In the newest episode of the ChangeWire podcast “And How Are The Children,” Omar Marquez sits down with his former 7th grade English teacher, Alexandra (Ale) Checka, winner of the 2018 Fort Worth ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year award, to reflect on how their years-long connectivity has not only guided his career, but improved outcomes for students too.

Tune in as the two educators, who became co-workers mid-pandemic at the middle school Marquez attended himself, share what has surprised them the most in their journeys as teachers and coaches. They also explore what they notice when it comes to the narratives and decisions around getting public schools and the families they serve what they need, specifically in Texas.

“It’s truly shocking to me that the American public is having a debate about books,” says Checka, referring to the spreading of book-banning laws that have taken effect in the past few years. “And like a big chunk of the debate is that kids just read too much.”

Checka also points out school funding is a choice not a scarce resource.

“Here we are in a state with a 30-billion-dollar surplus. Here we are in a first world country. And here we are in a school without reliable heating and air conditioning,” she said.

“We want things to be better for our kids than they were for us,” reminds Checka, who encourages voters to weigh candidates running for office by how they will take action for public schools – making education more accessible for all students.

Checka describes how she, somewhat reluctantly, got into teaching – and what happened when she was assigned to substitute a Home Economics class in the district she herself was a student in.

“I had just spent the whole day teaching Black and brown kids how to clean – and elsewhere in the school, there were kids learning about history and writing and science,” remembers Checka, sharing her shock about what was being prioritized for students who were still struggling to read. This moment pushed her to reflect on the circumstances that created this classroom, and how “not okay” the students were.

“The children are what kept me in it,” says Marquez. Marquez also reveals why this year he is now leaving his role as a restorative practices coach. He will continue to shape access for students – now to higher education in his new chapter.

And through the experiences Marquez and Checka share, we are invited to answer “And How Are the Children?” – and decide how we will strengthen relationships with our peers for the success of ourselves and the children in our lives.

ON THE HORIZON: Next month Marquez will bring in the perspective of Community Change organizers as they practice interdependence for the second part of this interconnectivity exploration.