Mr. Webb: 0:00

Does standardized testing cause teachers to teach to the test? What's it like being a conservative teacher in the teacher's union? What's it like teaching at a charter school? What challenges do teachers face near the end of a school year? Welcome to the Conservative Classroom, where we're teaching the truth and preserving our values. I'm your host, Mr. Webb, and I'm glad you're here.

Mr. Webb: 0:30

This podcast is a haven for conservative educators, parents and patriots like you, who believe in the importance of free speech, traditional values and education without indoctrination. Each week, we dive into issues that are plaguing our education system and keeping you up at night. In each episode, we offer common sense ideas to improve education in our classrooms and communities. You may feel like you're the last conservative educator or parent, but I want you to know that you are not alone. By the way, if you like what you hear today, please share this podcast with a like-minded educator, parent or patriot. Together, we can teach the truth and preserve our values. In today's episode, you'll hear a discussion with an elementary school teacher, a middle school teacher that's me and a high school teacher about the teachers union, charter schools, standardized testing, end of the year burnout and more. Now let's get started. Today, I'm excited to welcome two special guests to the conservative classroom, fellow teachers Josh Bender and Courtney McHughes. Courtney is an elementary school teacher in Georgia and Josh is a high school teacher in Nevada. So, guys, thank you for joining us.

Josh Bender: 1:56

Thank you so much for having me.

Mr. Webb: 1:59

I want to make sure that we hear from teachers. I love to have guests, authors and that sort of thing, but I love to have I try to at least once a month, you know, hear from teachers. I love to have guests, authors and that sort of thing, but I love to have I try to at least once a month, you know hear from teachers that have their boots on the ground, so to speak. But before we get started, can you tell us a bit about yourself, your background, what led you to become teachers, and conservative teachers at that? Josh?

Josh Bender: 2:29

Sure, yeah. So originally I'm from Illinois, the suburbs of Chicago, and I didn't know I wanted to be a teacher until my senior year of high school. Actually, originally I wanted to be an actor. I was in musical theater for seven years. I did some professional acting as well, and then I had a couple really good history teachers that really pushed me in the best possible way, to be a teacher, as well as someone I looked up to a lot, who was a role model for me in my life with acting as well as just life in general. She was a teacher and she said you should be a teacher, and so I went and did it.

Josh Bender: 3:09

What put me in the conservative movement was 2016 election. Actually, I was 15 years old when it started, which I know makes me sound incredibly young, and I am I'm only 23. I was in high school when Donald Trump kind of jumped on the scene and man to a 15-year-old. He was exciting, and so I really started looking into the movement and what it meant to be a Republican and conservative, and that's when I quickly found Ben Shapiro and others and I really started believing in it more and I went to college in Illinois, which was not easy being a conservative on a college campus in Illinois, but I stuck to it.

Josh Bender: 3:50

I joined College Republicans Turning Point, usa, met my best friend now. We helped start the Turning Point chapter together and I'm still a conservative teacher and I'm still a conservative and I don't let what I'm supposed to be as a teacher which you're supposed to be, this progressive liberal I don't become that. I stick to my guns. I let my students know that I do love America, I'm proud of America and that I'm not going to apologize for the sins of the past when we've learned so much from them. And that's kind of my little story.

Mr. Webb: 4:29

So you don't tell your students you're conservative, but you let them know you love America. That's awesome.

Josh Bender: 4:34

Absolutely yeah, yeah.

Mr. Webb: 4:37

Courtney, what's your background? What got you into teaching and conservativism?

Courtney McHughes: 4:43

Absolutely. It's actually kind of funny, josh. We actually have a lot of similarities, so I'm a teacher, yeah.

Courtney McHughes: 4:53

So one of the reasons I wanted to be a teacher was I had senior year two teachers who went above and beyond the call of duty to just kind of support me through my parents' divorce and to me they were just so inspirational and they really cared about their students.

Courtney McHughes: 5:14

So once I graduated high school I decided I wanted to be exactly like them. So I went to Young Cares College and became an elementary school teacher and, ironically, same as Josh when Trump became kind of a big thing in college. During my senior year of college, I just absolutely loved Trump. I thought he was amazing and I kind of used to hold the secrets like Trump rally parties in my dorm room and I feel like being a conservative teacher is more so just like who you are like, my core values align with the conservative party. So after I graduated college I met a few people who were very heavily involved in the local GOP and that's kind of where I got started in. The conservative politics was through them inviting me and, you know, trying to mesh both the world of politics and my passion for teaching together.

Mr. Webb: 6:18

So what is it about the conservative movement that aligns with your values?

Courtney McHughes: 6:23

And this is for you and Josh movement that aligns with your values, and this is for you and Josh, sure. So I feel like a lot of the things with the conservative party really aligned with my core values. I mean, I believe in America being the greatest country. I believe that government should be limited. There are just so many things. I feel like the conservative movement is so much just about being able to be Christian, be able to have those beliefs and think that America is incredibly great and has so much potential and can offer people of all different backgrounds so many different possibilities.

Mr. Webb: 7:08

I think there's a lot of liberals that don't understand our values, and I noticed you didn't say racist or anything crazy like that in there, and I think that's what a lot of them think. Josh, what about your values?

Josh Bender: 7:23

Yeah, I mean, I fully believe that America is the greatest country on the face of the earth that's ever existed in the world.

Josh Bender: 7:30

I think our values inscribed in the Constitution and the Declaration, are ideals that we can never fully live up to, and I think that that says more about the country, or about people, than it does of the country country, uh, or about people than it does as a country.

Josh Bender: 7:46

Um, I think the idea of freedom of speech the second amendment, um, the ability that anyone can come here and be an american and fully integrate into the system, is beautiful, because I can go live in china for 20 years and I'll never fully be chinese, but someone from china can come here and, within a year, be an american, and I think that's beautiful, and I think that that is one thing I really inscribe in my students too is anyone can be an American, and by being an American, you are so blessed and so you are more privileged than most of the world, and I think that's a beautiful thing to be born here and to be. You know. You know people always say you can't choose where you're born. Well, I Well, I thank God every day I'm born here and that I live here.

Mr. Webb: 8:28

So switching over to talking specifically about teaching and, by the way, I love both your answers and I loved it that it was different. Courtney you mentioned limited government and aligning with your Christian values, and Josh mentioned freedom and freedom of speech, second Amendment, and those sort of things. Josh, I noticed you didn't say racist or anything like that.

Josh Bender: 8:55

No, no, I believe yeah.

Mr. Webb: 8:57

So what is going on in education? Why does it seem like education is so far away from those values that you guys mentioned, values which, it seems to me, every American would want?

Josh Bender: 9:15

Well, I know I mean. So I want to say it's because the right abandoned education. You know, I think for a while the conservative movement was in charge of education. They were the ones who were dictating the curriculum, they were dictating the classroom and they abandoned it. And I think that that's a shame, because the minute they did is the minute all of these other activists moved in.

Josh Bender: 9:42

You know, I read the book Speechless by Michael Knowles recently. I just finished it, and he talks about that and how academia was this place where you can go and share your ideas and grow as a person. But then, once we started abandoning that, it's when the left flipped it and said you know, you can only share our ideas and they started pushing their own agenda. I think the problem is, too, is that Republicans see it not as a winning issue, and so I mean they can. They could say the niceties, the pay teachers more and you know lower class sizes, but they don't know what to do because many of them aren't educators or never have been, so it becomes hard for them to actually know what to do.

Courtney McHughes: 10:30

So I feel like the problem with education is sort of a deep, a deep conundrum for lack of a better word, I feel like with education. So a little bit about my story is that I started off in an alternative elementary school so I saw a lot. I've been a teacher for Y and Z. It was often kind of met with the criticism of well, it's been that way for 30 years and it's going to continue to be that way for 30 years. And that's kind of what got me interested in the educational law and policy, because I actually just graduated in this past December with the master's degree in educational law and policy and I feel like sometimes with teachers there's kind of this notion that it's been that way forever and it's never going to change.

Mr. Webb: 11:38

That was a master's degree. What was that in again?

Courtney McHughes: 11:41

Sorry. Educational law and policy.

Mr. Webb: 11:45

Wow, that's awesome.

Josh Bender: 11:47

That's what's wonderful.

Mr. Webb: 11:50

My podcasting brain says, hey, have her back on. That's interesting.

Courtney McHughes: 11:54

Oh, I love that.

Josh Bender: 11:58

Yeah, I mean, I know.

Courtney McHughes: 12:00

Go ahead.

Josh Bender: 12:17

I was going to say well, I mean, I mean it's a great bunch of people. But I was recently at our state's delegate assembly and twice they showed their PAC, gave a presentation, and it was educators for Biden-Harris. And then they had a keynote speaker and it was one of their, the treasury secretaries of the bigger union and he's working with he was working with the Biden administration and I was like that's cool. You know, that's a cool opportunity. He turned it into an elect Joe Biden speech and I will say to, to give credit where credit is due, biden voters got up and said this is ridiculous. What are you doing? Like they were like this is absurd. This is not we're here for.

Josh Bender: 13:01

You know, I, I have friends, I have colleagues who aren't Biden supporters, who are Trump supporters, and if they heard this, this is absurd. I mean this is absurd. I don't know much of that I can share. Quite frankly, I don't care, because it did happen. Um, I mean I mean that was ridiculous, that that happened, and I was very upset, um, and I know I'm going to tell my union that that happened and let's see how they are, you know, let's see how they react to it. Um, but I think there is that level of being outcast, there's that fear of being outcast of, oh well, this is what the union thinks and this is what the big powers that be believe, and so if I differ or sway in any way, I'm going to be outcast at the school and in my education, you know, in education, and I think that's why people get afraid, or they silently support and silently vote for the Republicans, you know, but just don't really talk about it, and I think that's sad to say.

Mr. Webb: 13:57

Courtney, are you in the teachers union?

Courtney McHughes: 14:00

I'm actually now currently in the charter school section. Before I switched over, when I was at the alternative elementary school, yes, I was part of like a teacher liability insurance type thing, but now that I'm at my charter school, no, I'm not.

Mr. Webb: 14:15

Right. Well, it's interesting, josh, that you brought that up, that you brought that up. So I got in the teacher's union and the first year I was in the teacher's union and kind of my backstory is I didn't start teaching until I was 40. And although I was a conservative, I didn't realize how political, you know, education was. So I got in the union. I guess I had blinders on. I didn't realize, you know, just how politicized everything was.

Mr. Webb: 14:48

And I was teaching in a small district that I grew up in and so I was asked if I would be the local president, not because I'm anything special, but just because you know it's a small president, not because I'm anything special, but just because you know it's a small, small group of people. And here I was, this new blood. So they asked me. I said, sure, you know, I'll help out any way I can. And at the local level it was very conservative minded people and you go up to the district level. That changed a little bit and I'm so glad that I had that experience because I saw some things behind the scenes and I actually went to a national convention and it was just insane. I thought, oh my gosh, what have I got myself into Without going into the whole story, because I had a whole podcast episode where I go into all that and I don't want to bore people that have listened to that but I saw that there was a Republican caucus on the schedule.

Mr. Webb: 15:53

One of the breakout sessions was Republican caucus. So I thought, oh, oh, great, you know I can go be among my people and out of the thousands of teachers that were there, I walk into this room that had this Republican caucus. There was about 20 of us. That was it Out of these thousands of teachers, and I could just go on and on. But back to what you said at the local level it was a fairly conservative group. So I have a theory. And what you said at the local level, it was a fairly conservative group. So I have a theory and what you said kind of backs that up that a lot of conservative teachers are in the union because it's not a crazy progressive liberal thing in their local district.

Josh Bender: 16:42

Yeah, I mean, I would agree. I know there was a brand new group and it was like Republican educators and they were trying to talk about Republicans that are pro-education. But even then I was listening to them talk and I met some of the founders of it and I was like, well, you know, we were talking about who we were supporting and I was like I was, I met some of the founders of it and I was like, well, you know, I, we were talking about who we were supporting and I was like I support Ron DeSantis. And they said him of all people. I was like, yeah, and like he's not, you know, and they kind of chastised me and I was like I thought this was the point of this, was to talk about this, you know, um, so even then it's like what are we doing? You know, in this group I'm being attacked for what I, for who I thought was right, and it's like that's not. I don't think that was correct, wow.

Mr. Webb: 17:29

One of the things that the teachers unions push is tenure. So and that's one of the topics that that's kind of been rolling around in my mind lately Tenure is a good thing. If you're a teacher, you know that. Hey, if I'm here for X number of years, I get to keep my job. I'm not sure it's always the best thing for students and for education in general. What's your thoughts on that?

Courtney McHughes: 17:59

I feel like it's a hard line to balance. On one hand you have great, excellent teachers who that is amazing for, and on the other hand you have teachers who maybe shouldn't be in the profession or, you know, maybe have just kind of lost all passion. So I feel like tenure is kind of one of those tricky gray areas.

Mr. Webb: 18:24

Right, I agree with you.

Josh Bender: 18:26

I tend not to be a fan of tenure, or I say tenure needs to be reevaluated every so often. I like the idea that, okay, you put in so many years, you have a tenure for five years, but every five years we got to reevaluate you. You know, um, because yeah, I think we all know the horror stories or we've seen it in our building of the teachers who's there just for the paycheck, you know, and they're, they're only a couple of years away from retirement or and they're just like, well, I'm going to wait it out. And that's hurting the kids, where, if there was a way to say, okay, you got one more year to fix this. You know, you got to be innovating, updating, you got to constantly be keeping it fresh. Yeah, that's more work on the teacher's part, for sure, but that's what the kids need.

Mr. Webb: 19:12

So I mean, and at the end of the day they're the most important thing, Right, yeah? And like I said, as a teacher I see it as a good thing. But for the students and for education, you know, I'm not so sure. And some teachers just get burnout over time. They're good teachers. They get burnout. I guess this is an argument for tenure. A good teacher that kind of gets burnout. You know, it would be a shame for them to to lose their job to a fresh, young face. Um, but you know, we all get a little burnout sometimes, especially at the end of the year. I don't know, Um, we're approximately a month away from the end of the year and are you guys suffering from a little burnout?

Josh Bender: 20:00

Maybe it's just me and are you guys suffering from a little burnout. Maybe it's just me, yeah, I mean I it's it's hitting hard. Um, you know, and I teach seniors and so they have senioritis and so it's like the senioritis mixed with the burnout it's. It's a mess in that classroom at times. You know, we we can get off, can get off topic I'll be the first to admit that, but it's definitely hitting.

Courtney McHughes: 20:25

I would agree. I feel like end of year is hard because you have state testing coming up and you're trying to kind of cram in the last little bit of curriculum and then, once state testing's done, you're like, oh my goodness, I don't have any curriculum, and there's almost kind of a scramble and a panic, I feel like for me personally. I go through waves where I'm super excited because I can teach different things or review certain topics and other points where it's kind of like, whew, I am ready for summer.

Mr. Webb: 20:56

Right After testing. That's that weird time that you have a couple weeks of school left, one or two weeks, whatever it is. I suppose that's different in different districts and different schools and you've already taught your guts out. I think that's safe to put it that way, I guess as our seniors. I don't suppose seniors are tested like. I'm a middle school teacher, but I know elementary school and middle school they're tested heavily. I'm not sure if seniors are tested quite in the way that we are.

Josh Bender: 21:33

No, they have the civics exam, which I make sure that they do weeks before the end of the school year, because that gives me the opportunity to find the ones that missed it and also, if they did bad, they can retake it because they need to pass it, so not as heavily.

Mr. Webb: 21:54

So how do you guys feel about standardized testing?

Josh Bender: 21:58

I mean, I do see it as a necessary evil. I understand there needs to be some sort of standard that we can look at as a country and as a state and say, hey, you know, this is where we're at. But I do also think it can be a really overly stressful experience for students. Experience for students. If we're supposed to be preparing them for real life. Well, you're not going to go have to sit and take a test like that ever in your job, or maybe once. It could definitely get annoying.

Mr. Webb: 22:36

Courtney, how do? You feel about that.

Courtney McHughes: 22:39

I agree. I personally feel like state testing is something that is kind of an evil. Like Josh said, I feel like we've almost kind of lost the art of teaching just because most schools are very focused on teaching to the test, and one of the things I really love about the school that I'm currently at is the fact that, like, we are very focused on the wonder of what life and curriculum has to offer and not teach to a test, and I feel like my students just comparing where I currently am to where I used to be, you know the whole point of learning is to learn and be able to think critically and be able to do so many different things. But yet we're focused so much on making sure that students receive the scores that they need to for state testing and I just feel like the state testing has opened up a lot of unnecessary doors that I feel like we've lost the art of teaching because of it.

Mr. Webb: 23:45

And you mentioned teaching to the test. I think that's a huge problem. As a math teacher middle school math teacher I know what standards I have to teach in seventh grade, for instance. I teach seventh and eighth grade. Let's just take seventh grade. I know what standards I have to teach and I know that those students are going to be tested and I know that next year when we get the test results, if they do poorly, you know I take that personally. Right, if they do poorly, you know I take that personally.

Courtney McHughes: 24:21

Right.

Mr. Webb: 24:23

But the flip side of that, I also know that some of the things they're learning I'm thinking some of this they're never going to need again, and then some of the things that I know are more important, I don't get to teach. So that goes back to you know, we've got this so much we have to teach. We're being tested at the end of the year. So that's what we focus on it's, I guess. Well, both of you said testing is a necessary evil. No-transcript.

Courtney McHughes: 25:02

I just feel like we're compromising students' true abilities and capabilities when we're so focused on a test Like to me, when I think about the core of teaching, it's more so like can you take the skill and apply it for years on, whereas I feel like in most modern day places it's very much I need you to be able to memorize and reproduce at one point in time, but what have you actually taken from it? And that's kind of my issue with state testing. I feel like we focus on the wrong things. When it comes to state mandated tests, I think they're important and I think they have some value. State mandated test I think they're important and I think they have some value, but the way that we test and how many tests that are given, I feel like it, it it does seem strong.

Mr. Webb: 25:56

Do you have anything to add to that, Josh?

Josh Bender: 26:00

No, I mean I, I overall agree. Yeah, I mean, and I think the weight they they take overall agree, yeah, I mean, and I think the weight they they take, you know that like, because I mean so I taught ap, ap, us history, for a year and my kids did not do very good on the test. Well, it turns out the test was rewritten and no one did good across the country that year. Like overall the scores were low but I took that really personally when I saw that. But it's like I know I did the best I could to my ability and I know you know it was also them that had to put the work in. You know, and yeah, I think the weight that they put on those tests sometimes can really it can turn a good teacher and a teacher who cares into a real negative Nancy, real quick.

Mr. Webb: 26:48

So we compare our scores this year, whatever the scores will be, to our scores last year and the year before. But it's a different group of students coming in and out and I think folks that don't teach don't realize one group of students can be so different than the group you had last year and the group you have next year can be so different. So I wish I know testing is a necessary evil, but I wish the focus was on was more on okay. So these students scored this way before they came to your school and although they're let's say this group of students are low performing, however, they learned a lot in your math class compared to what they knew last year, Instead of, oh, the school scores went down or the school scores went up. Obviously, part of that is teachers, but a lot of that is the group of students that you have. So you guys tell me am I way off on that? Do you agree? What have you seen?

Josh Bender: 27:58

No, you're 100% correct.

Courtney McHughes: 28:00

I agree fully. Hit the nail on the hammer. I don't know what the expression is, sorry, whatever it is, I mean that that's really spot on, truly.

Josh Bender: 28:13

Yeah, I mean, I think of even how different my you know, my, my second period is to my third period, and that's in the same year, you know, and I, yeah, I can't imagine how my next year is going to be, you know, and, and, and how last year was you know it's. Every class is so different, yeah, and I would love to be able to say, hey, look, that came to you with this, but they left with this, so that clearly they learned a lot in your class that that that's a better reflection of you versus. Oh, overall, the scores are down. Well, maybe this group just wasn't, as the fundamentals weren't there when they got to you, so you had to spend so much time backpedaling that you couldn't get to where you need to. You know, just even stuff like that.

Mr. Webb: 28:52

I mean, we're able to dig into the data and look at how this group of students did. We're able to look at a particular student and see how they did last year, how they did this year and, you know, after this year's testing we can look and see how they did last year, how they did this year and, you know, after this year's testing we can look and see how they did. But the way the schools are graded in, you know, in Kentucky it's, you know, these yellow status. This school dropped to a yellow status and, okay, that school also had a different group of students coming in. So, although we can look at individually or at the school level, at the teachers, the math department level, we can look at students and compare and see if this student grew from year to year, but that's not really what we're graded on, so to speak.

Josh Bender: 29:42

No, I mean, I totally agree, and it's like I feel like some schools are trying to find a way around that. You know, like, oh look, we're, we're, we're watching the student grow. But also, I mean, there's just so many factors that can affect how a student does. And you know, I know, I know my district is, um, it's a very, very, very poverty stricken district, Um, and so some of these kids might have a home and then not have a home and like, even things like that that does affect your scores. You know, if you don't know where your next meal is coming from, yeah, you're not worried about school, you know. And so even and even, those are factors they don't the state doesn't care about, they don't take that into account. They just say, oh look, scores went down, Right, but these kids are people, they're humans.

Mr. Webb: 30:29

And something I'm seeing is the effects of COVID and I hate to even bring up COVID and as teachers we certainly can't blame everything on COVID, but as a math teacher at the beginning of the year it was such a struggle and one of the special education teachers that was a co-teacher in one of my classes.

Mr. Webb: 30:53

I was talking to her about this. This was like a month into class or a month into the school year. I said, well, I can't believe how low this group seems. There's so many basic skills that it seems like they don't have, and how frustrating it is that I don't have the time to go back and teach them. And without those skills, how can they build on those skills and learn this concept? And she said, well, do you realize what grade those students were in when COVID hit and schools were shut down? It's when they were supposed to be learning their multiplication facts and like she went through two or three of the things and I thought, oh, because I don't like to look back at COVID and blame it on that, but she had a really good point. Are you guys seeing any of that, any effects of the COVID shutdowns and the loss of learning?

Josh Bender: 32:02

I'm seeing it in a different way because I, I mean it is, it is ridiculous how much they can't put their phones down for for a minute, let alone. You know, I, I, I think I, I almost wanted to bet them like hey, if you all can put your phones down and not touch them for the entire class period, I'll throw a party, cause I don a party because I don't think they could do it. I mean it's sad, I mean I'm in the same generation as them. I'm a Gen Z educator, which is even weirder. I get being attached to my phone, but I also know how to disconnect and I can put it away for an hour if I need to, especially to really focus on what I'm learning.

Mr. Webb: 32:49

Right. Well, I just turned 50 over the summer, so I'm an old geezer. But I'm so used to my phone it takes a conscious effort to put it down sometimes, so I totally get that what effects.

Courtney McHughes: 33:11

are you seeing Courtney of COVID? So my current third graders. When COVID hit they were in kindergarten. So I've seen a lot of foundational issues with reading this year where third grade at my school it is very reading intensive so students don't have those foundational reading skills. They're struggling across the board because they can't keep up between word problems. Our school is very kind of big into the classical teaching style so we read a lot of stories like Princess and the Goblin Black Beauty. So we read a lot of stories like Princess and the Goblin Black Beauty kind of harder core level text for third graders and it's challenging because so many of the students lack the foundation to be able to decode that they're so focused on trying to figure out what the problem or what the question is that they struggle to apply the skills that are necessary. So COVID's kind of been an interesting factor with my group this year.

Mr. Webb: 34:16

So, before I let it slip my mind, you've taught in public schools and you teach at a charter school. Now what's? The difference on the teacher side, because that's interesting. A lot of times we talk on the podcast about homeschool your kids or get them out of the public schools, take them to private school, charter school. We talk about school choice, but it's interesting to look at the teacher side. So tell me a little about that, about that I love it.

Courtney McHughes: 34:44

I love the school that I'm at. I feel like I have so much more autonomy. When I was in a traditional public school, I was a Title I teacher, so it was a lot of reading and math intervention skills. However, that required me to read from a script for almost an entire day in small groups, whereas now, being a third grade teacher, I have a lot more freedom to teach how I want and to be able to kind of do those more kind of like art of teaching aspects. So we have a lot of Socratic questioning, Socratic discussions, you know type, talk about hypotheticals and get to enjoy learning through songs and all these different components. That, being in the public school, I was not allowed to do because it was very much. You'd be able to read from the script word for word and if you deviated that was kind of seen as a big no-no.

Mr. Webb: 35:44

That's interesting. So you have more freedom at your charter school than you did at the public school.

Courtney McHughes: 35:51

Yes, more freedom to teach how you want to.

Mr. Webb: 35:54

Is that accurate?

Courtney McHughes: 35:56

Yes, my school is also very conservative leaning, so I think that also helps a lot, because we get to talk about, you know, a lot of different things, like how great America is, we study the 13 colonies and we get to look at historical documents, and it's just creating the wonder in the classroom has been a magical experience, not only for me, but for my students.

Mr. Webb: 36:22

Isn't it crazy that talking about loving America and reading historical documents is a conservative thing, isn't that? I mean, I don't think. I don't think it was that way, I don't know, 20 years ago, but it wasn't teaching 20 years ago, so I don't know.

Courtney McHughes: 36:44

I was not either.

Mr. Webb: 36:50

I got into teaching very late in the game. I started teaching when I was 40, so I think it has made me a better teacher, because I was, I'm not sure at at 20 or 21, I'm not sure I was mature enough to to be in charge of students and to be a positive influence on them. So my hat's off to you guys for getting an earlier start than I did. What's the one thing you want the listener to remember? If they don't remember anything else about this episode, courtney, we'll start with you.

Courtney McHughes: 37:25

Oh no, that's a tough one. That's a really tough one, I would say. I would probably give a piece of encouragement that there are great conservative educators. They do exist. You're listening to three of them right now, and that you know. I do believe that there is hope for education.

Mr. Webb: 37:50

And there it is. Encouragement and there are. I say it on every episode. You are not alone. I sent out a Google form to get some feedback for the podcast and that's one of the things that that folks like is hearing from other teachers. So I appreciate you guys being on here. Josh, you had a little more time to think about it. That wasn't fair to Courtney, I suppose.

Josh Bender: 38:14

Oh, it's okay.

Mr. Webb: 38:18

What's the one thing you want the listener to remember, Josh?

Josh Bender: 38:22

I mean, I kind of got to say the same thing. You're not alone, there are good teachers out there. I think my biggest thing is and I push this every time a discussion about public education comes up is don't abandon it, because the minute you abandon it is the minute we give up everything. But get out there and keep fighting, because I do believe a pendulum is swinging, we're reverting back to where we should, but the minute we start to kind of loosen our grip is the minute it goes back. So we got to just help that pendulum go.

Mr. Webb: 38:58

Yeah, that's great advice as we wrap up this conversation. Would either one of you or both of you like to share with our listeners where they can connect with you on social media, or do you have any projects or websites books, podcasts, anything you want to plug or promote? This is your time to do that. So, Josh, we'll start with you this time.

Josh Bender: 39:24

So I got to give my buddy show a shout out. Uh, originally it was our radio show, but he's he's continued into a podcast. Um, speechless with Kev Ferris. Um, he's a really, really, really awesome conservative. Uh, my personal best friend. I've been on the show numerous times. Um, he's really doing a great job. He's going to be a lawyer, so he's just, he's amazing. Um, you gotta check him out. Uh, you can find him on YouTube. Uh, I think speechless Kev on Instagram. Um, he's an amazing guy. I gotta plug him more than more than myself, because without people like him, who are on the ground sharing these stories and and and inspiring the young people, uh we got nothing. So definitely check out Speechless with Kev Ferris.

Mr. Webb: 40:10

Speechless with Kev Ferris.

Josh Bender: 40:12

Yes, it's P-H-A-R-E-S.

Mr. Webb: 40:18

P-H-A-R-E-S. Yeah, send me a link to that after the show and I'll make sure to put that in the show notes. Is it a podcast?

Josh Bender: 40:31

Y eah, and now he's doing stuff on social media, mainly YouTube, um, and then he does uh, he does live streams every so often, videos, uh, he's. He's trying to get back into it as much as he can, but he's also, you know, busy with school and everything okay, yeah, send me links to that.

Mr. Webb: 40:45

I'll make sure and put it in the show notes. Um, and I'll definitely check that out myself too.

Josh Bender: 40:50

Yeah, you got it.

Mr. Webb: 40:52

Anything else for you, Josh?

Josh Bender: 40:54

I think that is it for me All right.

Mr. Webb: 40:57

Um Courtney.

Courtney McHughes: 40:59

Um, I don't know that I really have any sort of kind of social media, but if people want to reach out, they can find me on LinkedIn or Facebook under Courtney McHughes, and I'm working on a couple of projects for them. Keeping them quiet for right now.

Mr. Webb: 41:15

Gotcha and, if it's okay with you, I'll put a link in the show notes how they can connect with you on Facebook and LinkedIn. Make it really easy for them.

Courtney McHughes: 41:26

Perfect.

Mr. Webb: 41:28

All right, guys, I appreciate it so much. I never know how it's going to go when I'm talking to folks that I've never talked to before, but I'm telling you, the folks in the conservative movement are just the nicest, most down to earthearth, common-sense people, and you guys definitely fall into that category. I appreciate it so much. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

Courtney McHughes: 41:52

Thank you for having us.

Mr. Webb: 41:54

Yes, thank you so much. That's it for today's episode of The Conservative Classroom. Thank you for tuning in. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something. If you liked what you heard, please don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Most importantly, share this podcast with a like-minded educator, parent or patriot. You can also connect with us on social media and share your thoughts on today's topic. Give feedback on the podcast or suggest a topic by sending me an email at TheConservativeClassroom@ gmail. com. We'd love to hear from you.

Mr. Webb: 42:35

If you feel that education without indoctrination and teaching the truth is important to preserve traditional values, then support my efforts to keep the conservative classroom running. I'm a full-time teacher and dad. Thank you to support the podcast with one-time or recurring monthly donations. Every little bit helps. You can also visit our merch store to get your own clothing, coffee mugs, stickers, backpacks, book bags and more with the conservative classroom logo or one of our many other conservative slogans, such as age appropriate does not equal banning books. Defund the teachers unions, keep politics out of the classroom and more. If you want to support common sense in education without pushing your politics, check out our products with the red schoolhouse logo on it. We know it's hard to be openly conservative in some school districts, but your silent show of support may help you find other conservatives in your community and it lets you know that you're doing the right thing. Until next time. This is, Mr. Webb, reminding you that you are not alone. See you next time on The Conservative Classroom. Teaching the truth. Preserving our values.