Most Americans know who the president is.

Many people also know the names of their senators and representatives in Congress or their state lawmakers.

But what about the people who run the local school board?

School board members are typically elected by people in their community.

That board then works together to set the goals and performance standards for public schools in the

district. But make no mistake, school boards are not apolitical. Since 2021, school board races have

been dominated by issues like trans students' access to bathrooms and sports, book bans, and

diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. But that tide is shifting. In politically mixed

communities across the country, progressive candidates are winning more school board elections

unseating conservative opponents who made gains during the Biden era. So what does a shift in

local politics mean for students and parents?

And what can school boards and the issues they prioritize tell us about the state of our democracy?

I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A podcast. We tackle those questions and more after this short

break.

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Let's get into the conversation by meeting our guests. Joining guests from Los Angeles is Nadra Niddle.

She's an education reporter at the 19th News. That's an independent nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics, policy, and power.

Nadra, it's great to have you.

Thank you for having me.

Also with us is Scott Levy.

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