The Millennial Left, Marshfield School Discrimination Case, Health Care’s Future

Air Date:
Heard On Central Time

Documents show that two Marshfield School District Employees violated an anti-discrimation policy when casting a school musical. We learn about the details of the case. We also discuss why young progressives today are embracing socialism and bear a striking resemblance to the Left in the 1930s. With the latest failure of health care legislation, lawmakers are indicating they might want to move on to other issues, but the President is urging otherwise. We look at where the agenda will shift.

Featured in this Show

  • Millennials Invoke The Old Left Of The 1930s

    Millennials are some of the leading voices on the political left, and they’re increasingly identifying with socialism. We talk to a historian who says millennials have less in common with the New Left of the 1960s, and more in common with the Old Left of the 1930s.

  • Investigation Finds Marshfield School District Employees Violated Non-Discrimination Policy

    An investigation by Marshfield School District officials has concluded two employees’ conduct surrounding casting for a school play violated the district’s anti-discrimination policy.

    Last year, a parent filed a complaint saying two employees’ casting choices for a school production of “The Sound of Music” were biased. The investigation found the employees casted the play based on students’ appearances, and that they excluded a student “who didn’t look like others,” said Jonathan Anderson, a reporter for the USA Today Network-Wisconsin and the Green Bay Press-Gazette who’s been covering the story for the past year.

    “The investigation found that there was substantial evidence that discrimination had occurred. However, the investigation also found that the two employees did not discriminate intentionally, and for that reason the superintendent said that disciplinary action was not warranted,” Anderson said.

    School policies prohibit discrimination based on protected classes such as race, religion and gender, and requires all students have equal access to school programs and activities.

    Details that could potentially identify the student involved in the matter have been withheld by the school board.

    “We don’t know the specific basis for the discrimination complaint,” Anderson said. “The school district argued and a judge agreed that releasing the nature of the discrimination could reveal the identity of the student.”

    However, a photo provided in the parent’s complaint shows a cast that does appear to be all-white, he noted.

    Although the employees were not disciplined, the school board has revised its non-discrimination policy to apply more broadly to student activities and school programs. The school has also said it will train employees about discrimination issues, Anderson said.

    “Hopefully (that) will prevent these kinds of issues from occurring in the future,” he said.

  • Investigation Shows Marshfield School District Discriminated Against Student

    Last year, a parent complained about discrimination when two Marshfield School District officials cast a student performance of “The Sound of Music”. We speak with Jonathan Anderson of the USA Today Network-Wisconsin about the story and his coverage of the issue.

  • What's Next For Health Care In The Senate?

    President Donald Trump is pushing Senate Republicans to take up health care again, after three failed votes on the Affordable Care Act last week. The president tweeted that unless Republicans are “total quitters” they will try again to repeal and replace Obamacare. But Senate Republicans have already started talking about working on a Trump judicial nominee in the coming week. We talk to a political scientist about what’s next for health care in the U.S. Senate.

Episode Credits

  • Judith Siers-Poisson Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Haleema Shah Producer
  • J. Carlisle Larsen Producer
  • Amanda Magnus Producer
  • Andrew Hartman Guest
  • Jonathan Anderson Guest
  • Paul Nolette Guest