In part 2 of this powerful episode, host Jacob Chastain sits down with Dr. John B. King Jr., the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama, to discuss his new book Teacher by Teacher.

They explore Dr. King’s journey from classroom teacher to national education leader, offering a rare insider’s perspective on the state of American education.

Together, they unpack the challenges educators face today, including the growing politicization of the profession and its impact on schools and communities. A must-listen for anyone passionate about teaching, policy, and the future of education.

John B. King Jr. served in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as the tenth U.S. Secretary of Education. Over the course of his extensive and influential career in public education, he has been a high school social studies teacher, a middle school principal, the first African American and Puerto Rican to serve as New York State Education Commissioner, a college professor, and the president and CEO of the Education Trust, a national education civil rights organization.

King is currently the chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education. Both of King’s parents were career New York City public school educators.

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