A bitter debate about the criteria for enrolling students at Lowell, in California, has echoes of the soul-searching happening across the U.S. education system.

Guest: Jay Caspian Kang, a writer for Times Opinion and The New York Times Magazine; and Jessica Cheung, a senior audio producer for The Daily.

Want more from The Daily? For one big idea on the news each week from our team, subscribe to our newsletter.

Background reading:

The decision to replace Lowell High School’s admission process with a lottery system was a key factor at play in a recall election in February that ousted three members of San Francisco’s school board.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

RHONY Recap - Dale Gets A Confessional & Bethenny Cries