Miseducation

At my school, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance feels more like a social club than a space for activism. And I’m not alone in feeling that way.

In this episode, I look at how GSAs in New York City have drifted from their original purpose: organizing for change and uplifting queer voices. Once at the front lines of student activism, many GSAs now avoid political conversations and lack diversity, even as queer youth face mounting atta...

America is in a financial literacy crisis. According to the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center, U.S. adults correctly answer less than half of basic personal-finance questions. 

As a sophomore at Stuyvesant High School and a student reporter for Miseducation, I’ve seen firsthand how we’re set up to fail. New York City, the financial capital of the world, still doesn’t require a standalone personal-finance course for graduat...

By Autumn Wynn

In New York City schools, restorative justice – or RJ – has been around for almost a decade. It’s a way to repair harm by bringing together the person who caused it, the person affected, and the community.

Restorative justice circles are designed to help students heal, take accountability, and build stronger communities, but too often they feel like just another routine. Most RJ schools rely on circles — structured con...

What is happening with the youth vote during this year’s mayoral race? Are New York City’s young people tuning in? Are the candidates reaching out to young voters? And why hasn’t education been a centerpiece of the mayor’s race so far?

Producers Jojo Fofana, a senior at Fordham High School for the Arts, and Roberto Bailey, a junior at Hunter College High School, examine the 2025 mayoral race and the role of young people in the elect...

Why do so many young people lack the fundamentals of civics knowledge? Is the education system adequately preparing future generations for active participation in democracy? Do New York City teens know there’s a big mayoral race coming up — and can they name any of the candidates?

Producers Jasmyn Centeno, a senior at Uncommon Leadership Charter High School, and Annie He, a senior at John Dewey High School, tackle these questions he...

It’s been five years since COVID shut down New York City schools. How are kids faring with the aftermath? How do they talk about the pandemic – or not? 

The fallout is often framed around “learning loss” or dips in test scores, but what about some of the social impacts, like the quiet shifts in students’ personalities or the mounting mental health struggles many are still confronting? 

Producers Mateo Tang O’Reilly, from Central Park...

What is the state of youth climate activism in New York City? 

The momentum of the climate protests at the start of the 2019-20 school year may have slowed since the pandemic, and many students remain apathetic, but climate anxiety continues to fuel some students into action. 

Producers Sanaa Stokes, a senior at Manhattan’s Professional Performing Arts High School, and Aponi Kafele, a junior at Manhattan’s Essex Street Academy, tackl...

Cutting class. Fights. Vaping. School bathrooms have long been notorious for all sorts of illicit behavior. And in response, many schools now significantly restrict access to bathrooms or are adding surveillance tools, including vape detectors. 

Producers Isabella Mason, from Midwood High School, and Bernie Carmona, from Beacon High School, wade into the debate over school bathroom policies.

At Midwood, for instance, the school locks...

P.S. Weekly airs on Thursdays this spring. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

Episodes republish Mondays in the Miseducation feed.

There’s no way to ignore the rise of AI in schools. 

P.S. Weekly airs on Thursdays this spring. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

Episodes republish Mondays in the Miseducation feed.

When schools have high rates of teacher turnover, students lose connections to trusted educators, and new teache...

P.S. Weekly airs on Thursdays this spring. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

Episodes republish Mondays in the Miseducation feed.

Applying to college is stressful enough. Navigating the financial aid process adds a whole new layer. And for ch...

P.S. Weekly airs on Thursdays this spring. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

Episodes republish Mondays in the Miseducation feed.

Are New York City students getting the sex education they need? P.S. Weekly’s episode 2 explores the systemic shortcomings and urgent need for comprehensive — and inc...

P.S. Weekly airs on Thursdays this spring. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

Episodes republish Mondays in the Miseducation feed.

Episode 1 dives into the state of ethnic studies in New York City schools and how the Trump administration ...

We recorded this bonus episode live at the annual SXSW EDU conference, hosted earlier this month in Austin, Texas. P.S. Weekly’s student reporters spoke on a panel at the event, diving into the pressing inequities of New York City’s school system.

Listen to what it’s really like to navigate the largest scho...

By Bernie Carmona, Katelyn Melville and Kelsi Bowen

In the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, students across the country have missed school far more regularly than before it. In New York City, the chronic absenteeism rate (percentage of students who miss at least 10% of total school days) hovered around 25...

Miseducation is a podcast of The Bell that equips New York City public high school students with the tools to report on inequities in the nation’s largest school system.

Sabrina is joined by two student leaders to share a special announcement about a new citywide initiative called Journalism for All. The initiative will provide curriculum, training, funding, and other forms of support to 30 NYC public high schools that want to start journalism programs. The initiative is led by the NYC Youth Journalism Coalition, which is directed by The Bell.

The application is open now through November 4. All of t...

While protests over the Israel-Hamas war have gripped New York City college campuses, we look at how high schoolers have reacted — and the student freedom of speech issues being raised.

P.S. Weekly reporter Dorothy Ha speaks to Orlena Fella, whose high school was uniquely impacted by recent protests at City College. Then, Dorothy heads over to the New York Civil Liberties Union for an in-depth conversation about student ri...

What happens when a teen wants therapy but their parents are unsure? Is NYC’s bold initiative to offer free virtual therapy to teens working? Tune in to find out.

News Bulletin — Chalkbeat's Amy Zimmer breaks down top education stories from the past week. (2 min)

Segment A — Salma Baksh interviews a mother-daughter duo as they discuss conflicting views on therapy. (11 min)

Segment B — Shoaa Khan explores Teenspace, the city'...