Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On the episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Florida State Representative and founder of Employment Simplified Inc., John Snyder. They discuss Florida’s efforts to support school choice and classical education. They also cover ESI’s partnership with CLT, which helps assign teachers to schools through the CLT Classical Teaching Corps. They also dive into what happens once an applicant is accepted into the Corps and share good news for those who may still want to apply.Apply for the CLT Classical Teaching Corps: https://www.cltexam.com/classical-teaching-corps/Visit https://www.esiworks.com/contact/ to walk through the application process with one of their recruiters and explore next steps.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Jimmy Mitchell, director of campus ministry at Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida and founder of Love Good. The two discuss the way music and architecture can soften the spirit and elicit noble desires. They dive into the culture of Jesuit Tampa and how sports, curriculum, and campus culture interact and create young men interested in faith and leadership. They also discuss the benefits of single sex education in combatting the cultural understanding of what it means to be a man. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Soren are joined by Erik Twist and Ben Lindquist, two of the founders of Arcadia Education. The four discuss the cultural gap in operational guidance for schools and faith-based organizations that brought about the need for Arcadia. They dive into the importance of valuing operations on par with missional drive. They also discuss the myth that there is a shortage of talented teachers in the classical education world and how Arcadia illuminates the opportunities for good schools to attract good teachers. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Allen Mendenhall, the associate dean and Grady Rosier professor for the Sorell College of Business at Troy University, where he also directs the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy. Mendenhall recently published an article in 1819 News entitled “Alabama Needs the Classic Learning Test.” The two discuss the problems with American education today, highlighting how educational vandalism and social engineering confuse the moral aims and core objectives of schooling. They dive into the College Board’s contribution to eroding educational standards. They conclude by talking about some of the hopeful changes and initiatives that they are seeing on the academic landscape.

In this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by David Rancourt, provost and VP of enrollment at the New College of Florida. They discuss David’s journey from playing football under Bobby Bowden to advocating for classical education. They dive into the history of New College of Florida and the campus’ culture of civil discourse that allows people to hold and discuss a wide range of opinions and beliefs. They also talk about the media coverage of New College of Florida and David’s experience navigating the press. 

Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and K-12 education expert, dives into the deeper purpose of education. He challenges the notion of 'teaching how to think,' emphasizing that thinking skills are domain-specific and rely heavily on background knowledge. Pondiscio advocates for the importance of literacy and classical education, which fosters a richer understanding of what it means to be human. He also highlights how education should focus on citizenship rather than just job preparation, making it an essential conversation about the future of learning.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Rob Reynolds, founder, president, and executive producer of Christian media company Cross Boss Media. The two discuss his journey going from teaching in New York public schools to founding a real estate company to launching Cross Boss. They examine why Christian media matters and the importance of safeguarding your children when it comes to giving them access to phones. They also talk about the success of Studio 3:16, Cross Boss’ educational comedy program based on Gospel passages. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty. Tiffany talks about her journey joining her local school board and how the challenges of COVID created an unexpected opportunity—what she calls “COVID lemonade”—for parents to see the indoctrination happening in public schools. They discuss the importance of local and state-level education reform. They also dive into the gender ideology issues that have circumvented parental influence and infiltrated public schools. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Jon Peede, president of Ashland University. They discuss his over a decade’s worth of work in the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities and his experience learning from differing viewpoints as a conservative working in the arts. They discuss the possibility of a modern renaissance in art and how educational institutions can aid in that flourishing. They also dive into how Ashland’s accent on the individual makes it a unique, classical educational experience. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Texas State Representative Brad Buckley, who discusses his educational journey, the importance of classical education, and recent reforms in Texas public education. Buckley emphasizes the need for rigorous instructional materials, the role of testing, and the significance of school choice and educational savings accounts. He also shares insights on the impact of literature in his life and the importance of parental involvement in education.