The "What's Going On?" Podcast
Think casual, relatable discussions like you'd overhear in a barbershop. Conversations and commentaries from the common-person perspective, a mix of diverse topics and perspectives. The conversations will seamlessly pivot between politics, music, sports, and pop culture. Our goal is to be inclusive and inviting, a broad appeal, non-pundit vibe, and memorable.
The "What's Going On?" Podcast
Reparations in Tulsa
Join hosts Thomas Corley, Keith Pickens, and Mike Miller in this week's episode of the What's Going On Podcast as they delve into pressing issues.
The discussion kicks off with Tulsa Mayor's announcement of a $105 million reparations plan for the descendants of the 1921 race massacre.
The hosts then shift focus to the Department of Justice's current challenges under the Trump administration, highlighting concerns around its transformation and weaponization.
The episode concludes with an in-depth conversation about Michigan's educational system, tackling low state rankings in reading and math, and potential strategies to improve them. Tune in for insightful perspectives on these critical topics.
https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/the-weekly-wrap-tulsa-105-million-reparations-plan
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/19/g-s1-66906/trump-civil-rights-justice-exodus
https://www.detroitchamber.com/mackinac-policy-conference/2025-mackinac-policy-conference/2025-agenda/#wednesday-agenda
Tulsa Mayor announces$105 million reparations plan for the descendants of the 1921 race. Massacres. The Department of Justice has a justice problem. State of Michigan's educational rankings, and reading and math. I'm Thomas Corley with Keith Pickens and Mike Miller. This is the What's Going On podcast. Thank you for listening.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Hey Keith. What's going on?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Hey, what's going on tc?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mike Miller?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Hello, Mr. Corley.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Was always with the Mr. Corley stuff, man.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I gotta be the comic relief sometimes.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:I guess we're,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:not sometimes.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:we'll roll with that.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:yes.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yep. So this week, reparations kinda came to focus on when I was, you know, algorithms once again feeding me information. And I saw that in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the mayor has put out there that, for the city to put into a trust, a hundred million dollars, like$105 million for those, descendants of the 1921 massacre.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:So that's kind of how I got to the point where I wanted to pick you guys brain on reparations and what your thoughts are on it.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Which one of you wanna go first?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I know you did your homework, Mike, go ahead and reparations because I know we all have feelings and opinions.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:yeah, we all got, reparations. Reparations. Yeah. Reparations today. Reparations tomorrow, and reparations forever. Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:You know.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:100.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:But now, okay, realistic. it's not gonna happen, you know, under a, fascist regime, but it's not gonna happen. I know that many, entities Have introduced proposals
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:for it to happen, and I'm in a hundred percent agreement. I just don't think it's going to happen. But my, vision of reparations, number one, it would be no federal taxes for any descendant, any African American person. Man, woman, even children for the next 400 years. I know it sounds crazy,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I like it.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:No federal income taxes, plus a$1 million payment every individual man, woman, and child of African American descent. Even with those, that wouldn't be enough, that would not repay. What they owed us.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Correct.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:You know what I mean? Even if we did the taxes and
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:bucks,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:not that I wouldn't take
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:all take it, especially no federal income
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:but it still wouldn't be enough to repay us in any way, shape or form. Now, if I remember correctly, the Japanese got a cash payment.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:20,000.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:20,000. Okay. And that was what, in the 1940s? Early fifties. Fifties. Had to be the forties.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:And in term they went to the camps in the forties, right?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:correct,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah. So
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Pearl Harbor was bombed,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:So it had to be fifties or sixties or something like that.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right. Yeah. That was Pearl Harbor. that was around the time that we entered World War ii. That's the catalyst that got us into World War ii, was the Byman Pearl Harbor.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:but yeah, reparations. I know different cities have introduced things. I know that, city of Detroit had some discussions around that, especially when they were talking about the I 75. Or I 3 75, you know, raising that back up to street level.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So, what you gonna do with that land?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:is it gonna go back to the African American families that were bulldozed out, for no reason, other than to put in a freeway from that that wasn't needed.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:and now they wanna turn around and.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Fill it.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:again.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:it in.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Fill it in and you know,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:For.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:not ours.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I just keeping it real, you know?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:around that. You
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:yeah,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:that for a little while in that, on the, feed that I was getting. But, you know, I kind of. Went away when, the last one I got, they just said, well, it's gonna happen. it's going forward now. No matter what the people were saying they were, the commitment is there.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:yeah. No doubt about it.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:leave it there to remind everybody of just what this government will do to bulldoze you out you try to prosper.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Within the rules of the democracy in which we live.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Now is imminent domain no longer a factor these days, or.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:it can be, I mean, imminent domain is one of those situations where if the government identifies a situation where they feel they need this land, that's not off the table.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Okay, so it's not off the books. Okay.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:to make people move in situations where the government deems they need that land or that territory or that area. But, I just wanna chime in real quick regarding, reparations. and I talked a little bit off, the mic time about reparations and how I feel and I'll get to the skinny real quickly. like Mike, I don't think that it'll ever happen it's certainly been something that's been proposed bandied about, bills drawn up, since 1865 around what we as a people deserve. I do feel that we deserve it. I strongly feel that we deserve it. And to Mike's point, there'll never be enough cash outlay, land, medical coverage, education, and all those things are on the table. We should have all of those things. And I love that idea about not paying taxes, Mike, because everything that we now, experienced in our country was building on the back of slaves. Black people, people who look like. The three of us, I just don't think that there's enough compassion around what we really mean to this country then till now. And I really don't think the feeling about us as a people has changed much from then to now. And that's a lot of years. Right?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:All right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I just think that it's never gonna be taken seriously. I think that they consider it a front for us to have the audacity to even think we deserve, reparations. but there's been, you know, going back to 1865. there was a proposal that Andrew Jackson, then the president,'cause General Sherman proposed that, there should be reparations for us. But Andrew Jackson and his infinite wisdom decided that we didn't deserve it, and so he. stifle that bill or stop that bill before it could even go forward. there have been many years since then, where was proposed. I'm looking at something now where the naacp, as recent as 2019,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Wow.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:reparations and education and so forth so that we could have assemblance. Of being made whole because to the point that was made earlier by Mike, again, will never really be made whole. But the fact is, it's just a shame, that they don't deem us worthy. the Japanese, like Mike said earlier, were able to get, 20,000 per person. in 1988, there was 1.2 billion awarded to 60,000, Japanese for the time that they spent, in Internments. we all know the Native Americans, were made whole, well, again, I'm using that term loosely because
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:are made whole. They took the land from the Native Americans,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:they said, you know, what we're going to do is we're going to give you land. only that we're gonna provide for healthcare for you, we're gonna make sure that you are provided education. And then in a lot of ways they're, they're, they, they have laws separate and aside from laws of the United States of America particularly, where they live. And so. They, there was enough conscious by Americans or Caucasian Americans,'cause those are the ones who had the power and continue to have the power provide reparations for those ethnic or race groups. But yet we built this country literally on our backs and they still, today, 2025, don't feel that we're deserving any restitution or reparations. And so, I'm not optimistic, Mike. I'm not optimistic time. I don't see it in my lifetime, but, you know, just for the sake of how things have gone over, you know, the last, you know, in terms of how we've been treated, I just don't think that we'll ever get any consideration because. know, they've never really given us any con consideration before, and, and it hasn't changed. And, you know, I don't want to get too deep into that whole MAGA thing, but when they talked about making America great again, it had nothing to do with people that looked like, you know, the three of us. And so if you think we even had a chance to get reparations, if we continue to go in the direction that Trump will have us go in, that's so far off the table now that, that you almost might not even wanna speak on it. yeah, reparations is something that. I've thought about and I, and I keep in the back of my mind I pray that, you know, one day it's possible for our people. I just don't feel that it'll ever be possible for, for me or us in our lifetime.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:All right. Yeah, I totally agree. You guys are. making me look at things a little differently.'cause I don't even have it on my mind at all. and the reason I don't have my mind,'cause I don't see it happening, but at least there are some people making strides in it. there's a representative in Congress, like I said, who made mention of it, brought it to the floor and then the mayor of, Tulsa, Oklahoma was at least trying to make it right for the descendants of that. massacre that happened in 1921. Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:so with the, department of Justice, you know, this is my make me wanna holler piece.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:The, I don't even know her name. Bondy, is that her name? Bondy? Yeah. I mean, what is the deal on. Just, there's a mass exodus of lawyers or attorneys leaving that agency and I just don't know why she still thinks she's going in the right direction. I mean, I know she's drumming to the beat of Trump and what he is demanding,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:eliminating the Civil Rights division or making it smaller I mean, where's the justice for that?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:The Department of Justice is not the department of just us. it has nothing to do with us.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Us.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:And you know, it's gonna seem like I'm just, you know,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:I like that.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:How we're being treated or how we've been treated.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Those are facts.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:are,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:we are taking huge steps back
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:have a commander in chief who literally, nobody wants to really say it out loud. Some of us do, but he's a racist. I mean, let's, let's just keep it real. And he's, you know, he's got one of those inferiority complexes, meaning that he knows we stand and what we're capable of. And anything he can do to undercut us, he'll do it. And so that being said, is the Department of Justice. He's got figureheads in there. You do know time that every, every appointment he, he has made, those people had no experience,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:no notion
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:The jobs that they undertook,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:only thing that they have to do is make sure that the strings that are attached to them are workable
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:working the strings.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:what's happening is she pledged, just like Trump made a pledge to follow the Constitution, she pledged that she would be somebody who would be just for justice for all Americans, meaning it would be nonpartisan.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:positions like those should be. when you start looking at what Republican party has done, what they've done is they've given in their power to one man. And so consequently, he starts going into museums and eradicating or reducing the opportunity for. Minorities to get funding and so forth.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:trying to push us back and in their mind, make America great again. I mean that's exactly what that means. Make white men Right under them is white women. Then there's the rest of us. And
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:not much that we can expect in terms of justice from the DOJ because you know the last opportunity he has is the legal system and the judges, and he's doing everything he can to minimize their power and authority.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:the Department of Justice and the FBI, if they're not fair and for all people, then the rest of us are in trouble,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:The
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:are in trouble. So, you know, make me want to holler. What makes me want to holler is that so many people have been willing to look the other way. It was funny because I had been saying it for a while about how, the emperor has no clothes. You know that old story about how everybody let the emperor know? Yeah, man, you look, he walking around new, but they're talking about how beautiful his attire is and so this isn't, an emperor has no clothes moment in history and everybody is literally looking the other way because they have to realize that this guy is an idiot. And he may not be an idiot. I said it because I feel he is an idiot, but I certainly strongly feel he's a racist. you cannot convince me otherwise because he's just so anti anybody that's not Caucasian. So to the point of the Department of Justice, if you've just got figureheads and you've got somebody on high, the commander in chief that's dictating every move and he's coming from a place of racism, can it be justice? Who is it justice for?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Who's the
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Very true.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:not doing the right thing. we all know that.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:he's weaponized. DOJ,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:that's a good terminology. He's weaponized.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:He's weaponized, DOJ, to go against his, anybody that he doesn't like. he calls it revenge. And he's, he's, he's very clear
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:going for revenge against everybody that did anything against him, even though you are a convicted felon.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yep.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:though he's a good, so when he says against do, they would do that against anybody that did what you
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So it wasn't about you, fascist in chief.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:It was the law. Is the law. DOJ is supposed to go
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So he's done is said. Okay. And especially with the new bill that just passed, the house. Now going to the Senate that's gonna circumvent all that, right? DOJ again has been weaponized against the American public, not just people of color, but anybody who has any grievance against, and was wronged by a financial, financial institution. Because he's, he's eliminated the, consumer Protection Financial agency. You know what I'm talking about?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:The one that, Senator Warren had got going. Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:right. It eliminated all of that. He likes fraud. If you commit fraud, you're his man.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Commit any type of
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:be maga
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:His pardons are said, no, Maga left behind. Right? DOJ is is, again, it is not being used in the capacity for which it was formed.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right, exactly.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:at this point, Congress has conceded power to the president,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:the courts are giving him some pushback, but not enough to really hold him in check completely.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:it's gonna get to the point where. if there's no elections next year, which I really don't think there will
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:then you're gonna see just how bad it's gonna be.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mike, I hope you're wrong, man.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I hope I'm wrong too, but I'm hearing it from more people now
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:but now I'm starting to hear it in the media
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:from other folks that.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:not another presidential
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I'm hearing this from, you know, Caucasian folks. this is not coming from me. Now. I'm hearing grumblings in the media. Yeah. This, they, they, they're doing this. if this thing passes the Senate, DOJ you are at the whim of the president. Oh. And he's now using the DOJ to. Assist in civil litigation against any police officer
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:who is sued civil, sued in civil court
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:not the way it's supposed to work. Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:the DOJ,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:justice. That their job is not to assist, cops that have been rightfully litigated against for their actions. No, their job is not to assist them, but he is so pro knocking heads. He's not pro justice. He's not ProLaw and order.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mike, he's pro organized,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yes, correct. Thank you. Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:look, the mob has nothing on him.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:There you go. He's a convicted felon,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So at this point, when this is how a convicted felon is going to, operate the presidency.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So if people can't see that, we are not talking about people of color. if your own party can't see
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:and many of them do see it now,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:He's in office and even people in his party that he's turned his back on the poor who voted for him. Yeah, they're starting to see there's no justice for them. there's no more Department of Justice, so we got nobody to complain to when something happens
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:and history is going to repeat itself like it always
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:do people do
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:they get so fed they just can't take it anymore?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:What is that?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Revolution.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Every single time, every single, there's nothing you can do History has shown that over and over again.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:At some point people gonna rise up
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:and if you take away my right to vote. we gonna have a conversation about these taxes again, because am I paying the same tax rate as the white people
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I'm a second class citizen.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right, right,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:you taxes to erase my history.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:right.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I don't pay you taxes to, bring over more racists from South Africa.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:my taxes to pay for their government plane and give them some of my tax money when they get here
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:paying you for that.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I'm not paying you to brutalize me or people that look like me.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I'm not paying you to remove the civil rights, department of the Department of Justice. I'm not paying you to. From the Smithsonian, which is not your job in the first place, of the president is to conduct a business of the United States, not to reshape America and his image.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:The business of the
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Ooh.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mike,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:He says something there.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:his
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:in his,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:That's not the job of the
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:reshape anything in his image.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I paid taxes to live in a democracy,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:taken that.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:that away,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah, That's true. Mike. he's taken the idea of, the power of departing way too far. Right? Because that was a thing of compassion, but not a thing of just getting every criminal off. I saw something that he suggested that if Diddy is rightfully convicted, and I can't weigh in on that one way or another, but you know what, the media says and, what you see on Facebook. But he said that he would, pardon Diddy. I mean, that's funny. That's laughable, but that's not what your authority is for.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:he's such a power hungry guy. He literally takes it as I can do whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:my guy, when they let him in that office, that was the wrong thing to do. not only once. but at least before there were checks and balances and people in the Republican party who said, some old school people who was like, no, this is not how we do things. Sir, I know you're a businessman coming in here to try to work it like a business. But there are ways to go about what you're trying to do now that those checks and balances are out the window.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:The people he surround themselves now don't have a clue.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah, they're Yes. People.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:yes
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:yes women.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:you know the former Fox guy who's over the defense,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:He,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:right,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:All right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:womanizer.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:mean, you know, he gets the worst of the worst and gets rid of the finest that they have because in order to get those positions, you had to have some pedigree.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah, yeah,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:had to be knowledgeable, and now all you have to be is a friend of his,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:That's crazy.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:it's,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:of Defense needs to be led a general, somebody with at least three or four stars,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:knows
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:on in our defense, community.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I leave it alone.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Save the children in Michigan.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I miss
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:what is it called? The economic summits they have in, Mackinac Island.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Is that what it's called? Where our leadership goes there?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:policy.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Conference? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So right now they have a panel, and the panel discussion was about how do we get. Our Michigan education metric Michigan education ranking down to, we're in the top 10.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:'cause right now, we're 37th and fourth grade math, we are 44 and fourth grade reading we're 33 and eighth grade math and 31 and eighth grade reading. I mean, I don't know what they're discussing up there. I didn't get a chance to, catch any of that.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:What do you think they're discussing up there? What do you think they're making as a part of the change in our education system around the state of Michigan? Because it's not just Detroit.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:No,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:No, it's, you know, I mean, yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:just say
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:it is Cadillac.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:is, it's Grand Rapids,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:you know?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:It's,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:yeah. it's been bad for so long
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yes, it has.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:that the lottery and there's so much money going into the lottery now. That money was supposed to go towards education.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:of that money was supposed to go towards education and so. I really don't have a good
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I just know that right now You say what I, what do I think they're talking about? How do you not pay the educators enough to wanna stick and stay?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:That's
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Because
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:the best representation for educators based on what they earn?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right. Yeah. but that's just recent. I think, Keith, that's my opinion recently with the page scale not being. Up to par, I guess you could say. Because teachers were always going to, strike when I was going to school. We were outta school a couple of times due to strikes when I was coming through the school system.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:So when you
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:So
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:When somebody goes on a strike, what does it mean?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:that means they were looking for better pay.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:so do you have to, if you're making enough money,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:No, no, no.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:begs
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:but the thing is, is that it's not the, I guess the disparity,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:you know, now it's not as great as it was because, I mean, it looks like it is to me right now, when I look at the pay scale from teachers, you can make more money at the plant, but back then. I don't think that was the case. I thought educators got paid more than people were inside of the plant. Mike's saying, no,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:that,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:no,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:true.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:no.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:never
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:That was never true.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:No.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:my grandfather in 1972 was making$80,000 a year
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:What?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:as a janitor at gm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:What?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Now I want you to think about that.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:1972?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I can show you a paycheck stub,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:right?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:that's crazy.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:paycheck stub.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Tax return.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:or tech.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:know, when I was cleaning up, I found all this old stuff, I'm
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Daddy James, you was making this kind of money. I had no idea
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:grandfather was a simple man.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:All.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I didn't know.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:he never bought a fancy car.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:He never did. He never flashed in any way, shape or form.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yet when he passed, my grandmother was set for life. And then when she died, there was still money for me, my brother, my aunt, and her son.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:you know, after everything we went through with her.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:my point is. back to what you said, Tom, are they doing in Mackinac about the education
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:doing?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:in
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:of the things that I did read this, that they were talking about salaries, signing bonuses, doing something with class sizes, the same stuff that we've been hearing for the last 40 or 50 years. but now it's more acute because, we're using un, many, many school districts are using un, un, licensed
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:fill in
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:teachers, you know, when they're off or, you know, as a substitute or, whatever. And I'm, it's not bad. Well, it is bad. that's the best they can do. They have to do the best they can with what they have to work with, and that's what they have to work
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:the information that I did look at, I didn't look at a lot that was coming outta Mackinac, but the little bit that I did see did suggest that, you know, they were talking about it. You know, raising teachers salaries and signing bonuses and like I said, the same old thing, but
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:not a lot you can do, to make people want to become teachers
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:until you give them,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So we know that salary is a huge issue
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:It's huge.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:teachers have to use their portions of their salary to get supplies for their students. and that is right. That's a huge issue. But, you
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:are other things, but it's not, there's no easy answer. There is no easy answer. I think my personal opinion, if you raise the salaries high enough, if we value the teachers to the point where we're paying them 80,$90,000 a year or whatever the figure is, then you'll get people interested in to become educators because they can make a living at doing that.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:You see what I mean? If I can make a living at doing that, then I'll become interested in doing
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:if I know I can't make a living at that, I know that if I do that, it may be something I wanna do, but I'm probably gonna have to get a second job doing something else, then I might not go into that profession.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So, I think salary is number one
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:You get those salaries. We value our, what we value in society to change. Our teachers have to be valued more. have to pay them in coordinates with that. means 80, 90, even a hundred thousand dollars a year salary, if that's what it takes, that's what it takes. That's a, because this is a new time. 20, 30,$40,000 ain't gonna do
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:ain't gonna do nothing. 30 is not gonna do nothing. 40 is not doing nothing. It, you know, a person making$65,000 a year, can't afford a mortgage.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So if I'm a teacher and I can't afford a mortgage and I don't have to have a big house,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:a modest
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I'm a teacher and I can't even afford a modest house,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:have to look at something different.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:it
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:what about public school versus privatization? Vouchers?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:The charges screw stuff.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Charter school
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:away from places like
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:inner city where you have mostly public schools and unfortunately they don't have the best
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:to the fact that teachers have to use their own income, their own money to supply or help supply kids with books, pencils, papers, whatever they need to learn. So I know the option of how are we gonna proceed if monies are taken away from the public school system to fund charter schools via vouchers?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:But I thought the money follows the child.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:the dollars follow the child. So what about the parents who homeschool their kids? They get a, a stipend or something like that? I believe.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:so,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:so if the parent pulls the student outta that particular district and puts'em in a charter school or puts'em in another district, the money just follows the kid. that's what I thought happens.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:okay,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:thought.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:okay.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:that's right.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:makes sense. But if you're in a public school that doesn't have just the basic. books and so forth that the kids need,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:be inclined to pull your child out of that school and send him or her to some place that has adequate staff,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:material learning materials. And so I'm sure that's gotta be a part of the conversation. what's the name of our, our, our, the, the woman that's over education now? I think McMahon, Linda McMahon, I wanna say.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:So she doesn't know much about education,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:No.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:but,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:And neither did the last one he had in there with a, the DeVos. DeVos.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:right, right.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:So, you know, it make, they make me wanna holler, man, because the thing is everything that's in politicized, they really don't, and when I say they, I don't mean at the conference that you were referring to. but in general, they just don't really have the kids' best interest at heart. I don't feel, because there are just so many things that we, including, you know, us parents, you know, I don't have any
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:school age kids, but, we all have to take a greater interest in terms of making sure that they're receiving what they need so that they can get the proper education. Mike talked last week about just even nourishment, just being able to. Provide a meal that when they're in school, they're not hungry.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:they're focused on learning and not when am I gonna eat or I wish I had something to eat. I'm sure there's a lot of balls up in the air in terms of what they're trying to address to see what they can do to improve on those numbers, because we've been bad a long time.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:You know what I'm saying?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:but
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:represented as a state for a long time.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right, and, I have to assume. That private schools numbers are not in that calculation for those scores.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I don't know.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:I if,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I can't say.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:if that's the case, I mean they might be holding the numbers up and the numbers could be a lot worse.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:How about that?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah. That's really scary.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:But not to pit private against public. Because of the cost of going to a private school these days are just crazy. I mean, you know the school around the corner from you Keith,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:probably at 20,000.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:number specifically, but
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I wouldn't be surprised.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right. And Uua D high school back in Detroit. My old neighborhood, they gotta be 15,000 a year. You know, that is just high school. I can't imagine what parents are paying for private school. Middle, you know, primary education, but
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:K through five.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:and then middle school.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Out here. They're paying a pretty penny to put their kids through those schools.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:right. But I mean, so but the teachers that are in those schools, do you think they're either even, let me, let me put it to you this way. If you had a teacher who came from Harvard. And went to DPS or GPS Grand Rapids or GRPS as an educator and against Catholic Central in Grand Rapids and Catholic, central in Detroit. How, how, how could, I mean, how does, why, why does it have to be so different in the education? I guess I know those schools have resources, and that's probably the reason, so I'm probably answering my own question. But if you have teachers who come from Harvard, it goes to the, the, the public school system and not go to a private school and puts the same effort into those kids, shouldn't it be the same result? The outcome for those kids?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:You talking about in terms of structure and teaching and lessons
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Lemme just hypothetically ask,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:many Harvard educated.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Probably zero. I mean, but if that was the case though, what if they. what if, just like doctors right now, doctors who graduate, they get a stipend, they get their tuition waived if they go to an Indian reservation or if they go to an urban community.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:if you go to Harvard and got$250,000 in debt and you say, okay, we're gonna wipe your debt if you go to teach in the public school system.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:So that's how they got there.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:The curriculums
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:and the two. Okay, let me back up First off, the funding.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Uhhuh,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:A lot of school systems are funded by local property taxes,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:correct.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:know, in Michigan.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Grand Rapids, if you have a more stable tax base that is a community of homeowners as opposed to a tax base, which is not so stable. That is a community of some homeowners, but mostly renters who are moving place to place. that's not a stable tax base. So that Harvard, educated,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah. Maybe would go to the, to the Detroit. to get their debt removed. I'm sure that teacher would rather go to Grand Rapids it's a more stable tax base where the, salaries are more stable and the kids, the kids are coming to school ready to learn.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:It's a different challenge.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:when you're a homeowner. Or a community of homeowners children are, more stable. They do better because they know what elementary they're going to. They know what junior high they're going to, they pretty much know what high school they're going to. They know what to expect, and they govern themselves accordingly. As opposed to a community where you don't have as many homeowners, you have renters moving from school to school. those kids. Generally have lower test scores because they're going from school to another, not necessarily with the exact same curriculum.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Not knowing, they gotta make new friends at each school,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:learn new teachers, learn a new way of socialization,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:so that they have a lot of things thrown at them and, their test scores and their learning ability is diminished. Because there's so much else going on there. they don't have an expectation of what's gonna happen next, what's gonna happen next. I don't know. I'm in survival
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Survival.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Whereas if I'm in a Grand Rapids school and I, I've come from a home, where it's a community of homeowners. Okay? I know I go to X school and my middle school is right over
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:You know your state. You know what to expect. And the worry of, oh God, I gotta make new for, no, you know what to expect
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:good study after study has shown that this is the case. So, communities, we're back to Tom's question
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:about the Harvard educated teacher, right? They're gonna choose. If they could, the community where the kids are coming ready to learn.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:but that's probably not gonna be the option for them.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Correct.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:That's probably not gonna be the option for them to have the choice. If, you have to go, you may have to go to the community that's in the need, whether it be poor, Huron, Muskegon, east Lansing, you know, or Ypsilanti.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Correct.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:they're probably not gonna get placed in Ann Arbor Grand Rapids,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:you know?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:an opening, you know, and they just luck into it,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:right. But if the scores in those communities are above average,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:that's not a community in need,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Now, again, not pitting private against public. I think the resources at private school are just, you know, outnumbering the resources that are, that are at a public school system.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:percent.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:And what I found interesting, I didn't know this was even going on in Michigan. did you know that people are getting, private schools are getting public money?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I didn't know that. Public money for public education.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:In what way?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:right. And I was shocked to find out that this was going
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Like I said, I say what?
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:he's.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:For operations or for,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:I am not sure about that,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:because I was so, I got so mad. I just had to turn it off when I saw, you know, this was on channel four
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Okay.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:is some months ago.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:yes, What happened? Some well-to-do parents, I guess, sued in some way, I guess,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:But they were able to get a voucher for their kid to go to a private school. And their argument was, I'm paying taxes. Shouldn't some of my tax money go to, my child at a private school? Well, no, it shouldn't. Tax money for public schools is just that, that tax money is not for private schools. That's for public schools. If you want to use your tax money for your child's education, send'em to a public school
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:But that's what the voucher system is about though. And that's all they, they kind of peck away at trying to diminish,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:the public schools.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:So.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I. already, behind in terms of, of, of money allocated, right? Like you said, Mike, if the tax base is such that there's transient in the community and there's not, consistent tax money coming through, then you're not gonna be funded the same way. But to your point earlier, Tom, you said the money goes with the kid.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:a voucher attached to that kid and they go to a private school, why wouldn't that money go to a private school?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:I'm just the logic of it.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right. but the law was that money could only go for a public school or trade school or something like that. You couldn't use it for private
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:the reason was because, private schools are funded by very well to do people. So if you can afford to send your child to a private school,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:they just wanted more
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:let me ask you this question, Mike. Was it private schools or was it a charter school?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:it was private. This was private schools.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:So they're already paying the tuition. They can already afford the tuition to send their child to that private school.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Okay.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:more just like, these attorneys and judges who had children and they didn't wanna pay for their college education. They could afford it, but they weren't gonna pay for it. So what they did was they had a member. Who was not as fortunate
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:to adopt them paper, right. On paper. So now this child is not eligible for some grants or for some, public money to go to school. And the attorneys and the, judges didn't have to pay a number of them were doing this
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:and they were caught.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:This was in the news sometime ago. but it's legal.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:mm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:What?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yes,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Well, Yeah. I guess it is legal.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:stop
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:just called them out, but they couldn't stop
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right. So people gain the system to, get money for people who can afford to send their children to
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:they still want a handout. They still want a handout, you know? And who are these people? Maga. So, you know, like Tom said, or like you said, Tom, you know, it, it doesn't seem like our kids' interests are really, oh, that was you, Keith,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:interests aren't being, you know, a top of mind. you know, everybody's got their, Special interest as to getting some of this money, you know, public money and they do whatever they can to get it. So, like you said, we just have to be hold, our legislators a little bit more accountable
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:to where our money is being spent in terms of public education.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:make sure it's going to the schools, to the public schools and not to private schools.'cause these people are already rich. They're getting richer by the day they can afford to send their students to these private schools. They don't need this public money.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:All right. Yeah. Well, I've always said, my soapbox has always been is that, you know, I don't mind paying taxes, but I do want you to be responsible. The dollars I send you.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:You know? Yeah. that's been my stance from day one.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Absolutely. the other thing that's attached to that statement is how engaged you are in the process or the system, right?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:you go back to, do you participate one, do you vote, do you go to, teacher conferences and, do you go to some of these board meetings that they have so that you can have your opinion, known. and I, and when I say you, I don't necessarily mean specifically you, Tom.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Because at the end of the day, it's not on the kids.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:it's up to us as parents to be knowledgeable enough to know to Mike's point, our dollars are going and how they're being used, and whether or not somebody is tapping into the dollars that are allocated for our children.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:a scam, is a scam.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:you're talking about the least of these, if you're underrepresented, then that's like walking around with your eyes closed.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:you know somebody taking advantage of you every time they get a chance. And so there's a lot tied into who's really representing the least of these.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:if those people are transient and they're moving all around, are they even there long enough to even, express any interest to make sure that their kids are getting what they truly deserve?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:No, they don't have time because they see the reason that they're moving around is'cause, rent is high.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:they're in survival bone too, you know what I mean?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:survive too, and that's why they're moving around like that and not stable in a home.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:know,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:But there's a segment out there of people who are homeowners.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:who vote down Millages,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:do.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:because they don't have any kids or never had any kids. Or the kids are grown and going away, but they don't think of the quality of education or the quality of the community that they're living in.'cause people don't show up if there's not a quality education system in that community.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:they don't think about it until they go to the drive through and the person can't even count the correct change.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Isn't
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:isn.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:then now think about it
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:you
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:school, not around the corner,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yeah.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:And Mike, that's really full circle though. And what I mean by that, and it kind of ties into everything that Mike has been saying reparations. could level that a little bit because we're starting off way behind the eight ball.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:in every way, whether it
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:the communities we live in,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:schools that are educating our children or maybe not so much
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:our children. and that's in large part is and has been for years by design.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:by design. It's not happenstance.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:back to, you know, we started off when you, when somebody is building something on your back, you brought over here as a slave.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Yeah.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:everything from you, your name,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:your culture,
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:everything.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:you know you're working, working, not getting paid
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:years, Mike, 400 years. That's a long time. Right. Generations. we're supposed to catch up and, and we're not even talking about Jim Crow attached to that 400. Right?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:we're not talking about, even today, Maga talking about Make America great again. so in a lot of ways, when you talk about, how we're gonna really. Look out for and take care of the kids. we're starting from a disadvantage point and economics plays a big part in terms of what you're able to do and how you're able to provide for your family and your children. And that includes a good education.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:All right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:down in this community, just because it's the only place I can afford. go to the school and the school isn't all that it's supposed to be the understaffed, you know, under budget, very little equipment or, or materials to teach the children, then that's just a, that's just a really, really, really bad cycle, right?
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:so we point at people that look like us and say, man, they're no good. They, you know, they're niggers, right? Because niggers really means shiftless and lazy, right? If you
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:And then we continue to look at that vicious cycle and we try to make it better. And then we take one step up, but we get pushed steps back.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:we gotta continue to fight for the kids, we gotta fight for ourselves. But as we fight for ourselves, we're fighting for the ones that are coming behind us. Right.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Mm-hmm.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:We just can't give in to status quo and what they're trying to do because it's slight of hand, man.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:Right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:You know?
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:right.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:right,
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:it's, you know, it makes me wanna holler brother.
meet-the-music-a-to-z_2_06-02-2025_161808:At the same time you're saving the children. But on that note, gentlemen, it's been a good conversation. I appreciate it and I look forward to next week.
squadcaster-e9c3_1_06-02-2025_161807:It's always good to talk to you guys.
squadcaster-f6d7_1_06-02-2025_161807:Yes, sir.
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