Educating Minds: Parents of Waterloo Region (EMPOWR) is a grassroots collection of parents and citizens committed to education and liberty. This podcast covers issues in the Waterloo Region that most legacy media outlets ignore. How and why has education changed over time? What local policies that impact liberty are being implemented without widespread discussion and consent. What can we do about it? And who are the fascinating people bringing ideas and action to the table? Find all of this and more in just 20 minutes with the POWR Take in 20! <br/><br/><a href="https://empowrconnect.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">empowrconnect.substack.com</a>
POWR Take in 20
Claim This Podcastby Parents of Waterloo Region
11 episodes
Updated Daily
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Podcast Overview
Educating Minds: Parents of Waterloo Region (EMPOWR) is a grassroots collection of parents and citizens committed to education and liberty. This podcast covers issues in the Waterloo Region that most legacy media outlets ignore. How and why has education changed over time? What local policies that impact liberty are being implemented without widespread discussion and consent. What can we do about it? And who are the fascinating people bringing ideas and action to the table? Find all of this and more in just 20 minutes with the POWR Take in 20! <br/><br/><a href="https://empowrconnect.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">empowrconnect.substack.com</a>
Language
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Publishing Since
10/27/2025
1 verified contact email on file for POWR Take in 20
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Recent Episodes
June 23, 2026
The Costs of "Decolonizing" A School
<p>We interviewed Ishan Acharya, a remarkable Grade 10 student at what used to be called Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School (affectionately known as “S-JAM”). In 2022, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) renamed the school to align with its “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cp24.com/news/canada/2026/05/14/student-files-foi-to-find-out-why-it-cost-175k-to-rename-waterloo-high-school/">commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and ensuring inclusive learning environments where all students feel safe, welcomed and respected.</a>” Erasing our nation’s founder in favour of the culturally neutral moniker “Laurel Heights” struck Ishan as an appalling use of taxpayer funds when some students can’t even afford to eat lunch. While the Board didn’t disclose the costs of the name change at the time, Ishan resourcefully filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request that revealed a cost of $195,105.86. We at least hope the WRDSB can prove the name change made students feel “safe, welcomed, and respected”, because those feelings are unlikely to be measurable among taxpayers.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://empowrconnect.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">empowrconnect.substack.com</a>
February 24, 2026
Joanna Williams: Education's Two Solitudes
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://cieo.substack.com/about">Joanna Williams</a> is a British author and public intellectual. She began her career teaching high school English prior to an academic career that included directorship of the Centre for the Study of Higher Education. We reached out to speak with Joanna about her recent essay, “<a target="_blank" href="https://cieo.substack.com/p/how-progressive-education-paves-the">How progressive education paves the way for the politicisation of schooling</a>”, which reflects work on her upcoming book <strong>We Don’t Need No Indoctrination</strong>. Her essay succinctly contrasts forward-looking progressive education with classical approaches to the intergenerational transmission of Western civilization. </p><p>1:48 Joanna’s background and rising concerns about educational politicization</p><p>5:00 The origins of progressive ‘child-centred’ education</p><p>8:35 What is classical education?</p><p>10:56 How do we decide what’s important to teach?</p><p>16:20 Is classical education more effective than progressive?</p><p>19:55 The Western canon helps us understand modern literature.</p><p>25:45 Top-down propagation of UNESCO priorities and ‘global citizenship’</p><p>35:32 Gaslighting about history and ‘child-centered’ education</p><p>43:54 Future-focused progressivism leads to screentime and busywork</p><p>52:28 Students lose when we try to prepare them for an unknowable future</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://empowrconnect.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">empowrconnect.substack.com</a>
February 5, 2026
Debbie Kasman – Ontario Education Reform
<p>An education analyst with four decades of experience in public education, <a target="_blank" href="https://debbielkasman.com/">Debbie Kasman</a> has a vision for reforming Ontario’s public education system. In her view, the system is in crisis and needs a firm hand to restore order. She believes that replacing Boards of Trustees with a single boss—the Minister of Education—to whom Directors of Education are directly accountable, will calm the system. Debbie’s vision also includes changes to Faculties of Education and beefed up parent councils. We invited her to the podcast to try to assuage our skepticism.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://empowrconnect.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">empowrconnect.substack.com</a>
11 total episodes available
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This podcast updates daily.
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Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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