult for people to be open-minded, and how Catholicism helped him begin to operate from a viewpoint in which his own thinking could be challenged. The central theme of this episode surrounds having the ability to check our own thinking so that we can engage in open dialogue with people of various backgrounds, and political views. Dan and Jeremy also discuss how Catholicism has shaped their worldview, whether universities are compromised, and the redefinition of  liberalism. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by VP of Sales and Marketing, Soren Schwab. Born and raised in Germany, and then moving to the United States to attend Hillsdale, Soren discusses the radical difference between the education system in both countries. He explains the transactional nature of schooling he received in Germany, and how shocked he was to discover that Hillsdale offered a completely different experience. He discusses the importance of being taught by professors who genuinely enjoy the work they do, and who keep their own politics out of the classroom. He shares his own journey from being a teacher at Vanguard to becoming an employee at CLT, and why he was willing to take that risk.