A Conversation with 2022 National Teacher of the Year, Kurt Russell

The City Club of Cleveland Podcast

Kurt Russell was first inspired to become a teacher in middle school when he encountered his first Black male teacher. He is now a 25-year veteran of the classroom and teaches history at Oberlin High School in Oberlin, OH, where he was born and raised.\r\n\r\nKurt\'s classes include African American history, which he has taught since the late 1990s, and Race, Gender and Oppression, a class he developed. He also serves as faculty advisor for the student-led Black Student Union, whose work has led to positive impacts for students across racial groups.\r\n\r\nNow as the 2022 National Teacher of the Year, he plans to advocate for classrooms to better reflect the students within them. This includes a curriculum that reflects their backgrounds and identities, to a more diverse teaching profession. \r\n\r\nHowever, educators are often impacted by policymakers\' decisions--ranging from curriculum standards, funding, assessments, and more. Join us at the City Club to hear from Kurt Russell, in partnership with the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, and learn about the impacts of politics in and outside the classroom, moderated by City of Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield.